Wanted: Applications for Cents-Ability Grants within the Presbytery

The Cents-Ability Grants Committee (made up of representatives of participating congregations) has completed design of the process for applying for and receiving grants from our Presbytery’s Cents-Ability program.

Cents-Ability is a strategy for raising hunger awareness and funds. Presbyteries throughout the U.S. have been “doing” Cents-Ability for many years; Monmouth Presbytery began the program in November 2006. Money raised through the program is used in a partnership model to fund hunger ministries near and far: 40% within the bounds of Monmouth Presbytery and 60% in the U.S. and around the world.

All congregations are encouraged to apply for a grant for their own hunger ministries or to invite organizations they support to apply (with endorsement by a local church session). Completed applications should be submitted by April 8, 2008 and will be considered at our meeting on May 6.

We are excited about Cents-Ability and its potential for raising funds and awareness in the fight against hunger. Awareness of hunger can and often does transform people, congregations, communities, and, of course, hungry people. It’s a mission that, with a little interpretation, people can feel really good about and be inspired to be generous toward. Good stories are coming out of congregations that are participating:

· Judy Ross, Jacksonville’s coordinator, reports that the Youth Group made bags of rice with this message: “This two ounces of rice represents the daily diet of 852 million in the world. More than half of these are children. Imagine that you have this small bag of rice as your only food for the day, and that you probably have to walk a distance to get the water in which to cook it.” After the children’s sermon the kids passed them out to everyone in church. Holding that small amount in their hand made a big impact in understanding the reality of hunger.

· Betty Taylor, Forked River’s Cents-Ability Grants Committee representative, reported hearing their Hunger Action Team leader saying, “Wow, last Sunday [when we received the monthly offering] we received over $400 again!”

If every member of every congregation in our Presbytery gave just 1 penny every meal, every day, and prayed for people who are hungry, we would raise over $150,000 per year—and only God knows how we ourselves would be transformed!

The Cents-Ability Grants Application form is on-line. For more information about the grants process or the program and how to promote it, please contact our Hunger Action Enabler, Rev. Phyllis Zoon, at 201-910-7047.