The organizations, which will share a total of $18,100, are:
- Auburn Community Helping Hands and Auburn Food Pantry, Auburn
- Good Samaritan Ministries, Carlinville
- Coalition for People in Need, Charleston
- Society of St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry, Collinsville
- Gillespie Ministerial Association's Caring Center, Gillespie
- Bond County Food Pantry, Greenville
- Highland Area Christian Service Ministry, Highland
- St. Vincent de Paul Society at St. Francis Xavier Parish, Jerseyville
- Hearts United Association, Litchfield
- Loami Area Community Pantry, Loami
- Mt. Olive Care Center, Mt. Olive
- Ladies of Charity and St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry at St. Francis Parish Quincy
- Riverton Community Food Pantry, Riverton
- Sorento Food Pantry, Sorento
- MERCY Communities and Parent Helpline at St. John's Hospital, Springfield
- Taylorville Meals on Wheels, Taylorville
- St. Jerome Parish Outreach/Food Bus, Troy
- Cass County Food Pantry, Virginia
Operation Rice Bowl is designed to enhance the Lenten experience for participating families by focusing on values of self-sacrifice and fostering solidarity with the poor and the hungry through prayer, fasting, learning and almsgiving. Since Operation Rice Bowl's inception over 30 years ago, millions of dollars have been raised to help fund Catholic Relief Services' development projects in over 99 countries, including the United States.
Each year, 25 percent of the money raised within the Springfield diocese during Lent is designated for local grants to support hunger-relief projects within the boundaries of the diocese. It is through the generosity of Catholics in central Illinois that these grants are possible.
For more information, write to: Operation Rice Bowl Grants, Office for the Missions, P.O. Box 7025, Springfield, IL 62791-7025 or call (217) 698-8500 ext. 120 or visit .