SPRINGFIELD — Fourteen organizations in central Illinois have been awarded more than $21,000 in grants from Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Rice Bowl and the Office for the Missions of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. The grants assist organizations in providing food for the hungry in various parts of the diocese according to Vicki Compton, director of the Office for the Missions.
The organizations which will share a total of $21,250 include:
- Carlinville Food Pantry;
- St. Vincent de Paul Societies in Charleston, Collinsville and Quincy;
- Gillespie Ministerial Association Caring Center;
- Bond County Food Pantry, Greenville;
- Highland Area Christian Service Ministries;
- Loami Area Community Pantry;
- St. Mary's Food Pantry, Paris;
- Sorento Food Pantry;
- MERCY Communities, Springfield;
- Staunton Food Pantry;
- Ministries Unlimited, Troy; and
- Cass County Food Pantry, Virginia.
CRS 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 CRS Rice Bowl's inception 40 years ago, millions of dollars have been raised to help fund CRS' development projects in more than 100 countries, including the United States.
Each year, 25 percent of the money raised in Catholic parishes in 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, said Compton.
More information is available by writing to: CRS Rice Bowl Grants, Office for the Missions, Springfield, IL 62702 or call (217) 698-8500 ext. 120 or .