SPRINGFIELD — Twenty-two organizations in central Illinois have been awarded grants from Catholic Relief Services Operation Rice Bowl and the Office for the Missions of the Catholic Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. Grants were awarded to assist in providing food for the hungry in various parts of the diocese.
Organizations which will share a total of $25,000 are: Highland Area Christian Service Ministries in Highland; Elizabeth Ann Seton Program, Cathedral Grade School and MERCY Communities, all in Springfield; Mattoon Area PADS; Gillespie Caring Center; Coalition for People in Need and St. Vincent de Paul Society, both in Charleston; Staunton Food Pantry; Auburn Community Helping Hands; Nokomis Food Pantry; Good Samaritan Ministries in Carlinville; Ss. Peter and Paul Society of St. Vincent de Paul in Collinsville; Faith Fellowship Christian Center in Decatur; Bond County Food Pantry in Greenville; Mt. Olive Care Center; St. Francis Solanus School and St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry, both in Quincy; Sorento Food Pantry; Ministries Unlimited and St. Jerome Outreach Food Bus, both in Troy; and Cass County Food Pantry in 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,” said Vicki Compton, director of the Office for the Missions and Operation Rice Bowl coordinator in the Springfield diocese.
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, Compton said. 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,” Compton said.
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 e-mail .