Paul Tillich, the existential theology philosopher, once wrote, "Grace strikes us when we are in great pain and restlessness ... Sometimes at that moment a wave of light breaks into our darkness, and it is as though a voice were saying: "You are accepted."
An example of that light broke through on Saturday as nearly $1 million in grants were awarded to six organizations to help secondary victims of the September 11th attacks. That constituency is primarily composed of low-income families working in the service industry, whose livelihoods have been severely impacted by the events of that day in 2001.
The second largest amount, $251,562, went to Rising Hope United Methodist Mission Church, 8605 Engleside Office Park, lead by the Reverend Keary Kincannon. Established in 1996, its primary mission is to bring spiritual and material relief to the needy along the Route 1 corridor in the Mount Vernon area.
Another $33,400 was presented to the Route One Neighborhood Shalom Organization/ Phoenix Rising. It was established in 2000 to address the issue of hunger and homelessness in Fairfax County. Recognizing that community meal programs operate Monday through Friday, Phoenix Rising began serving bagged meals every friday evening to the homeless sheltered in variety of habitats along the Route 1 corridor.
Under the aegis of the United Methodist Church of Northern Virginia, the National United Methodist Committee on Relief [UMCOR] announced the grants at the conclusion of the church's annual Bi-District Leadership Conference held at Fairfax High School. The money came from UMCOR's "Love in the Midst of Tragedy" fund created in the aftermath of 9/11.
"We still have people coming to us who lost their job as a result of 9/11 and have not been able to find another," Kincannon stated at the ceremony. "They need food, work, and a lot of other life necessities. This money will also help in our case management efforts so we can follow people through the system and it will be invaluable to our food ministry."
IN ANNOUNCING THE GRANTS, Virginia Council Director and UMCOR board member, Wasena F. "Buddy" Wright, noted "This is the largest single offering in the denomination's history." Abi Forester, Alexandria District coordinator, said, "The focus of the grant is to show how faith-based organizations can contribute to the needs of the community."
Deciding how to distribute the money was done in collaboration with the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and the county's Social Services. The county was able to compile data and provide important information as to how various groups were impacted by the events of 9/11, according to Lee District Supervisor Dana Kauffman (D) during his remarks at the ceremony.
Stuart Mendelsohn (R) Dranesville District Supervisor, emphasized, "You [UMCOR] are able to do with this money what we in government can't possibly do. We need to partner with you."
That thought was echoed by the event's keynote speaker, US Representative James P. Moran, (D- 8) . "Working together with government, faith-based organizations can help so many. All six organizations fulfill a critical need of those who don't feel a part of community. This grant will enable many to feel much more a part of that community."
Moran emphasized, "The primary role of faith-based organizations is to provide for those who have slipped through the cracks of society. We appreciate this money being provided to the organizations that help those individuals and families in Northern Virginia."
EACH OF THE organizations will receive the money over the next three years in equal installments. The first has been made.
In the case of Rising Hope, more than 60 percent of its members are, or have been homeless. They plan to use the money to increase assistance in the areas of food, clothing, housing and household goods, providing transportation to job interviews, medical and mental health care, legal appointments, and counseling.
Phoenix Rising's goal for the grant monies is to supplement their current food donations by purchasing food, providing indigent families with printed materials to help them in locating county services, and providing one-on-one case management support.
Others receiving grants, the amounts, and intended uses were:
. Grace Ministries, $383,400, for a community outreach program of the Arlington District to serve the needy immigrant families of Northern Virginia via monthly food and clothing distribution, rent assistance, job training and re- training, worship in Spanish, and pastoral counseling.
. ESL & Immigrant Ministries [ESLIM], $94,230. Its mission is to offer language instruction to low-income immigrants so that they may more fully participate in the life of the community. It encompasses 19 UM churches throughout Northern Virginia.
. Bi-District Hispanic Ministries, $48,600. A sub-group of the Virginia Annual Conference Hispanic Task Force, it offers support to Hispanic pastors and their congregations in the Alexandria and Arlington districts.
. Northern Virginia Board of Missions/Immigration and Legal Services Task Force, $162,000. A combined board of the Alexandria and Arlington districts, its purpose is to address the legal needs of Northern Virginia immigrants since 9/11 through the Just Neighbors Ministry [JNM]. Their primary goal is to provide legal counseling and representation on immigration matters.