March 13, 2017
The Diocese of Allentown has announced that 22 programs and agencies from each of the five counties of the Diocese have been awarded Poverty Relief Fund grants totaling more than $93,000. The money is allocated from the proceeds of the Poverty Relief Fund collection taken up in the 84 parishes of the diocese in the third weekend of November.
Applications for grants totaled more than $200,000, much more money than was collected.
This year's recipients, their award and the program it funds are as follows:
• $8,000 to the St. Vincent de Paul Society at St. Benedict Parish, Mohnton for food, rental and utility assistance in the Reading area.
• $1,000 to the Divine Mercy Cenacle at St. Joseph the Worker Parish, Orefield for its food pantry..
• $500 to St. Mary Parish, Kutztown, for the ecumenical effort known as the potato project.
• $2,000 to Sacred Heart Parish, Palmerton to fund a homeless shelter at the parish as part of the Family Promise Initiative in Carbon County.
• $4,000 to St. Peter the Fisherman Parish, Lake Harmony for the parish food pantry.
• $7,000 to Catholic Charities, Diocese of Allentown to fund counseling services for students and families at Allentown's Central Elementary School.
• $7,000 to Holy Family Manor, Bethlehem for computer software for residents.
• $8,000 to the St. Vincent de Paul Society at Notre Dame of Bethlehem Parish for rent and food assistance.
• $5,000 to the St. Vincent de Paul Society at St. Anne Parish, Bethlehem for rental and utility assistance.
• $3,000 to Stephen's Place in Bethlehem, a transitional housing program for non- violent offenders.
• $5,000 to Mary's Shelter for food, clothing and utilities at their facilities in Bethlehem and Reading.
• $3,000 for Central City Program at Allentown Central Catholic High School and its urban garden used to provide food for the poor.
• $2,400 to the School Sisters of St. Francis in Bethlehem for their Farm Project.
• $6,000 to the St. Vincent de Paul Society at St. Jane Frances de Chantal Parish in Easton for rent and utility assistance.
• $3,000 to the St. Vincent de Paul Society at St. Matthew the Evangelist Parish in Minersville for its food pantry.
• $2,000 to the Divine Mercy Society at St. Joseph Parish, Jim Thorpe for rental assistance, utilities and food.
• $6,000 to the St. Vincent DePaul Society at St. Joseph Parish, Coopersburg for rental assistance.
• $1,250 to the Carbon County Prime Time Club at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Weatherly for food for the needy.
• $2,500 to the St. Vincent de Paul Society at Holy Guardian Angels Parish in Reading for food, clothing and utility assistance.
• $8,000 to Servants to All, which operates a homeless shelter in Pottsville.
• $7,000 to St. Francis Home, a hospice scheduled to open in Cumru Township, Berks County in June.
• $2,000 to the summer food program run by the Whitehall Coplay Hunger Initiative through St. Elizabeth of Hungary Parish, Whitehall
The 2017 Poverty Relief Fund collection will be taken up in all churches in the Diocese on November 18 and 19.
Contact: Matt Kerr
610-871-5200, Extension 265
