Bishop Price blessing the new choice pantry at CAIN in Cincinnati, October, 2006, on the day that historic St. Philip's Church moved to the CAIN building. Your donations enable CAIN to provide thousands of meals worth of free groceries every year.

DONORS

ECSF is a charity that was created by Bishop Herbert Thompson and Diocesan Convention in 1991 to equip the community ministry of Episcopalians in Southern Ohio. Your donations are what make this possible!

ECSF’s first generation of supporters established the Bishop Blanchard Endowment in honor of Southern Ohio’s fifth bishop, renowned throughout the Episcopal Church for his courageous social justice ministry in the 1960’s. The Blanchard Endowment funds staff and communications, enabling us to research needs and resources in Ohio, connect people working on similar concerns, and provide free planning help.

ECSF’s annual fund is the major source of current grants. Heartfelt thanks to Bishops Breidenthal and Price and a group of thirty-three priests and deacons who collectively pledged to match $20,000 in gifts by laypeople during Advent! Their generosity inspired lay individuals to contribute $37,000 between Convention and Dec. 31.

We also want to thank the 70 churches who contributed or pledged to ECSF in 2007. That’s 85% of the churches of the diocese – the highest proportion in ECSF history! The generosity of so many people and churches enabled the ECSF board to approve a grants budget of $120.160 for 2008, with almost 80% of the grants budget collected or pledged by the start of the year, compared to 54% in January of 2007. Once again, with your help, we’ve set a new record

It is easy to donate online to either the annual fund or endowment. If you would like to make a planned gift or gift of stock, please contact ECSF Executive Director Ariel Miller.

Project grants from other funders enable us to provide conferences, special training, and equipment to congregations. Our major current grant-funded initiative is the Benefit Bank, supported by the Jessie Ball DuPont Fund and the William Cooper Procter Fund.