The Rev. Barbi Click oversees a recent lunch distribution at Trinity Food Ministries at Trinity Episcopal Church in St. Louis’ Central West End.

As the number of people facing food insecurity rises during the coronavirus pandemic, the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri is stepping up efforts to support those in need. Heeding our biblical call to feed the hungry, the diocese announces a matching grant project to provide an additional $60,000 to hunger ministries in our diocese.

Bishop-elect Deon K. Johnson announced that one-time grants will be available to our existing food ministries. The seed gift of $30,000 is coming from the diocese and a few anonymous individual contributors. The bishop-elect encourages our churches, members of our parishes and the community at large to make donations to match that amount, doubling the support to those in need.

“People want to feel they’re doing something to help their neighbors during this crisis,” said Bishop-elect Johnson. “This gift will support the mission and ministry of the Church.”

“No words can express my overwhelming joy to hear of this matching grant,” said Jane Mayfield, chair of the Diocesan Task Force on Hunger.  “It is an answer to prayer.”

The Task Force on Hunger distributes more than $20,000 each year in donations from the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri, its congregations and individuals. The additional funds from this matching grant will help provide for the growing number of people being served by our existing ministries during the coronavirus health and economic crisis.

“It’s hard to put a number on the amount of people that we help due to the diverse food ministries that our diocese has,” Mayfield said. “We fund weekly community meals for 100 and monthly community meals for a lower number. There are blessing boxes where people take what they need when they need it. There are food pantries that feed both families of five and households of one. We know that requests for food help are increasing daily.”

If you would like to help us reach our $60,000 goal, visit www.DioceseMo.org and click the “DONATE” button in the upper right corner. Please select “COVID-19 Food Ministries” from the dropdown menu.

The Episcopal Diocese of Missouri has approximately 10,000 members in 41 churches throughout Eastern and Central Missouri. Members of the diocese elected the Rev. Deon K. Johnson at their November 2019 Convention. He will be ordained the 11th Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri on June 13, 2020 at Christ Church Cathedral in St. Louis.