Mary Lewis Dassinger, Project Coordinator for 200,000 More Reasons, recently announced its local church grant recipients for the spring and summer grant cycle.
“One of the best parts of my job is to join with our grant review committee to make grant awards to local church feeding and literacy ministries,” said Dassinger. “Thanks to the generosity of the Methodist Foundation of Arkansas and those who give during Annual Conference, we were able to present an award to every church that applied, and totaled $25,500,” she added.
“I am grateful for the generous support given by the Methodist Foundation for Arkansas as well as the Annual Conference offering that allows these grants to be offered,” said Jim Polk, ARUMC Director of Connectional Ministries and Assistant to the Bishop. “Even more, I am thankful for the efforts of these and so many other congregations in the Arkansas Conference who are actually doing the work of 200,000 More Reasons. Together, Arkansas United Methodists are making a difference as we strive to eliminate childhood hunger and increase the literacy rate in our state.”
Dassinger added that they had six grantees that had never asked for a grant before and seven who were creating new ministries. “Our feeding and literacy ministries are alive and well!”
Churches that received grants may be found here:
| Church | District | Project Title |
|---|---|---|
| Concord United Methodist Church, Drasco | Northeast | Summer Backpack Program with Literacy Component |
| Cushman United Methodist Church | Northeast | Helping Hands Food Pantry: Food Bags For Children |
| First United Methodist Church, North Little Rock | Central | Backpack Feeding & Literacy Ministry |
| First United Methodist Church, Conway | Central | Summer Feeding Ministry |
| Green Forest United Methodist Church | Northwest | Food Pantry Ministry |
| Hazel Edwards Memorial United Methodist Church, Newark | Northeast | Garden for Youth |
| Henderson United Methodist Church, Little Rock | Central | Food Pantry |
| Jacksonville First United Methodist Church | Central | FAM 5000 |
| Lakeside United Methodist Pine Bluff | Southeast | RELATE (Read, Educate, Learn, Aspire, Tutor, Edify) |
| Lonoke First United Methodist Church | Central | Lonoke FUMC Community Garden 2022 |
| Mena First United Methodist Church | Northwest | Blessing Cabinet |
| Mount Eagle Retreat Center | Northeast | Family Get-A-Way |
| Mt. Olive United Methodist Church, Fordyce | Southeast | Food Pantry |
| St. James United Methodist Church, Pine Bluff | Southeast | Project Transformation Snacks and Supplies |
| Swifton/Tuckerman United Methodist Churches | Northeast | North Jackson County UMC Children’s Ministry |
| Vilonia United Methodist Church | Central | Summer Feeding Ministry and Reading Program |