WEDNESDAY WORDS
FROM METRO MINISTRIES, INC.
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March 31, 2021
Metro Lenten Moment
For this last week of Lent, Metro Board Member Amy Sell shares about Old Bethel UMC & Partners Food Pantry for our Metro Lenten Moment. She shares specifically about how important fresh eggs are to food pantry patrons.
We hope you enjoy this example of God's kingdom here on earth. (Note: the portion of this video onsite at Old Bethel UMC & Partners Food Pantry was filmed prior to the pandemic.)
While this Lenten journey will end in a few more days and as we all celebrate Easter this Sunday, Metro will continue sharing Metro Moments through the end of April. Stay tuned for more stories of impact from Metro's 2020 Grant Recipients.
Getting Back to Lent Campaign
We are so close - just $450 away from our goal! Will you help us get there?
The support we have received so far is amazing! Let's see if we can reach our goal by the end of today!
We have been asking folks to set aside at least $1/day during this season of Lent and make that a donation to Metro Ministries. You can click on the image above to make a donation now, or you may mail a check to Metro's office at 2560 Villa Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46203.
Thank you for helping reach our goal and for your continued support of Metro Ministries!
Call for Expressions of Interest!
Metro Ministries has been blessed with a generous gift from an anonymous Family Foundation with a presence in Indianapolis. The Foundation has requested that Metro Ministries be the organization that oversees the distribution of these funds to United Methodist churches in the Central District, amounts will be between $2500 - $5,000 per church.
Other stipulations from the Foundation are that the funding go to churches that directly address one or more of these target areas created or exacerbated by COVID-19 19:
- Food banks
- Housing
- Employment problems
- Education needs
For example, housing encompasses emergency needs such as rent and utilities; employment would cover expenses like car repairs, insurance and licensing to enable transportation to work; and education needs would support children and families with expenses connected with e-learning and/or summer enrichment programs.
If your church is interested in being a recipient of the funding, an Expression of Interest is needed by April 16th. The EOI (Expression of Interest) should be sent via email to metrodirector1923@gmail.com and should contain three paragraphs, covering:
- The mission or intent of the program being funded
- The purpose of the request, confirming that an existing program addressing one or more of the categories mentioned above is being enhanced by this funding
- A description of the total budget for the project and how these funds will address the need.
Keep in mind that the funding is limited, so your EOI may not result in a funding award.This is also a time-sensitive opportunity, as EOIs will only be accepted through April 16.
We have assembled this FAQ sheet about this opportunity. For clarification and other questions, please contact either Tina McAninch, Metro Ministries Executive Director at metrodirector1923@gmail.com or Jeanette Moody, Chairman, Grant Committee at lflmoody48@sbcglobal.net.
We are excited to share Metro's newly updated website with you! We have a brand new look with clean and simple navigation.
We also have in place our Resources Hub, where we now can broadly share resources in the categories of
- Food & Basic Needs
- Children & Youth
- COVID-19
- Mental Health
- Racial & Social Justice
- Central District & Conference
On our new Connect page, we have introduced the Friends of Metro network. If you would like to help Metro increase the impact we are making by serving in one or more volunteer capacities, I invite you to submit this Friends of Metro form.
I would love to hear your thoughts on Metro's new website and on additional resources we should share.
Local Grant Opportunities from Finish Line Youth Foundation
The Finish Line Youth Foundation, in partnership with an internal council, is launching a nationwide grant cycle and an investment in the Far Eastside of Indianapolis. These grants will be awarded to local and national organizations that make a difference in communities of color throughout 2021. There are multiple grant cycles this year, click HERE for full details.
Faith and Action Project 2021
The Faith & Action Project at Christian Theological Seminary brings together faith communities, nonprofit organizations and leaders in business and government each year in a collaborative effort to turn back the tide of poverty. It does this each year through three components: 1) Spring Conference, where attendees are able to share ideas and hear from area organizations that are making a difference; 2) Faith and Action's Grant program aimed at innovative approaches to addressing poverty in Central Indiana; and 3) Fall Conference, where national experts discuss the big issues around poverty.
This year's Faith & Action Project Spring Conference is April 15, 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm. National poverty-mitigation leader Nisha Patel will offer a keynote address that will kick off panel discussion with panelists from Heart Change Ministries, Public Advocates in Community Re-entry (PACE), Edna Martin Christian Center and Arrow Street development.
This free online event is open to all who are interested in learning more about fighting obverting in Central Indiana.
Attendance at the Spring Conference is a pre-requisite for organizations wanting to apply for a Faith and Action grant in 2021. Click HERE for more conference details and to register.
Volunteer Needs with Society of St. Andrew
Society of St. Andrew Indiana has been organizing many of the USDA Farm to Family Food Boxes distributions throughout the state. They are currently seeking volunteers to help continue distributing these boxes in Marion County. Volunteers are needed April 1 and April 15 from 8:00 - 10:00 am.
To sign up for this volunteer opportunity, go to Society of St. Andrew's calendar.
April Food Box Distributions in Johnson County
Food boxes will be distributed at Grace United Methodist Church in Franklin will continue for the Fridays in April.
This distribution is part of the USDA's Farmers to Families program, initiated in April 2020. in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and is sponsored by Grace UMC, Purdue Extension, Society of St. Andrew and Michelle's Little Free Pantry.
The distribution will be drive-thru only with face masks and social distancing required.
These Food Resources will continue to be shared weekly here and are now available on Metro's Resources Hub. Please note the information on these linked pages is subject to change frequently. For the most current information, use the links rather than printed documents.
For Food Pantries and Community Meal information in Marion, Boone, Hamilton, Hancock, Johnson, Morgan and Shelby counties, click HERE.
Note: Mt. Olive United Methodist Church in Morgan County April pantry dates are April 7, 19 and 30th, from 2-6 p.m.
