August Web Series Feature Biker Friends in New Jersey and Partners in Brazil’s City of God

August 18, 2010

The August installments of Episcopal Relief & Development’s two popular web series, Friends of Episcopal Relief & Development and Power of Partnerships, are now available online. Each month, these series highlight the work of those collaborating with the agency to help people affected by poverty and disease worldwide.

This month’s Friends of Episcopal Relief & Development follows bikers in Morris County, New Jersey, where they gathered for an epic day of cycling that raised thousands of dollars for two very worthy causes. The funds raised by the event, which was coordinated by St. David’s Episcopal Church in Kinnelon, will be split between a local food bank and Episcopal Relief & Development’s efforts to provide communities with reliable sources of clean water.

Mental health services for women in the infamous shantytown/favela of Cidade de Deus in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is the focus of August’s Power of Partnerships feature. Here, Episcopal Relief & Development is partnering with the Diocese of Rio de Janeiro (part of the Anglican Episcopal Church of Brazil) to provide psychosocial counseling and community outreach training to about 90 people. As individuals learn to heal themselves and deal with the stress of life in the favela, where drugs and gang violence are widespread, they are empowered to reach out and help others in need.

Find past installments of Friends of Episcopal Relief & Development and Power of Partnerships on our website. To learn more about our programs or make a contribution, visit www.episcopalrelief.org, or call 800.344.7626 ext.5129. Gifts can be mailed to Episcopal Relief & Development, PO Box 7058, Merrifield, VA 22116-7058.

Episcopal Relief & Development is the international relief and development agency of the Episcopal Church of the United States and an independent 501(c)(3) organization. The agency takes its mandate from Jesus’ words found in Matthew 25. Its programs work towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals. Together with the worldwide Church and ecumenical partners, Episcopal Relief & Development strengthens communities today to meet tomorrow’s challenges. We rebuild after disasters and empower people by offering lasting solutions that fight poverty, hunger and disease, including HIV/AIDS and malaria.