January Web Features Highlight Partners in Haiti and Friends in Wyoming

January 26, 2012

This month’s Power of Partnerships honors the efforts of the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti and its relief and development arm, CEDDISEC (Centre Diocésain de Développement Intégré et de Secours), to support community-based relief and recovery in the continued aftermath of the January 2010 earthquake. Through CEDDISEC’s Protection and Empowerment program, members of the Youth Brigade identified several work projects that would promote an environment of respect and protection in urban tent camps, where harassment and gender-based violence are significant hardships for women and girls. Young adults from the camps were recruited to work on these projects, giving them an opportunity to earn much-needed income.

January’s Friends of Episcopal Relief & Development celebrates the hard work and generosity of the Sunday School and Youth Group at the Church of the Holy Communion in Rock Springs, Wyoming. For the past few years, the young people of the church have organized an annual youth-led worship service and spaghetti lunch fundraiser. This year they chose Episcopal Relief & Development’s Gifts for Life program as the recipient of the donations. The youth wanted to maximize the impact of their gift, so they planned the event to coincide with the organization’s Matching Gifts Campaign, effectively doubling their contribution and making an even bigger difference in communities worldwide.

The monthly Power of Partnerships and Friends of Episcopal Relief & Development web features present stories about the agency’s partners in the US and worldwide. Visit www.episcopalrelief.org to read past installments, find information about our programs or make a contribution. You can also call 1.855.312.HEAL. 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 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. Episcopal Relief & Development works closely with the worldwide Church and ecumenical partners to help rebuild after disasters and to empower local communities to find lasting solutions that fight poverty, hunger and disease, including HIV/AIDS and malaria.