March 26, 2003

HERNDON, Va. - A total of $49,400 in Peace with Justice grants has been awarded to 20 organizations throughout the world.

Members of the United Methodist Board of Church and Society who serve on the board's Peace with Justice Work Area approved the grants March 21. The funding comes from a churchwide offering taken on Peace with Justice Sunday, which falls on June 15 this year.

Grants of $5,000 each were given to Mental Health Ministries in Pasadena, Calif., and Empowerment through Education and Social Action in Kidapawan City, Philippines.

Two $4,000 grants were awarded to the Task Force on Latin America and the Caribbean, the Washington Office on Vieques (Puerto Rico), and Outreach to Community Youth for Peace in Oklahoma City.

Youth Cultural Action on Militarism and U.S. Intervention, in Kidapawan City, Philippines, and Campus Bound/College Ready in Los Angeles each received $3,000 grants.

Four groups received $2,500 contributions to their programs: INTERACT in New Smyrna Beach, Fla.; PeaceMobile - Houston Project, headquartered in Dickinson, Texas; Fostering Families/Operation Turnaround in Columbia, S.C.; and Justice for the Homeless in Cincinnati.

Grants of $2,000 were given to five programs: Youth at Risk Justice Ministry in San Antonio; Living Wage Campaign in Memphis, Tenn.; Global Peace and Justice Advocacy in Toledo, Ohio; Hillsborough House of Hope in Tampa, Fla.; and Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy, in Richmond, Va.

The Skills Training in Conflict Prevention/Resolution for Youth of Vukovar, Croatia, was given $1,600 through the Marvin United Methodist Church in Tyler, Texas, which is sponsoring a summer workshop on that topic in Croatia.

Three $1,000 grants were made to the EPIC/Faces of Iraq traveling photo exhibit in Washington; the U.S. Campaign to Ban Landmines in Boston; and the International Criminal Court Advertisement in New York.

An $800 grant was made to Students for Justice in Palestine, an organization in Washington, for holding a Palestine Awareness Week.

United Methodist News Service