Loretto Special Needs Funds Assist Many

The Loretto Special Needs Committee is pleased to share our work of the past several months on behalf of the whole Community. Using some of our funds is one of the ways that we as a group are able to participate in Loretto mission, especially during these pandemic times when we are not “out and about” in our usual manner. Our first round of long-range social change grants awarded $32,500 to 10 organizations who work to help meet the needs of their local communities. Members of these organizations work in Colorado, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts and Missouri as well as in Ghana and Guatemala. The ministries supported through these grants offer health care services, a wide variety of educational and cultural services, help with rent, utilities and home repair, provide ICE accompaniment for some individuals and offer needed support for women ex-offenders.

The second round of these long-range social change grants will occur in October of 2020. The deadline for submission of applications is Oct. 15, 2020. Guidelines and application forms are available on the Loretto Community public website under “How We Serve, Justice and Peace, Special Needs Fund.”

Emergency grants are also a significant part of the Special Needs Committee’s work. Loretto Community members often are made aware of friends, colleagues and acquaintances who have encountered unplanned expenses and are in need of financial assistance. The high degree of unemployment coupled with health care needs experienced during this COVID-19 pandemic have created havoc for many within our communities. From the beginning of January through the second week of September we have allocated close to $30,000 for emergency assistance. New requests continue to be received weekly. At the beginning of June the Executive Committee authorized an increase to our 2020 budget to help meet increasing needs. This assistance was made possible because of the Economic Stimulus funds received by vowed members.