Grace Church Outreach – a brief History:
Caring for the disabled, widowed and the destitute was the responsibility of the Vestry from the colonial days when the Episcopal Church served as both the religious and civic authority. Caring for our neighbors, near and far, with time, funds and talents has continued as a vibrant aspect Grace Church parish life.
In 1932, when the church budget was only $3,500, a third of this amount was designated for “missionary work” locally, regionally and “For Work in Churches, Hospitals, and Schools throughout the World”. This community service continues today through these activities:
Over the years Grace has committed continued support of the following local charities:
Caring for the disabled, widowed and the destitute was the responsibility of the Vestry from the colonial days when the Episcopal Church served as both the religious and civic authority. Caring for our neighbors, near and far, with time, funds and talents has continued as a vibrant aspect Grace Church parish life.
In 1932, when the church budget was only $3,500, a third of this amount was designated for “missionary work” locally, regionally and “For Work in Churches, Hospitals, and Schools throughout the World”. This community service continues today through these activities:
- The Episcopal Church Woman (ECW) have organized rummage sales semi-annually. Surplus items have gone to a crisis center in southwest Virginia, the local Salvation Army, Habitat store and Goodwill. Funds have previously been donated for scholarships to Shrine Mont camps, to the Boys' Home, St. Jude Hospital and Jackson-Field Home for Girls, and other needs when asked. ECW has taken Christmas presents to patients at Western State Hospital and visited shut-ins with fruit baskets at Thanksgiving.
Over the years Grace has committed continued support of the following local charities:
- Habitat for Humanity: Grace is a covenant church with the Charlottesville Area Habitat for Humanity and has provided building and mentoring volunteers for nearly 20 years.
- Hospice of the Piedmont: One of the first Hospice of the Piedmont volunteers was the daughter of a former Grace rector; the parish provided “seed money” for the Journeys and Transitions grief programs.
- Salvation Army: Parish volunteers began providing meals 35 years ago and now host 3 dinners per month.
- Scholarships and aid to area nonprofits: Over the years, larger projects have included a 4-H Scholarship fund, a Recording for the Blind recording booth, an addition to Schoolhouse Thrift Shop, equipment for the Children’s Dental Clinic and the Free Clinic, a village water system in Cameroon, individual home cooking stoves for a village in Paraguay, commitment to an annual expansion of a school library in Tanzania, and childcare providers in a China.
- Back-Pack Programs: Weekly Grace volunteers provide food backpacks for Stony Point students identified by the school counselor and their parent as being at risk for food insecurity.
- Food Closet: volunteers host a monthly Food Closet distribution of food boxes to the working poor. Anyone who comes to the event receives a box, no income verification necessary.
- Community groups such as AA meet in the parish house weekly.
