HOUSTON (May 18, 2021) – Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston (Interfaith Ministries) was able to provide micro-grants to 49 houses of worship impacted by Winter Storm Uri. More than $78,000 in grants were distributed. This funding was made possible by a grant from The Hearst Foundations.
Congregations were invited to apply for funding at Interfaith Ministries’ weekly Zoom meeting for faith leaders with City, County and Texas Medical Center officials. These weekly meetings provide clergy and lay leaders with timely, accurate information about COVID-19 and other issues of common interest. The calls started in March 2020 when the pandemic first appeared in Houston. The funding opportunity was announced during the 50th call held on Thursday, March 25, 2021.
“It was wonderful to be able to offer financial assistance to houses of worship and other assistance organizations that were hard hit from the winter storm,” shared The Rev. Gregory Han, Director of Interfaith Relations and Education at Interfaith Ministries. “Through the generosity of the Hearst Foundations, we worked to make this grant process efficient and organized in order to respond to needs so that we could help those who help their communities.”
Houses of worship were encouraged to share the funding application with other houses of worship in need. The applications received came from a wide range of areas including, from Weimar to Shelby, and Houston to Beaumont.
Interfaith Ministries sponsors a number of interfaith programs throughout the year from Dinner Dialogues to Faith in the City, classes on world religions, and Vital Conversations on social justice issues. This work is at the heart of Interfaith Ministries’ mission of “bringing diverse groups together for dialogue, collaboration and service as a demonstration of our shared beliefs.”
For more information about educational programs and events at Interfaith Ministries visit www.imgh.org.