A Christian charity has distributed money from a Cost of Living Response Fund to provide critical support for churches and charities on the frontline of the UK’s cost-of-living crisis.
Stewardship helped fund and launch the Warm Welcome campaign, a movement of over 4,000 churches and community groups that are opening safe, warm spaces for communities throughout the winter.
The charity’s Cost of Living Response Fund was launched just over two months ago. So far some of its grants have gone to the C3 Church, which is distributing food, blankets and hot water bottles to families in financial crisis, and scaling up their community pantries in Cambridge, Bury St Edmunds and Colchester.
East Belfast Mission is using the money to provide emergency energy top-ups, food parcels and a weekly community dinner each week for 100 families.
Meanwhile, Edge Ministries is providing warm spaces, food and gospel hope to their communities in Staveley and Tupton, with a third centre opening soon.
Life Church Ministries Bradford has used its grant to distribute thousands of toys in the lead up to Christmas and it’s now preparing to distribute emergency fuel cards to families throughout the winter.
Stewardship will also give micro-grants from the £200,000 find to help cover the increased costs of running church and community warm spaces over the winter.
The organisation was first established in 1906 and gives more than £100 million each year to over 4,000 churches, 2,300 Christian workers and 6,000 charities.
Stewart McCulloch, CEO, Stewardship said: “At Stewardship we are passionate about connecting our givers with our church and charity partners to provide support where the need is greatest. We are therefore very encouraged by the generous response so far to both our own Cost of Living Response Fund and the Warm Welcome Campaign. The need in our communities remains acute so we will continue to do all that we can to raise and distribute crucial funds for emergency relief, including food banks and debt relief centres, and to help churches and charities keep their doors and warm spaces open.”