The United Thank Offering of The Episcopal Church has awarded 69 grants for 2010 for a total of $2,163,740.93 for the mission and ministry of The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion. The grants were awarded to projects in 43 Episcopal Church dioceses, 11 companion diocese relationships and 15 international provinces.

Known worldwide as UTO, the United Thank Offering grants are awarded for projects that address human needs and help alleviate poverty, both domestically and internationally.

Most of the grants focused on assistance to food ministries, health clinics, refugee needs, young adults and the construction of classrooms and program space.

For example, the Diocese of Alabama was awarded $17,750 for a handicapped-accessible playground while $60,000 was granted to the Diocese of Central Gulf Coast to rebuild a parish hall that had been destroyed in 2004 by Hurricane Ivan.

The smallest amount awarded, $1,300, went to the Diocese of Lexington to support Camp Haven, a summer camp for children of the incarcerated.

Fourteen grants totaled $50,000 or more, with the largest at $90,000 to the Diocese of the Dominican Republic for school construction to include an addition of seven classrooms.

Two companion diocese relationships – the Dioceses of Maine and Upper South Carolina – were awarded funds to assist their companion Diocese of Haiti following the devastating earthquake in January. The Diocese of South Dakota received a grant for its companion Diocese of Bor in South Sudan, Africa, of $13,000 for access to sustainable drinking water.

Among the international grants were $46,000 to the Church of Pakistan towards the costs of a medical facility, and $32,000 to the Anglican Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East for the modernization of an eye clinic in Yemen.

The complete list of grants is located here: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/110043_123861_ENG_HTM.htm.

For more information on UTO: www.episcopalchurch.org/uto.

The Episcopal Church welcomes all who worship Jesus Christ in 109 dioceses and three regional areas in 16 nations. The Episcopal Church is a member province of the worldwide Anglican Communion.

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