GCS Daily Bread Grants exceeds fundraising challenge

On April 26, 2020, the Grand Canyon Synod was awarded $10,000 from the ELCA’s COVID-19 Response Fund to assist GCS Native American and Latino ministries with food, water and basic hygiene items. These communities have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

On April 28, Bishop Deborah Hutterer shared this good news and issued a challenge to match this amount for even greater impact. The Grand Canyon Synod Council Executive Committee and Office of the Bishop staff had 100% participation in this match. Three congregations—Christ the Lord, Carefree, Sierra Evangelical, Sierra Vista, and Spirit of Grace, Surprise—were exceedingly generous. As of this writing, we have exceeded the initial challenge by $3,700, raising $13,700 in one week. We celebrate the generosity of this synod.

Because of these incredible responses, the Grand Canyon Synod has sent support the following ministries:

• Navajo Evangelical Lutheran Mission and House of Prayer (Rock Point, AZ)

• Reformation (Las Vegas, NV)

• Native American Urban Ministry (Phoenix, AZ)

• Pan de Vida (El Mirage, AZ)

• La Sagrada Familia (Phoenix, AZ)

• San Juan Bautista (Tucson, AZ)

• Holy Trinity I-HELP (Chandler, AZ)

• Mount of Olives (Phoenix, AZ)

For gifts that exceeded our initial $10,000 challenge, we will soon open round two, and other applicants from within the synod who currently provide feeding ministries will be eligible to apply.

Additional gifts from congregations and individuals can still be made to this appeal through online giving or checks with the designation of GCS Daily Bread Grants. Grateful for how God does good through you.