Foundation Gives Sea-to-Sea Grants

The Christian Reformed Church Foundation has approved anti-poverty grants totaling nearly $100,000 from funds raised during last year’s Sea-to-Sea bicycle tour.

More than 200 riders participated in the cross-country tour that raised more than $2 million to fund poverty-reduction programs around the world. The tour, sponsored by the Christian Reformed Church in North America in partnership with the Reformed Church in America, took riders from Seattle, Wash., to New Jersey.

“All of our grants went to fund poverty-alleviation programs in the United States and Canada,” says Peter Harkema, development director of the foundation that received about 25 percent of the funds raised.

The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee, Christian Reformed World Missions and Partners Worldwide received a portion of the money. Christian Reformed Home Missions and the Reformed Church in America also got funds.

“We only have a limited amount of money, and so we encourage other churches and ministries in the CRC to apply for them in the next round,” says Harkema. To be eligible for the next round, applications must be received by the foundation by April 15. Information on how to apply is available at http://www.crcna.org/pages/sea_front.cfm.

The current grants range from $10,000 to help Urban Family Ministries to expand an anti-poverty program in Grand Rapids, Mich., to $800 to help Crossroads CRC in San Marcos, Calif., buy supplies for an after-school program in a Spanish-speaking community.

The Sea-to-Sea bike tour wound through most of the United States and part of Canada over a period of nine weeks. Riders were asked to raise pledges amounting, in most cases, to $10,000. The tour was inspired by a similar CRC-sponsored event that crossed Canada in 2005.

“We (at the foundation) want to continue this theme of partnering with congregations and helping them change and tie more deeply into their own communities,” says Harkema.

The foundation also awarded grants to:

• Chicagoland Prison Outreach of South Holland, Ill., received $10,000 to kick off a matching gift campaign that will go towards classes for ex-offenders who have participated in a weekly Bible study.
• Providence CRC of Holland, Mich., received $9,120 to provide start-up funds for a program that helps people in Mityana, Uganda, raise pigs for food and sell them for income.  The program also includes giving one piglet from each litter to a needy family.
• Family Network, Wyoming, Mich., received $10,000 over the next year to support food programs in the community.
• Health Intervention Services in Grand Rapids, Mich., received $10,000 to help expand medical services to uninsured and impoverished people who seek care at the clinic.
• Starfish Ministries in Inver Grove Heights, Minn., received $10,000 to address the needs of refugees from Myanmar. The goal is to start a child-care center that will grow into a full-fledged community center.
• Rose City Kids in Fenwick, Ontario, received $10,000 to expand programs for poor youth.
• CAUSE Canada in Canmore, Alberta, received $10,000 to help fund a women’s literacy and leadership program in Koinadugu, Sierra Leone.
• Diaconal Ministries Canada in Burlington, Ontario, received $10,000 to support Operation Manna that helps fund programs for refugees, single mothers, teenage mothers and those dealing with mental health issues.