VIDEOS: COVID-19 NBA Response Grantee Continue Creating Impact

To offer a rapid and impactful response to the Coronavirus pandemic, the NBA Board of Trustees authorized grant funding to support Disciples-related ministries that are working locally in response to this crisis in March. With this funding, NBA seeks to offer relief to ministries that have been detrimentally impacted and to support new projects created in service to those suffering because of the pandemic.

To date, the NBA has granted more than $660,000 in funding to various Disciples of Christ affiliated ministries that have pivoted during this time to serve their communities by offering food, school supplies, or a listening ear.

Below are organizations that received funding from our COVID-19 NBA Response Grant. Each organization has shared a video highlighting the work they are able to continue doing in their community, even in the midst of a global health crisis.

The LabOratory Church—Indianapolis, Indiana 

When the pandemic began, The LabOratory Church knew that there would be community members of theirs who would silently go without food or day-to-day necessities. The congregation used their COVID-19 NBA Response Grant to plant a community garden and host pop-up pantries so their neighbors could come and take when they needed.

Casa de Oracion—San Diego, California

Casa de Oracion, a Disciples of Christ Church in California used a COVID-19 NBA Response Grant to serve their community with a food pantry. Through this project, they served about 100 families regularly.

Ecumenical Campus Ministry (ECM) at Kansas State University—Manhattan, Kansas

The Ecumenical Campus Ministry at Kansas State is all about building community regardless of race, sexual orientation or levels of faith. Through the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization has continued community building virtually through an online cooking program.

Florence Christian Church—Florence, Kentucky

Florence Christian Church has a robust food community program when they provide food to a senior living facility, host a bi-monthly community food distribution and stock a 24-hour care and share food pantry. With so many in their community out of work and with little money for food due to the pandemic, they used the COVID-19 NBA Response Grant to expand these programs.

First Christian Church Soups on Us—Danville, Kentucky

Beginning in March and continuing since, First Christian Church launched Soups on Us, a program that allowed them to deliver meals to food insecure households in their community. Their efforts allowed them to serve more than 800 meals to 424 households.

Isaiah 58 Ministries—St. Louis, Missouri

Isaiah 58 Ministries is a non-profit organization in South St. Louis. They work to provide hygiene items, cleaning products and food to their community each week. In the midst of COVID-19, the organization expanded their service area, providing food to anyone from the St. Louis community, not just the south side. The organization has also prioritized serving fresh produce and bread almost daily to the St. Louis community.

HER Faith Ministries—Memphis, Tennessee

HER Faith Ministries is partnering with various organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic to provide meals to families across Memphis. With children out of school and many shelves at grocery stores being emptied as quickly as they’re stocked, HER Faith wanted to make sure the moms and children that they serve weren’t going hungry.

QC Family Tree—Charlotte, North Carolina

QC Family Tree Created a QCFT Cares, an initiative that helped community members financially and give them the budgeting and finances resources necessary to plan during these unprecedented times. When the initiative launched, they had a goal to raise $30,000, to date they’ve raised $57,000.

Currently, Cycle Three is underway and we are still accepting applications, if your organization is in need of support, visit nbacares.org/covid-19-grants.

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As the health and social services general ministry of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the National Benevolent Association partners with congregations, regions, general ministries, and a variety of Disciples-related health and social service providers to create communities of compassion and care. Founded in 1887 by six women responding to the needs of the day and on their doorsteps, for more than 130 years the NBA has continued to serve “the least of these.” Learn more at www.nbacares.org.