St. Thomas’ Outreach Fund - St. Thomas' Church, Whitemarsh

On December 21, 1987, on his 65th Birthday, Bob Fernley assembled his family and announced that he was donating $65,000 to St. Thomas’ – $l,000 for each year of his life. Because of Bob’s long and dedicated relationship with the Episcopal Church during the turbulent ‘60s, he knew firsthand the importance of fulfilling dreams. He believed that if a special project could receive a gift of ‘seed money’, it would facilitate and jump start the initiative. Since 1987, Bob’s endowed Fund has grown to over $120,000, with $20,000 contributed in his honor when he died on May 8, 2008.
-Mikie Fernley, St. Thomas’ Outreach (Fernley) Fund Trustee:

The Fund’s income is granted annually for the purpose of assisting in the initiation of new outreach programs solely for the assistance of economically disadvantaged individuals and organizations which have a primary purpose of providing such assistance. Some of our most sustainable programs (e.g., St. Thomas’ Summer Camp and our Scholarship Program) and those of our partner, Episcopal Community Services, have been jump started by Bob’s far-sighted generosity.

What are Our Grant Criteria?

Grants will be considered for programs which meet the following criteria:

The program must be aimed at starting new outreach programs (this has been interpreted on occasion to include novel enhancements of existing programs, particularly if the existing programs have been previously supported by the Fund or through general Outreach Committee funding)
The program must benefit economically disadvantaged individuals or organizations
Programs and organizations which fit well with our three strategic areas of Outreach ministry (Children, Families, and Education; Housing and Hunger; and Global Ministries) will be preferred over others especially if they already have (or in the future are likely to have) ongoing relationships with our Outreach ministries.
Grant proposals are by invitation only; awards are restricted to qualifying organizations.

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What Programs Have We Funded in the Past?

2018

Mitzvah Circle Foundation – supporting purchases of essential period supplies distributed to one of the most vulnerable populations – transition-aged children and young adults (from 15-25) who struggle with not only poverty but have experience with mental health, foster car, juvenile or substance abuse.

2017

Historic Fair Hill – underwriting the Literacy Support Partnership Project at the Julia de Burgos School in North Philadelphia to provide stipends for parent reading assistants in the classroom.
Stand With Iraqi Christians – provided funding to dig two wells in the Ninevah Plains area so displaced Iraqi Christians returning to their villages would have adequate water for their homes and agriculture.

2016

St. Mark’s Church, Frankford – a new initiative to fund the salary of an advocate to develop a program targeting the needs of local women addicted to drugs and kept in a vicious cycle of poverty. The program is inspired by the Magdalene Ministry in Tennessee.
Interfaith Housing Alliance – to support Graduate Services: dedicated, on-going support and assistance for families who have graduated from the emergency shelter or traditional housing program and have moved into permanent housing or the Supportive Housing Program.

2015

ACHIEVEability – program development support for a new youth initiative to enhance this organization’s signature Family Self Sufficiency Program (FSSP). The FSSP supports single parents living in ACHIEVability’s affordable housing units in a severely impoverished area of West Philadelphia.
Drueding Center – support for a new art therapy program to supplement other programs which help residents prepare for transition to affordable housing. Drueding maintains a transitional living facility for young women (18 to 25 years old), an educational resource center for their children and a food program for resident and community families (see 2013 below) in an impoverished neighborhood a few blocks north of Girard Avenue in North Philadelphia.

2014

St. Thomas’ Church, Whitemarsh, “Second Saturday Sales” – support for new part-time position to develop new revenue sources, marketing and communications and volunteer recruitment and management consistent with the Outreach Committee’s 3-year ministry plan aimed at achieving higher sustainable funding for community-based and international outreach programs to help the poor and disadvantaged.
Community Partnership School – support for alumni program for students who have graduated from this independent school in North Central Philadelphia school (Pre-K-5th grade) to help ensure their continued success in middle school, high school and beyond.

2013

Craydles-to-Crayons – support for new “Adopt-a-School” program partnered with six Title I schools (at least 40% low income children) to remove lack of school supplies as a barrier to school attendance by supplying “Kid Packs” with needed supplies year-round.
Drueding Center Food Pantry – support for new “Green Light” food pantry offering fresh produce and related nutrition classes, health screenings, nationally-recognized nutrition at child care center at Drueding’s transitional living facility for young women and their children and the surrounding community in one of Philadelphia’s most impoverished neighborhoods.
Episcopal Community Services – support for “Youth Workshop Series”, a pilot program to create a model partnership between this social service agency and a public school designed to teach youth, ages 14-21, skills needed to overcome existing barriers to educational and vocational success.
Global Aids Interfaith Alliance – tuition, medical insurance, books, nursing supplies and related support for a Nurse Midwife Technician student under a new program initiated by GAIA, at the request of Malawi Ministry of Health and administered through an agreement with U.S. Agency for International Development, aimed at securing minimum 5 year commitments to in-country service for such students following successful completion of their licensing exams.

2012

Hope and Resurrection School, Hope for Humanity, South Sudan – funding for security fence surrounding new housing for vulnerable female students of secondary school in South Sudan.
“Teens Takin’ Over” Program, Episcopal Community Services, Philadelphia – new hands-on experiential entrepreneur program for urban teens based on their vocational and educational aspirations.

2011

“Free the Children” Chapter, Baldwin School, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania – new program started by teenage parishioner to raise awareness about humanitarian injustices, inspire youth to develop as socially-conscious, global citizens and ultimately help fund a new school in a third world country.
“Helping Hand Fund”, Samaritan Counseling Center, Philadelphia – launch of new fund the income of which would be committed to subsidizing mental health counseling for families in jeopardy who are not able to pay (grant was withdrawn at request of awardee due to change in priorities).
Workshop Tuesdays Program, Episcopal Community Services, Philadelphia – launch of new workshops and service planning for parents specifically focused on their children’s education as part of ongoing “Workshop Tuesdays at ECS” program.

2010

Healthy Harvest Nutrition Program, St. Thomas’ Summer Camp, Fort Washington, Pennsylvania – new garden and nutrition curriculum for inner city children attending summer camp at St. Thomas’ Church, Whitemarsh.
Vocational Assistance Program, Episcopal Community Services, Philadelphia – development of a new “portable” model for providing educational/vocational assessment and planning services to help homeless mothers move towards self-sufficiency

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How Large Are the Grants?

In 2016, the amount available for grants was $8,000. Assuming no significant change in the market value of the Fund’s assets, the amount available for grants in 2017 is not expected to change significantly. Individual grants typically range in size from $2,000 to $5,000. In the past no more than three grants have been made in a single year. Grants are usually made for one year only although in compelling cases the Outreach Committee and Trustees have considered two year grants.

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How Do We Make Grants?

The Fund is overseen by a Board of four Trustees, three appointed by the Rector. The Rector (or the Rector’s clergy designee) serves as the fourth ex officio member with vote. One Trustee must be a member of the Fernley family who does not have to be a St. Thomas’ parishioner, and the other two Trustees must be parishioners in good standing. The current Trustees, all parishioners are: Mikie Fernley, Chair; Susan McCabe; and Jim Weiss. Pam Serra serves as Outreach Fund Liaison to the Outreach Commission.

An “Outreach Fund Grant Liaison”, appointed by the Outreach Committee, administers the grant process on behalf of the Committee and Trustees. Grant applications are submitted to the Liaison who assures that they are in proper form and meet grant criteria. The Committee reviews the grant applications and makes recommendations to the Trustees as to which grant applications should be funded and in what amounts. Grant applications are submitted to the Trustees for consideration by the Committee before the end of each year. If at least three of the Trustees approve the grant, the grant is funded early the following year.

Awardees of grants are required to submit a grant effectiveness report which describes how the grant moneys have been spent and how effective they were in accomplishing the purposes for which the grants were awarded. These grant effectiveness reports are reviewed by the Committee and Trustees.

How Do I Apply for a Grant?

Applications for grants are submitted in proposed form to the Outreach Fund Liaison, Pam Serra (pam@msk-traderisk.com). Please contact her to receive an invitation to apply. Proposals should be no longer than two pages in twelve point type. Grant applications are due by September 1 for grants awarded the following January.