Congratulations!

By Erika Johnson, Vestry member and Chair of the Creation Care Commission

Saint Philip’s Creation Care Commission is excited to announce that it was awarded a grant from the Episcopal Church to support local eco-ministry efforts.

Kudos to Saint Philip’s Grant Writing Committee (Barbara Cone and Jane Prescott-Smith) who identified this opportunity and submitted an impressive application. Grants were approved by a committee of the churchwide Task Force on the Care of Creation and Environmental Racism.

Saint Philip’s applied for a $16,000.00 grant and was awarded $12,000.00.

Members of the Creation Care Commission will partner with the Outreach Commission and with the Adult Formation Commission (through the Anti-Racism Discussion Group).

The grant will be used to partner with local nonprofit, Watershed Management Group, to design and install rain gardens and tree plantings at L.M. Prince Elementary School at Prince and Stone avenues. (Saint Philip’s volunteers already participate in a mobile food pantry at the school on the first Friday of every month.)

Prince Elementary School is one of the most ethnically and racially diverse schools in the Amphitheater School District:

• More than 17 languages are spoken.

• It serves an economically disadvantaged, “at environmental risk” population with 100% of  students enrolled in the federally subsidized lunch program.

• The school scores in the lowest 30% in math and reading performance among elementary schools in Arizona.

Historically, minority, low-income communities have many fewer trees and consequently higher heat levels than wealthier neighborhoods. Prince is in one such community and this grant will allow Saint Philip’s volunteers to increase shade, rainwater infiltration, and vegetation that will lower temperatures and affect the neighborhood positively.

If you would like to participate in this opportunity to serve the church’s neighbors and build relationships, please contact me at Erika.johnson06@gmail.com.