Anglicans respond charitably amid pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic hasn’t stopped people from giving generously to the Anglican Church of Canada’s Giving with Grace campaign—topping last year’s donations.

Donations in response to Giving with Grace’s Easter letter campaign this year came to $143,990, compared to $135,317 for Easter 2019, says Deborah Barretto, director of the Resources for Mission (RfM) department, which raises funds for the church’s national ministry.

“That was right in the middle of the lockdown. It just shows that people realize the need,” Barretto says. “We are so appreciative of support that they’ve given us for years and years—and they’ve continued to do so even during this pandemic.

“I think our donors have realized that this is a really crucial year for many organizations, especially the church.”

The Easter campaign is one of two Giving with Grace appeals made by the Anglican Church of Canada every year; the other is at Advent.

For the first time this year, Barretto says, RfM will be including a self-mailer—a donation form which can be returned to the church without the need for an envelope—in the September issue of the Anglican Journal. The self-mailer will accompany the church’s annual report on 2019, which will be inserted into the newspaper.