[The Episcopal News] Seeds of Hope, the food justice ministry of the Diocese of Los Angeles, recently received a $25,000 grant from United Way that will allow it to expand its services, offering clients rent assistance and additional food support at its produce distribution events.
With the new funding, Seeds of Hope will be able to offer clients staple foods, such as beans, rice, eggs, milk, and meat, in addition to produce, and provide rent assistance to eligible clients. The grant money comes from the U.S. government’s Emergency Food and Shelter Program, of which United Way is a partner agency.
“It’s also to serve meals,” said Steven Trapasso, executive director of Seeds of Hope. “I wrote this grant [proposal] with Thanksgiving in mind. Every year we have a Thanksgiving at the diocese. It’s always huge, 1000 people or more, and we can buy everything for that [with the grant].”
Trapasso said that the rent assistance will focus on clients who don’t have quite enough money to get by. Giving clients even a little bit of money when they really need it can prevent a downward spiral of housing insecurity, he said.
“I won’t give someone $3,000 for their three-bedroom,” Trapasso said. “But I will give someone $300 who has $2,700 [of $3,000 owed], but their kid got sick and so they can’t make rent.”
Trapasso has applied for $100,000 from the next phase of the United Way program. If all goes well, Seeds of Hope may receive more grant money in January.
With the current grant amount, he said he would be happy if Seeds of Hope could help 30 people with rent assistance, fund the Thanksgiving dinner, and provide staples at 100 food distributions.
“We won’t be able to help hundreds of people [with rent assistance]. It’s just not feasible,” Trapasso said. “But other agencies also got rent assistance grants. If we help 30 people and 100 other organizations help 30 people, now you’re talking 3,000 people.”
More about Seeds of Hope and its work is here.