Year in Review: Report to Provincial Council
The Anglican Relief and Development Fund (ARDF) was founded in 2004. For nearly two decades, ARDF has leveraged ACNA’s deep global and domestic relationships to bring Kingdom-changing relief and development projects, implemented by the local church. Every year, we submit a report to the ACNA Provincial Council. Here are the highlights from this year’s report.
ARDF’s first ever disaster response team standing on the fish cleaning station they were repairing in Grande Isle, LA.
Highlighted Initiative – An Anglican Disaster Response Network
Every year, dozens of natural disasters wreak havoc on communities across North America. ARDF has a long track record of responding to these disasters. Since 2004, with the help of the ACNA, we have raised nearly $5.5 million to help Anglican churches fund vital disaster relief efforts. Unfortunately, the number of disasters in North America is on the rise and we are compelled to expand our reach to help the increased numbers of people desperately in need of relief.
In 2020, ARDF started a pilot program, exploring what it might look like for us to have our own Anglican disaster response network. We began by working with the Diocese of the Western Gulf Coast and the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina. Volunteers from these dioceses hosted teams, trained volunteers and churches, deployed supplies, and mobilized people across our province. So far, these efforts have been incredibly successful and we’re excited to continue to grow these strategic partnerships to include more churches and dioceses across ACNA. Watch the video promo!
Relief Efforts
Our partner, Convoy of Hope, distributes food to people who – only months ago – had no idea they would be relying on the mercy of others.
The past year saw a scale of disasters unlike any other. Since July 2021, ARDF responded to multiple disasters, sending more than $1M in funding so people of faith could be the hands and feet of Christ in times of crisis. Of these, Ukraine has been the greatest disaster and we have supported over a dozen partners, all working through networks of Christians on the ground to support Ukrainian refugees, orphans, children, and those unable to leave the country. Meet our partners here.
ARDF also supported ACNA churches here at home. For example, ACNA churches welcomed Afghan refugees into their communities, provided food and supplies after Hurricane Ida, and financially supported the communities of Kentucky hard hit by the December 2021 tornadoes.
A new school in Niki Niki, Indonesia will offer a Christian education to students from outlying villages who previously have not had many options for schooling.
Development Grants
Last fall, our Global Council approved six new development projects totaling $778,691 in granted funds. Focusing mostly on education, these projects span the globe: Cambodia, Guatemala, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan, and Rwanda. This was the largest number of projects ever approved and it is our goal to continue to increase our annual investments in projects. We want to be able to say “yes” more often to our partners overseas.
We were also busy completing some earlier approved projects, specifically in Brazil, Ghana, Nigeria, and Tanzania. In total, ARDF sent out $800,000 in project support to both old and new project partners. You can find more information on all of our projects here and in our semi-annual Project Update.
Update from Northern Kenya (KCEP)
Kenya Christian Education Partnership (KCEP) began as a nonprofit supporting quality Christian education in Marsabit County, Kenya. KCEP joined the ARDF family in 2018. As a long term project of ARDF, we have watched their programs grow and thrive. As a long term project of ARDF, we have watched their programs grow and thrive. We were thrilled when St. Andrew’s High School for Boys welcomed its inaugural class in May 2022.
In this first phase, 27 first-year boys have enrolled; subsequent years will add additional classes. This is the culmination of a long held dream for the people of Marsabit. Phase two will add more classrooms and administrative buildings and enrollment will expand. A Girls’ High School is already in the planning stages and we look forward to the day when both schools are operating at full capacity.
Church Partnerships
One of the most exciting developments over the past year has been our deepening relationships across the ACNA. Thanks to shared relationships, ARDF was able to match funding with partners of nearly ten ACNA churches for relief efforts. We are looking forward to expanding this model to include matches for the development projects of our joint partners.
ARDF has also been meeting with churches to explore ways of working together to support the global church. Some churches are exploring global missions for the first time. Others have been building on existing relationships for years. We are learning a lot from the experiences of North American Anglicans and are excited to continue to share our perspective on what healthy global engagement looks like. It is an honor to serve the ACNA and we look forward to more of these conversations in the year to come. No matter the size of your diocese or church, we invite you to join us as we work together to bring meaningful change.
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