News Detail

September 27, 2012, New York, NY -- After 20 months of successful grassroots fundraising, the campaign to rebuild Holy Trinity Cathedral has transitioned to a new phase and a new home. Effective September 1st, the appeal now operates out of the newly formed Church Development Office and serves as the first phase in a multi-phase effort to rebuild the largest diocese of the Episcopal Church.

Designed by the Episcopal Church Foundation ECF) at the request of Executive Council, Rebuild Our Church in Haiti has raised $2.8 million in gifts and pledges to date, largely from small gifts. An internet-based campaign, it leveraged collaboration among lay and clergy leadership and trained volunteer fundraisers across the Episcopal Church.

Just one example of how the Rebuild Our Church in Haiti campaign went beyond fundraising by mobilizing people at all levels of the Church to step up and be leaders was the Bricks for Haiti effort spearheaded by Elizabeth Moosbrugger in the Diocese of Ohio. “We didn’t need a check,” said Moosbrugger, “we needed for people to stand up and be leaders.” As a result of her extraordinary efforts, Ms. Moosbrugger was honored as an Apostle of Transformational Stewardship by the Episcopal Network for Stewardship (TENS) during the 77th General Convention in Indianapolis last July. This video highlights her efforts:

Apostle in Stewardship - Elizabeth Moosbrugger, The Diocese of Ohio from JR Lander on Vimeo.

With support from 92 dioceses, the project will now transition to a new phase according to ECF president, Donald Romanik. “Internet campaigns rely on a certain economy of scale to be effective. Rebuild Our Church in Haiti has had the dual effect of raising awareness as well as funds. ECF and The Episcopal Church have established a written protocol with the Diocese of Haiti for disbursement of funds, and we hope this work will position the development office to begin the process of securing major gifts.”

Terri Mathes, ECF Program Director, who developed and managed the campaign said, “This campaign has made me enormously proud of the Episcopal Church. There’s nothing like a conference call with dozens of volunteers from across the country all sharing their innovations, swapping success stories, and working together toward a common goal.”

Elizabeth Lowell, Project Manager for Fundraising, considers rebuilding the Diocese of Haiti one of the office’s primary objectives. “The Episcopal Church is so vital to the spiritual and social stability of Haiti, and the need is so great. We’re grateful to the many generous congregations that have already paved the way for further fundraising.”

Organizations still finishing their fundraisers for Rebuild Our Church in Haiti may contact the Kim Moore in Episcopal Church Development Office at 212-716-6003 for more information.