Millennium Goals Pledge Money

As the St. Francis recipient of the Millennium Development Goals' pledge money of 0.7% based on the 2012 church budget, Haitian Hope would like to share the particulars of these goals, understanding they are supported by the Episcopal Church as stated in the General Convention.  Haitian Hope's support of education for all children in Trouin as well as the continuing efforts to provide required uniforms and daily school lunches, addresses most of the goals listed below.    If you are interested in broadening your perspective of Global Mission work through the Church, please plan to attend the October 6th event at Emmanuel Church, Athens.  Another opportunity to discover what other diocesan churches are doing in Haiti will be made available on July 28th from 10AM—12 noon at St. Bart's at 1090 La Vista Road, Atlanta.  Please plan to join us.

Millennium Development Goals    What Can One Church Do?    MDGs at General Convention   Today [11 July], the General Convention of the Episcopal Church recommitted to the Millennium Development Goals, MDGs, for next three years.  The MDGs were adopted by the United Nations in the year 2000. It is a list of 8 goals designed to eliminate extreme poverty, which is defined as living on less than $1 a day. This type of poverty is found in countries where social safety nets do not exist, countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. 189 nations signed the Millennium Declaration in support of the MDGs, the Bush Administration committed in 2003.  Signatory countries pledge 0.7% of their gross national income for development aid.  The U.S. works through USAID in part to meet the goals.   In 2003 the Episcopal Church adopted these goals by General Convention resolution.  The resolution budgets 0.7% of the church's non-government revenue to support the MDGs. This commitment was renewed at General Conventions in 2006, 2009 and now in 2012. The revenue is administered by Episcopal Relief & Development for their programs that address the MDGs.  Nets for Life is one such project.  The Episcopal Church called on dioceses to adopt the MDGs and to pledge 0.7% of their operating budget to projects that support these goals.  The Diocese of Atlanta committed to them at the 2004 Annual Council.  Our diocesan funds have helped with education in our Companion Diocese of Central Tanganyika. In turn, our diocese asked that each of our parishes pledge 0.7% of their operating budget to projects that meet the MDG goals.  Many of our parishes have done so and continue in this dedication.  This newsletter has featured some of the MDG projects of those parishes.     See The General Convention website to learn more. Below are the 8 MDG goals:  UN Millennium Development Goals 1.      Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger 2.      Achieve universal primary education 3.      Promote gender equality and empower women 4.      Reduce child mortality 5.      Improve maternal health 6.      Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases 7.      Ensure environmental sustainability 8.      Develop a global partnership for development