A saying from Bengal that “service is the best religion” sums up a main tenant of the Lazarus ministry.  Another way of saying the same, is that we strive to be “religion” in action.

In the mid 1980’s, as Pittsburgh was entering an economic decline due the closing of major steel mills, a group from the Pittsburgh Presbytery saw a need and had an idea.

They wanted to create a volunteer run fund that could help keep people in their homes, keep their lights on, keep their heat on, and keep their water running.  This was no easy task.

It is a testament to this early group of ministers that the fund is still active today. Without their dedication, forethought, and hard work, this fund would not exist.

As ministers, the founding group members also saw a need for issues beyond just the monetary.  The application system setup in the 1980s is very similar to the one we use today.  Each application question is used by the volunteer interviewer to start to understand and empathize with the human needs of each applicant.  Sometimes just listening is the best and most helpful action.  

The maximum grant amount has been raised from $200 to $400. We have also moved to block-grants for participating churches. These allow participating churches the ability to respond faster to the changing situation of applicants and to allow the intake volunteer/church more control over the application’s approval and timing.

With evictions looming, the possibility of another economic shutdown, increased unemployment and underemployment, the need for the fund continues to be pressing.

Whether you are looking to donate, volunteer, or apply, please know we are doing everything we can to keep the fund alive for another 40 years.