Sommer Family Humanitarian Fund

The Humanitarian Outreach arm of the Madonna Interfaith Community and Madonna Ministries, International.

The original concept, Step Up,  was birthed in the Fall of 2006 at a clergy conference in Clearwater, Florida,.  It’s original intent was to be funded by clergy member donations.  It has since expanded and is now called the Sommer Family Humanitarian Fund, so named in honor of the family of Bishop Charlie Sommer, one of the founding fathers of this amazing organization .

The MMI Clergy is on the look out for causes that directly involve families and situations in need in their community.   You don’t have to be a clergy member of the Madonna Ministry to nominate a person or family in need.

You may also donate to the Sommer Fund by simply using the donation button below and selecting the Sommer Family Fund from the drop down menu!

DONATIONS TO SOMMER FAMILY HUMANITARIAN FUND

 

As a private donor or member of the Madonna Interfaith Community you may make a request to to assist others who are often overlooked by the much larger charitable organization. We are a 47 year old 501.c.3 .not-for-profit, California corporation. 100% of your donation will be used to help those in need.

Here are recent causes the Sommer Fund has supported:

OUR 2017 – 2022 DONATIONS

In 2022 we allocated the following donations:

Providing a fun and educational experience for burned children since 1990. Fire safety education: Distributes 100,000 Fire booklets annually, and attends area safety fairs.

$400
Uncage and Reinite Families – Arizona-based, grassroots organization comprised of community activist, religious leaders and others advocating for justice and working for the release and reunification of children and families separated at the U.S. border and detained in different locations.

$400
Navajo Clean Water – via Grand Circle Foundation, a means to give back to support education, clean water, leadership training, conservation efforts and the preservation of cultural treasures and traditions.

$500.00
Family Assistance Ministries – a non denominational charitable organization that feeds the homeless and provides temporary shelter for battered women and their children. Located in LA and Orange Counties, California (4 locations).

$300.00
Make Melody Smile, Orlando, Florida – The Ministry donated these funds to support a week of motel housing for a Homeless woman in Orlando, FL.,  She had been burned over 80% of her body as an infant resulting in on-going damage to her body.  She is without legs and has one functioning arm. She was brought to our attention by the son of one of our Bishops

$500
Sisters of Tomorrow, Atlanta, GA – This organization is an ongoing empowerment group for pre-teen and teen girls of African lineage in rites of passage as well as sisterhood development.  This organization was dear to the heart of our recently departed Bishop Diane Deluna.

$300
Individual Donation to a former Bishop and single mom of a special needs child in Atlanta, GA who had lost her source of income and needed repairs to her home.

$300
Individual Donation to a beautiful caring gentleman from New York,  who spent most weekends traveling to inner city New York City to distribute food, clothing and supplies to the homeless population.   This funding was to help him with the costs of traveling in and out of the city which included fuel and tolls.  Here is what he wrote about how he spent this money:

• “Thank you supporting my efforts to love and care for the homeless of NYC. You have been very generous, and thanks to your generosity I have been able to regularly go out this past year and meet dozens of people who live on the street. Because of your support, I have been able to make new friends and meet some of their basic needs, including food, clothing, and sometimes a place to stay for the night.
  A few weeks ago,  my wife and I were in the city when we came along a woman standing in the middle of the sidewalk, literally crying out for someone to help her. Dozens of people either stared or looked down, and quickly passed by.
  Thanks to your support, we were able to go that day and spend some time with her. We bought her dinner, shoes and some clothes. We spent some time with her, got to hear some of her story, and gave her some contact information of people and organizations who might be able to further help her. We didn’t change her life, but we did change her afternoon. And that’s a first step.
  Furthermore, because of the great amount of support I received, I was able to increase my visits to twice a month. This year my goal is to go every other week. “

$500
To the Diane DeLuna Family, Minneapolis, MN – Our Bishop Diane was struck with a sudden cancer diagnosis in mid November and was given a short time to life.  These funds helped with the cost of her family lodging so they could all be together.  Diane passed away  in January.

$200
To a very spiritual being  who was brought to our attention by Bishop Charlie.  This spiritual counselor donates his time creating sweat lodges in California for those recovering from alcohol and substance abuse.  He was struggling  to re- stock his firework so Charlie requested that we give him $200 to purchase firewood for his events.

$500
Stafford CERT Team – Stafford, CT – One of our amazing clergy members, Cindy,  is a CERT leader.  She used this donation to fund a portable tent teaching room which would also be used as a response shelter for first aid.

$100
First Baptist Church of Woodridge – Woodbridge, VA
Materials for building a wheelchair ramp for a disabled child so he could have access to his church events.  Not only did Bishop Terrie  request the funds for building materials for this project, but she also helped build it!  We have amazing people among us

Donations from Previous years include:

$300.00 Chippewa Tribe

#300.00 Red Lake Tribe,

$300.00 Coachella Mission,

$800.00 Phoenix Rescue Mission,

$500.00 UU Church of Ventura,

$500.00 Woodbridge Homeless Outreach,

$500.00 Bags4kids.org,

$300.00, The Heifer Project

$300.00 Heifer Project-Water Purification,

$300.00 OneSight.org,

$500.00 Ministers in need

$750.00 Sisters of Today.

Over the years, we have donated coats and clothing to North Dakota Native tribes and the
Ventura Women’s Shelter; bought backpacks and school supplies for children in need; repaired cleft palates; helped to obtain eyeglasses for children; donated food to the USO; helped individual families in need; a women’s empowerment program; a no-kill dog rescue center; a children’s orphanage in Phoenix, sent personal care products to young women in Africa—the list goes on and on!

These gifts can only be given with the generosity of our members and friends. Your donations are making the world a better place—You guys rock!!!!

Want to get even more involved? Do you have a “close-to-the-heart” program that you want to submit for consideration? Are you helping someone? Let us know.

Please contact us using our Contact Link  to make your request or
to let us know about our program.

The committee meets quarterly to review applications
and make recommendations to the board.