Anonymous donor gives $150k to Edwards Street Fellowship Center

HATTIESBURG, MS. - The Edward Street Fellowship Center (ESFC) received an anonymous donation of $150,000 this week.

The center's workers and volunteers said they are extremely thankful the donor's generosity.

“You know you really do not know who it is that believes so strongly in your ministry" said ESFC's Executive Director Ann McCullen.

She added, "And we have so many partners, we have churches and school groups, and all sorts of organizations downtown who support us."

The center has a budget $300,000 a year. McCullen said having a donor put up half of the expenses through the Greater Pine Belt Foundation endowment is extremely helpful. “It takes a lot of pressure off of us for fundraising" she said.

"There is a confidence the staff and workers have that we can continue our good work without having to worry about, you know, how are we going to pay the light bill?"

McCullen continued, "And will there be enough food in the shelves of the pantry? Will we have the medicine in the medical clinic? All of those day to day things.”

Although the endowment allows the center to only receive the interest pet year, McCullen said any bit helps.

“The summer months people are busy, you know the kids are home, and you are more likely to be out of town."

She said, "So a lot of charities, churches and other non-profits, summer is a really hard time just to make the ends meet, but the needs don’t go away, the needs are actually greater.”

McCullen said for now she will assume any person she encounters is the special person who cares dearly about the center's mission.

"I hope the donation will encourage others to donate" McCullen said.