Anglicans have continued to respond generously to the Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund (PWRDF), giving $5.243 million in donations and bequests in 2006.

The Toronto-based relief and development arm of the Anglican Church of Canada received $4.101 million in donations from individuals, parishes and dioceses, and $1.142 million in bequests.

Donations and bequests for 2006 were nearly one per cent higher than the previous year, at $5.223 million.

PWRDF did well considering that it did not launch any appeals for disasters – unlike 2005, said Diana Mavunduse, PWRDF communications co-ordinator. That year saw Anglicans responding to the devastating South Asian tsunami, Hurricane Katrina, the Pakistan earthquake, civil war in Darfur, Hurricane Stan and famine in Niger. They also donated to a special campaign to benefit HIV/AIDS victims in Africa.

Ms. Mavunduse noted that PWRDF received more bequests than individual donations in 2006. Bequests for 2006 ($1.142 million) were also higher than in 2005 ($828,870). Individual donations went down by 3.6 per cent, from $4.394 million in 2005.

PWRDF is a separately-incorporated organization affiliated with the Anglican Church of Canada.