United Christian Giving, an organization dedicated to helping provide endowment funds to and networking Christ-centered evangelistic organizations, distributed more than $168,000 to 48 Christian schools, counseling services, day care centers and other nonprofits during a United Christian Giving awards luncheon on Monday at the Broadway Palm Theater in Fort Myers, Florida. On Tuesday, more than 180 people attended the distribution, where Christian organizations continued to be awarded “challenge grants” that would spur the recipients to raise the same amount of money awarded to them, doubling their funds.

Grants ranged from $750 to $5,000. The $168,000 in grants surpassed the organizations’ original goal of only $125,000, according to Frank Helmerich, a local real estate agent who founded United Christian Giving.

“We are setting a goal of $200,000 for the 2004 challenge grant campaign,” said Helmerich, who one day would like to raise $1 million annually.

Recipient-organizations who were awarded $5,000 included:

• Community Christian School, LaBelle

• Evangelical Christian School, Fort Myers

• Gabriel House, Fort Myers

• Kaio Student Ministries, Fort Myers

• Lee Women’s Center, Fort Myers

• Liberty Youth Ranch, Collier County

• Life Choice Crisis Pregnancy Center, Collier County

• Lifeline Family Center, Cape Coral

• Providence Christian School, Cape Coral

• Restoration House, east Fort Myers

• Sonshine Christian Academy, east of Fort Myers

• Teen Challenge, Fort Myers

• Teen Challenge, Arcadia

• Temple Baptist Academy, North Fort Myers

• WJYO FM-Radio, Fort Myers

• Young Life, Charlotte County

• Youth for Christ, Southwest Florida

For more information, go to: www.unitedchristiangiving.org