ECHO

ECHO (Everyone Cooperating to Help Others)

ECHO, Inc., is a non-profit, church-sponsored charity organization, serving low-income individuals and families in the Janesville area. It exists through the generosity of others in the community. ECHO stands for Everyone Cooperating to Help Others.  ECHO is a charity organization called upon to help meet temporary housing, food, clothing, health, transportation and other emergency needs for low-income families. ECHO seeks to help people help themselves through its programs and services, not readily available through other sources, and to assist them in utilizing other existing services and programs in the community.

How Is First Congregational UCC Involved With ECHO?

First Congregational UCC has been an ECHO member congregation since the very early years of the organization’s startup. Two members of our congregation serve on the ECHO Board.  Many of our members serve as ECHO volunteers. Periodic special offerings are received for ECHO during Sunday worship. From 1975 through 2002 First Congregational UCC provided ECHO with free office space.  The ECHO building at 65 High Street was erected in 2003 on land adjacent to our church on a long term lease of $1 per year.  In 2015, our church donated a house we owned at  314 W Court Street so ECHO could expand their building.