Title: Foundation of the ELCA Grant Funds to Children, Elderly Ministries ELCA NEWS SERVICE
March 27, 2006
Foundation of the ELCA Grant Funds to Children, Elderly Ministries 06-047-MRC
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Lutheran Services for the Elderly (LSE) Endowment Fund of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) awarded a total of $295,000 in 2006 to six Lutheran organizations dedicated to ministries and services for and by the elderly. The Lutheran Services for Children Endowment Fund of the ELCA awarded a total of $162,000 to four Lutheran organizations dedicated to services and ministries with children.
LSE and Lutheran Services for Children endowment funds are housed in the Foundation of the ELCA. Since 2002 LSE has awarded more than $1.3 million to Lutheran organizations dedicated to developing new methods of ministry primarily for and by older people and their families. Since 2004 Lutheran Services for Children has awarded $341,000.
"When overall funding could no longer sustain the cost of providing high quality health care, the good folks at Lutheran Services for the Elderly in Miami decided to sell their assets and create an $8.1 million endowment for this remarkable gift to the church and its ministries," said the Rev. Donald M. Hallberg, president, Foundation of the ELCA.
"We are delighted with so many new ideas for providing services with and for seniors and children this year. These grantees demonstrate real creativity and will help show the way for other groups seeking to emulate these good ideas," said Ruth A. Reko, director for social ministry, ELCA Church in Society.
The 2006 LSE Endowment Fund recipients are: + Lutheran Medical Center, Brooklyn, N.Y. + Zion Development Corp., Rockford, Ill. + Lutheran Social Services of Minnesota, Moorhead + Diakon Lutheran Social Ministries, Allentown, Pa. + Josephine Sunset Home, Stanwood, Wash. + Lutheran Social Services of Illinois, Des Plaines
Funds from LSE are awarded to ministries that demonstrate plans for service, education and research to benefit the elderly and their families or services to the elderly. Grants provide seed money for ministries that offer innovative and replicable programs for the elderly.
The 2006 Lutheran Services for Children fund recipients are: + Liberty Lutheran Services, Ambler, Pa. + Lutheran Episcopal Services of Mississippi, Jackson + Lutheran Family Services of the Carolinas, Raleigh, N.C. + Lutheran Services in Iowa, Waverly
Annual grants from Lutheran Services for Children provide seed money for programs that represent the most successful model of innovative service. - - -
Information about the ELCA's Lutheran Services for the Elderly Endowment Fund and Lutheran Services for Children Endowment Fund is available at http://www.ELCA.org/fo/lutheranservices.html on the Web.
The Foundation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America assists individuals and congregations in creating gift plans that fulfill their legacy dreams and nurture the ministries of the whole church. All gifts received and managed are ultimately distributed, directly or through endowment, to the ministries designated by each donor. More information about the Foundation is available by calling 1-800-683-3522 ext. 2970 or visiting http://www.ELCA.org/fo on the Web.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org http://www.elca.org/news ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog