ELCA NEWS SERVICE

July 23, 2007  

Women of the ELCA Awards 41 Grants to Promote Health
07-132-FI

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church
in America (ELCA), the women's organization of the ELCA, awarded
$87,200 in grants to 29 domestic and 12 international programs in
2007 to promote "women's complete and total health: physical,
emotional and spiritual," as stated on its Web site.  Women of
the ELCA has given more than $3 million in 20 years to 795
domestic and international programs.
     According to the Women of the ELCA Web site: "Our grants
program in 2007 focused funding toward projects and agencies
dedicated to education, health care and advocacy, emboldening
women and girls to lead healthier lives.  These grants are one
way in which we respond to God's call for justice and an abundant
life."
     The 29 domestic grants ranged in size from $700 to $3,500.
They were awarded to programs based in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona,
Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa,
Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina,
South  Dakota, Utah, Virginia and Washington.
     Among the domestic programs receiving grants:  The prison-
based services of the Mary Magdalene Home Alaska help current and
formerly incarcerated women leave lives of sexual exploitation.
Work Options for Women, a job-training program, gives low-income
women in Denver the skills needed to become self-sufficient.
Women's Advancement Program of Salam Arabic Lutheran Church,
Brooklyn, N.Y., works with long-time residents and new immigrant
women on health issues, self-care and how to access the health
system.
     The 12 international grants of $1,000 each benefit programs
in Argentina, Colombia, Haiti, Indonesia, Kenya, Liberia,
Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe.
     Among the programs receiving international grants: La
Organizacion de Mujeres Luteranas de Colombia (Lutheran Women of
Colombia Organization) offers "Affirming Strong Faith," a
spiritual training and counseling program for women.  Indonesian
Rural Agricultural Development includes nutritional supplements
for children and pregnant women in "The Timor Project -- Saving a
Village" to help lift people out of poverty.  The Chelma Advisory
Institute of Kenya provides commercial sex workers with business-
skill training and counseling.
     "As a churchwide community of women, some of our most
powerful resources are the financial offerings we give in support
of our organizational commitment to 'promote healing and
wholeness in the church, the society, and the world,'" says the
Women of the ELCA Web site.
-- -- --
     The complete list of 2007 grant recipients is at
http://www.womenoftheELCA.org/whatwedo/07grantawards.html on the
Web.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://www.elca.org/news
ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog