ELCA NEWS SERVICE July 3, 2003 Women of the ELCA Awards Domestic and International Grants 03-143-JAC CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) awarded $122,100 domestically and $61,543 internationally for a total of $183,643 in grants to support a variety of projects targeted at supporting families and communities. The Women of the ELCA Grants Program selection committee chose 50 recipients this year for projects such as job training, youth mentoring, health care, education enhancement, domestic violence prevention, prison and after-prison support and AIDS prevention. "We have a real commitment to strengthening families and communities," said Doris E. Strieter, grants program administrator, Women of the ELCA. Of the 50 grants awarded, 10 went to international programs, including six in Africa. "In Africa it's important. Because of AIDS, there are a lot of widows who are left without income," Strieter said. Domestic grants were awarded to support projects in Fremont, Los Angeles and San Diego, Calif.; Norwalk, Conn.; Washington, D.C.; Brandenton, Fla.; Atlanta; Chicago, Des Plaines, Joliet and Palatine, Ill.; Dubuque and Waverly, Iowa; Worcester, Mass.; Baltimore and Crownsville, Md.; Minneapolis and Windom, Minn.; St. Louis; Omaha, Neb.; New York and Rochester, N.Y.; Dayton, Shelby and Springfield, Ohio; Portland, Ore.; Media, Pa.; Anderson and Raleigh, S.C.; Vermillion, S.D.; Wichita Falls, Texas; Everett and Seattle, Wa.; Kearneysville, W.Va. International grants were awarded to support projects in Chile, India, Kenya, Mexico, Papua New Guinea, Tanzania and Uganda. Since the program's inception in 1988, Women of the ELCA has awarded more than $2.5 million. Information about the Women of the ELCA Grants Program is maintained at http://www.elca.org/wo/grants.html on the Web. * Jessica A. Crane is completing her bachelor of arts degree at Concordia College, Moorhead, Minn. This summer she is an intern with ELCA News and Media Production. For information contact: John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask] http://www.elca.org/news