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 [log in to unmask]
http://www.elca.org/news
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