ELCA provides assistance for unaccompanied minors

     ​CHICAGO (ELCA) – The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) provided nearly $400,000 in humanitarian assistance to help support ELCA partners who serve the thousands of unaccompanied minors coming to the United States from countries in Central America. The funds were disbursed through Lutheran Disaster Response to Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service and Lutheran Social Services of the South.
     “Although the number of children coming to this country has decreased, they are still coming. Our grants to Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service and Lutheran Social Services of the South will help address the unmet needs of the children that are not covered by the government, as well as help encourage congregations and individuals to also address these needs,” said the Rev. Michael Stadie, program director for the ELCA’s Lutheran Disaster Response U.S.
     Based in Baltimore, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service works with the U.S. Office of Refugee Settlement to help place unaccompanied children in foster care. The ELCA funds will help provide for planning among Lutheran partners in the United States and Central America, training materials for potential foster families, the development of welcome centers offering hospitality and support to families and others released from immigration detention centers, advocacy and strategic communications and national coordination.
     “One of the untold stories of what the media called the border crisis was that Lutherans were already on the scene. Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service and our partners have been helping unaccompanied children and families seeking refuge for decades,” said Linda Hartke, president of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service.
     “When the number of children and families (arriving in the United States) increased to unprecedented levels, we worked proactively to address programmatic and advocacy needs. The generous grant from ELCA's Lutheran Disaster Response enables Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service to extend critical protections and services and to engage more volunteers. Most of all, the grant demonstrates that Lutherans are in this for the long haul. If even one unaccompanied child is in need of refuge, we will be there,” said Hartke.
     Lutheran Social Services of the South, based in Austin, Texas, provides emergency shelter for hundreds of unaccompanied children in south Texas each month. The activities supported by the ELCA funds include the expansion of emergency shelters, the first-year salary and expenses for a local project manager, administrative overhead and program management.
     “Lutheran Disaster Response and Lutheran Social Services of the South share a long history of partnership in service to those who are in need,” said Mark Minick, senior vice president for external relations for Lutheran Social Services of the South and Lutheran Social Services Disaster Response.
     “We are thankful to now expand and strengthen that partnership by providing healing and hope to children and families in new ways. Among other roles, this work together provides an on-the-ground presence to assist with volunteer needs and roles, organizing of resources and spiritual care activities, and collaboration and coordination of regional, national and international efforts of Lutheran partners and other response agencies,” said Minick. “We are grateful to Lutheran Disaster Response and the ELCA for the opportunity to positively impact the lives of God’s children, often coming from such dire circumstances.”             
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with more than 3.8 million members in nearly 10,000 congregations across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of “God's work. Our hands,” the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer, Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
773-380-2877 or Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
http://www.ELCA.org/news
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