CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Lutheran Brotherhood added another $650,000 on Sept. 24 to an earlier commitment of $362,000 for "East Coast disaster relief assistance" in the aftermath of terrorist attacks Sept. 11 in New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Another fraternal benefits society, Aid Association for Lutherans (AAL), had released $1 million to "mobilize" AAL members and branches to help disaster victims through fund raising and to support AAL volunteer disaster coordinators.
Many members of both organizations are members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). AAL, based in Appleton, Wis., and Lutheran Brotherhood, based in Minneapolis, announced plans in June to merge by the end of 2001.
"Our 1.2 million members nationwide are reaching out for ways to help the victims of this horrendous tragedy," said Bruce Nicholson, Lutheran Brotherhood president and CEO.
Lutheran Brotherhood will match all contributions made to Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR) up to $650,000. LDR is a ministry of the ELCA and the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.
LDR is coordinating local Lutheran organizations' disaster-related needs, including foster care for some of the 400 children orphaned by the disaster, counseling and pastoral care for the victims' families and others, emergency housing and a special program to help children deal with their grief.
Lutheran Brotherhood's initial allocation of $362,000 provided matching funds for its East coast branches planning disaster-related fund-raising efforts. The organization sets aside $2.6 million each year in disaster relief funds for local branches.
AAL will urge employees and branch members to donate blood and plasma. Volunteers are also being encouraged to help busy local blood centers handle paperwork and serve refreshments to donors. -- -- -- DOMESTIC DISASTERS:
Editors: When listing organizations receiving funds for aid to survivors
of major disasters inside the United States, Puerto Rico or the U.S.
Virgin Islands, please include:
ELCA Domestic Disaster Response
P.O. Box 71764
Chicago, Illinois 60694-1764
Credit card gift line: 1-800-638-3522
Credit card gifts via the Web: http://www.elca.org/disaster
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html
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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 2.8 million members in more than 8,500 worshiping communities 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
Public Relations Manager
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
