CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), the women's organization of the church, awarded $161,350 in grants to projects that strengthen families and communities domestically and internationally this year.
Women of the ELCA's grant program has awarded about $2.75 million since 1988, when the women's organization was born.
"Every year financial grants from Women of the ELCA support projects that help strengthen families and communities in this country and around the world," said Doris Strieter, grants program administrator, Women of the ELCA.
"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,'" she said.
The program selection committee chose 52 projects from 148 applications it received. The committee gave priority to proposals that demonstrate community needs; make a difference in people's lives; request funding for one year and have objectives that can be achieved within that year; demonstrate significant involvement of women in planning, decision making, implementation and evaluation; and are consistent with Women of the ELCA's purpose statement. The committee is made of up six representatives from the executive board of Women of the ELCA, staff of the women's organization and ELCA churchwide office, and participants from Women of the ELCA.
The women's organization awarded $93,050 in grants to support ministries in the United States. Of the 52 projects receiving grants, 10 are related to refugee and immigration ministries. Other ministries that received support range from providing child care and leadership development to housing rehabilitation, from supporting homeless children to assisting people being released from prison.
In addition to funds awarded through the Women of the ELCA Grants Program, special grants to programs in India were awarded through the India Endowment Fund, a legacy of predecessor women's organizations. Through this fund, Women of the ELCA awarded $54,300 in grants to support health care, women's medical and nursing training, women's high schools and higher education, and lay women evangelists.
The organization also awarded $14,000 in grants to support projects overseas.
"The needs and challenges remain great. Through our response, we really can touch and change lives. Sometimes it may seem that our individual gifts don't make much of a difference, but collectively, with each one of us doing our part, we do make a difference for the women and children who are the recipients of our financial support. In some way their lives are touched by love from women who remember why Jesus came among us," Strieter said.
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Information, criteria and application forms for Women of the ELCA 2005 Grants Program is available at http://www.womenoftheelca.org on the Internet.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news
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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
