Lutheran youth raise $154,488 at ELCA Youth Gathering to help end hunger

by Melissa Ramirez Cooper, ELCA News Service

Youth across the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) are
saying "no" to hunger and poverty through "Change the World: 2009
Lutheran Youth Challenge" to raise $1 million for the ELCA World Hunger
Appeal. In an effort to support the challenge, high-school-age Lutherans
contributed $154,488 at the 2009 ELCA Youth Gathering. About 37,000
Lutheran teenagers, adult leaders and volunteers attended the gathering
held in New Orleans, July 22-26.

Teenage members of St. Peter's Lutheran Church, Stafford, Va., who
attended the gathering, contributed more than $1,800 to support the
challenge. As part of their fundraising efforts to pay for gathering
expenses, the teenagers decided to tithe 10 percent of their earnings to
support ELCA World Hunger, said John Irby, youth director at St. Peter.
Sixteen members of the church attended the gathering.

"When added to an additional $33,000 in gifts that have been mailed and
$68,000 raised as part of the 2009 Souper Bowl of Caring effort earlier
this year, our total for the challenge stands at $255,489 as of Aug. 7,"
said Laury Rinker, associate director for marketing communication, ELCA
World Hunger and Disaster Appeal. "At a time when one out of every seven
people face hunger, these gifts are especially important. We are so
grateful for the generosity shown by gathering participants." Gifts to
the challenge are accepted through the end of the year.