EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH IN AMERICA BECOMES MAJOR DONOR TO LUTHERAN WORLD RELIEF’S WAVE OF GIVING™ CAMPAIGN
Baltimore, January 10, 2005 - Lutheran World Relief (LWR) and its WAVE OF GIVING™ campaign continue to harness the wellspring of benevolence of individuals and organizations, the latest being an endorsement and major funding from the nation’s largest Lutheran governing body, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, ELCA.
On January 5th, the Chicago-based ELCA sent $100,000 to support LWR’s Wave of Giving and “is committed to providing up to 50 percent of its International Disaster Response income designated for tsunami disaster relief to LWR," said Belletech Deressa, director for international development and disaster response, ELCA Division for Global Mission.
“Its long and successful history in the region, and its A+ rating among international humanitarian organizations make LWR a trusted ELCA partner for both the short- and the long-term efforts in India, Sri Lanka and Indonesia,” adds Kathryn Sime, director, ELCA World Hunger and Disaster Appeal. “We’re glad to support LWR’s Wave of Giving,” Sime continues, “as well as our other partners and companion churches in South Asia during this critical time.”
"LWR is very grateful for the generous outpouring of support through the ELCA in response to this disaster,” says LWR President Kathryn Wolford. “Their support has always been vital in enabling LWR to help families and communities rebuild their livelihoods and their homes and to prepare them for future disasters.”
This week, Rev. Rafael Malpica, Executive Director for the Division for Global Mission of the ELCA, and LWR board member, will be leading an ELCA delegation to India and Thailand with ELCA partner churches in the affected areas to see firsthand the impact of the disaster. Daniel Chelliah, LWR Director for Asia and the Middle East, as well as LWR staff based in India, will join the ELCA delegation for the India portion of the visit.
“We’re humbled, but not surprised,” adds Wolford, “by the ELCA’s response to our Wave of Giving campaign. Their commitment clearly demonstrates the views we share about how best to respond to this disaster, and to continue our work in the region to lift people from poverty and restore dignity to their lives,” she continues. “At the same time, we encourage individuals and congregations to continue to generously support the ELCA World Hunger Appeal and LWR with undesignated funds. Unrestricted funds allowed us to respond to this disaster so quickly. It’s the type of funding that will allow us to respond just as quickly to the next disaster…or to help LWR meet needs that never make the headlines.”
For more information contact Emily Sollie at esollie@lwr.org or 410-230-2802.
