Monday, December 17, 2012

Press Release: The Welcome Ministry receives $5,000 ‘Economic Outreach Bridge Grant’



NEWS RELEASE

Contacts:

Rev. Megan Rohrer, megan@welcomeministry.org, 415-827-2587

Callie Briese, callie.briese@thrivent.com, 612-844-7340, 540-878-8093 (cell)

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The Welcome Ministry receives $5,000 ‘Economic Outreach Bridge Grant’
Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Foundation grant aids efforts to support basic needs in community

MINNEAPOLIS (December 17, 2012) – The Welcome Ministry, San Francisco, CA, recently received a $5,000 “Lutheran Community Economic Outreach Bridge Grant” from the Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Foundation. The funding was awarded to the Welcome Ministry based on its effectiveness in addressing basic needs of the local community such as food, clothing or shelter.

The Welcome Ministry has also elected to participate in a complementary two-to-one challenge grant program sponsored by the Foundation. For every dollar raised by the Welcome Ministry from donorsby Mar. 31, 2013, the Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Foundation will provide an additional 50 cents—up to $5,000—in support of the organization’s food ministry.

“Difficult economic conditions and high unemployment rates have caused many Americans to seek support for basic needs such as food, clothing and shelter from local nonprofits,” said Kathy Larson, grants program manager for the Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Foundation. “This grant program is designed to help effective organizations maintain their financial stability in the face of increased demand on their resources.”

“During this prolonged economic downturn, the Welcome Ministry has doubled the number of individuals we feed,” said the Rev. Megan Rohrer, Executive Director of the Welcome Ministry.  "Welcome is grateful for the support of the Thrivent Financial for Lutheran's Foundation and we hope that their matching support will inspire others to support our work feeding the homeless and hungry in San Francisco."

About the Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Foundation
Founded in 1982, the Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Foundation is a private foundation that operates exclusively for charitable, educational and religious purposes. It supports the health and vitality of the Lutheran community, the Fox Cities of Wisconsin and the Twin Cities of Minnesota. Grants are provided for projects and missions that reflect Thrivent Financial for Lutherans’ charitable interests. The primary charitable interest of the foundation is assisting nonprofit organizations and those they serve in achieving economic security and sustainability. To learn more about the foundation and its programs, visit: www.thrivent.com/foundations.

About Thrivent Financial for Lutherans
Thrivent Financial for Lutherans is a not-for-profit, Fortune 500 financial services membership organization helping approximately 2.5 million members achieve financial security and give back to their communities. Thrivent Financial and its affiliates offer a broad range of financial products and services. Thrivent Financial creates and supports national outreach programs and activities that help congregations, schools, charitable organizations and individuals in need. For more information, visit Thrivent.com. Also, you can find us on Facebook and Twitter.
About the Welcome Ministry
The Welcome Ministry is a San Francisco based, national not-for-profit organization that seeks to provide a faithful response to poverty and to improve the quality of life for individuals in our community by providing: hospitality; education; food; and referrals for housing, health care and drug and alcohol treatment.  Welcome has hosted a light lunch every Tuesday and Saturday Community Dinners since 1996.  Welcome creates additional programs regularly to respond to current poverty issues that affect San Francisco or support congregations across the country to respond to local poverty.  For more information, visit www.welcomeministry.org.  Also, you can find us on Facebook 


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