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LMSS-Waco receives $25,000 challenge grant
APPLETON, WI (February 24, 2011) — Lutheran Ministries and Social Services of Waco (LMSS-Waco) recently received a $25,000 challenge grant from the Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Foundation. The grant will match other donations to support the combined services of the Legal Assistance Project and Families in Transition programs of LMSS-Waco.
“We are thrilled to receive this recognition from a national source of funding support for our non-profit agency. The families we serve through these programs will benefit greatly through this grant,” LMSS-Waco Director Francine Lumbard said.
This grant is part of the foundation’s Lutheran Grant Program, which is designed to assist Lutheran organizations and those they serve in achieving economic security and sustainability. In 2010, the program distributed more than $1.6 million through 42 separate grants.
“We are delighted to assist Lutheran Ministries and Social Services of Waco through this grant,” Tim Schwan, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Foundation vice-president said. “We trust that this support will strengthen the capacity of LMSS-Waco to benefit those it serves.”
LMSS-Waco sponsors the Legal Assistance Project, a pro se legal aid clinic for low-income self-representing civil litigants, primarily those involved in child custody cases. Families referred to the project by Child Protective Services in order to obtain legal custody of children are provided additional support services through a second program called Families in Transition. This program links caregivers to community services they may need, as well as provides them with emotional support during the court process. The family can then transition to a period of greater stability.
The Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Foundation is a private foundation funded by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. As a 501(c)(3) organization with its own board of trustees, the foundation is organized and operated exclusively for charitable, religious, scientific, literary and educational purposes, and makes grants and gifts to 501(c)(3) exempt organizations. The foundation does not provide grants to individuals. To learn more about the foundation and its grant programs, visit www.thriventfoundation.com.
The work of LMSS-Waco is made possible through the generous support of the Waco Foundation, Texas Bar Foundation, Deaconess Community of the ELCA, Trull Foundation, Sam's Club, local Lutheran churches and donors like you. Please make an online donation today or mail one to us using the form on the left so that LMSS-Waco can continue to serve the members of our community who truly need us.
The Legal Assistance Project was started using seed money from First Lutheran Church of Waco, which continues to support us through the use of donated space inside the church. Other grant supporters have included the Rapoport Foundation, the Jinkerson Family Trust, the Lutheran Services for the Elderly Endowment Fund, the Mission Endowment Fund, the Waco ELCA Conference and Wal-Mart.