We are so grateful for the generous gifts that this community gave around Christmas 2016. These gifts will make a huge difference in our local and global community.
Through our Christmas Gift Giving program, the congregation came together and purchased over 400 gifts for many families and individuals and gave a total of $9,780 toward ministries serving people in need. Full details below.
The congregation also donated many wonderful pieces of winter outerwear. Thanks to you, we were able to distribute 613 winter outerwear items and 578 mitten tree itemsthrough the partner organizations listed below.
But that’s not all.
At our Christmas Eve services, we asked your help to support an effort to fund a shelter for homeless people in Dakota County. Your response was incredible. To date, $8,384 has been raised and is growing! All proceeds will provide for emergency shelters now and a more permanent solution in the future through the non-profit Minnesota Housing Project. These donations helped make possible a two-week temporary shelter currently hosted at Easter Lutheran Church in Eagan. It costs about $8,000 to operate a 24-hour shelter for a week, so your donations will definitely make a big impact!
2016 Christmas Gift Giving Full Report
Gifts were sponsored for…
- 45 families through Armful of Love, local families who need a helping hand at Christmas.
- 26 homeless youth through Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota
- 54 individuals through Wingspan Life Resources. Wingspan provides a range of high quality residential and support services that promote personal choice, independence, dignity and fellowship to people challenged by age, ability or health.
- About 150 gifts were given to the holiday store at Dakota Woodlands for moms and children to shop. Dakota Woodlandsis an Eagan-based shelter whose mission is to help women who seek to become self-sufficient.
- About 100 gifts were given to the holiday store at Southside Family Nurturing Center, where parents and children can shop for gifts they would otherwise be unable to give. Southside is a place where low income families who have been victims of child abuse and neglect can go for help and get a fresh start.
Monetary Donations…
- Kids ‘n Kinship: $875 (+$625 “SOTV Choice Dollars”) = Total of $1,500
- The Sheridan Story at Falcon Ridge: $2,430 (+$1,227 Choice) = Total of $3,657
- Tanzania Partnership: $1,725 (+$1,228 Choice) = Total of $2,953
- Lutheran Disaster Response: $1,175
- Southside Family Nurturing Center: $200
- Dakota Woodlands: $220
- LSS Homeless Youth: $75 “SOTV Choice Dollars”
- Total raised: $9,780!
Partner Organizations for Winter Outerwear
Recipients included students in District 196; families served by Rosemount Family Resource Center, Alley Shoppe, Pregnancy Choices (AV) and People Inc.; The Link and Dorothy Day Center, which serve the homeless; and Arrive Ministries, LSS Refugee Services and the Neighborhood House which serve refugee and immigrant families. All were very appreciative to share these greatly needed donations with the individuals and families they serve.
Thank you again for your wonderful generosity!
