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Grants
2002 Good Samaritan Grants Go to 19 Congregations
 In
partnership with Wheat
Ridge Ministries, LIRS in May awarded $85,000 in competitive
grants to 19 congregations of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) to encourage the development
of support services for immigrants and refugees. The Good
Samaritan Fund, originally called the Bernthal Fund for Congregational
Involvement, was established four years ago in honor of Pastor August
"Gus" Bernthal of Grace Lutheran Church, Winter Haven,
Fla. The congregation has helped resettle more than 300 refugees
since 1975.
The fund provides seed grants of up to $5,000
to congregations seeking to develop vital support services for immigrants
and refugees beyond the initial stages of resettlement.
The 2002 Good Samaritan awardees are listed below
in state order with a short description of their services.
Florida
Redeemer Lutheran Church (LCMS), Bartow
To continue offering free English as a Second Language (ESL) classes,
begin offering legal assistance two nights per week, provide family
counseling and dental care, and provide child care for families
enrolled in classes
Amigos
en Cristo, in partnership with Hope
Lutheran and St. Michael's Churches (LCMS), Bonita Springs
To provide English and literacy instruction, citizenship and immigration
services, cross-cultural training, employment assistance, orientation
to community services targeting Spanish speakers, and legal assistance
 El
Hospital del Alma Lutheran Church (LCMS), Homestead
To expand service to the Hispanic community through the Lutheran
Center to Help the Needy (CLAAN), a ministry that offers classes
in ESL, tutoring, citizenship, pastoral counseling, computer training,
literacy, sewing and tailoring, music, art, and painting; provides
immigration consultation; and offers child care for CLAAN students
Salem Haitian Lutheran Church (LCMS), Lake
Worth
To respond to the hunger that is prevalent among many in the community
by establishing a food bank and serving regular meals
San Pedro Evangelical Lutheran Church (ELCA),
Miami
To provide or continue a food pantry, English and math tutoring,
temporary housing, a summer Bible school, and immigration services
Georgia
Faith Lutheran Church (ELCA), Hartwell
To help members of a growing Hispanic community with relocation
and acclimation issues including housing, education, employment,
banking, citizenship, acculturation, child care, translation and
legal matters
Iowa
First Evangelical Lutheran Church (ELCA),
Des Moines
To continue and expand an existing ESL program by adding bimonthly
four-hour sessions created around activities such as woodcarving
or cooking, providing scholarships for materials fees for those
who contribute volunteer hours, and developing an incentive fund
to reward those who complete ESL materials
 Iglesia
Luterana La Voz de Esperanza (ELCA), Des Moines
To continue and expand the congregation's Super Wednesday program,
which provides legal services and activities including a meal, child
care, ESL, sports and music for immigrant youth and families
Maryland
Pilgrim and Zion Lutheran Churches (LCMS),
Baltimore
To provide temporary housing, appropriate work clothing, food, public
transportation passes and employment assistance for the area's growing
Ethiopian and Eritrean immigrant population
Michigan
St.
John Lutheran Church (ELCA), Dundee
To alleviate boredom, despair and hopelessness among immigration
detainees in Monroe County Jail by gathering and delivering materials
such as board games, books, newspapers and crafts materials, by
exchanging letters and by making face-to-face visits if allowed
Minnesota
St. Matthew Lutheran Church (LCMS), Worthington
To respond to the need for quality, low-cost child care by offering
tutoring and computer skills training during after-school hours
to the area's growing Hispanic and Asian immigrant population
New Jersey
Christ-St. John Lutheran Church (ELCA),
West New York
To provide affordable, quality legal services to Hispanic immigrants
and assist them with accessing other available community-based services
through the Community Outreach and Referral Program (CORPUS)
New York
Ashirwad Lutheran Ministry (ELCA), Floral
Park
To establish programs that will empower South Asian women to participate
in their families and communities in a more creative and constructive
way, and to assist children with their homework and their role at
the crossroad of Asian and U.S. cultures
Ohio
Trinity Lutheran Church (ELCA),
Ashland
To continue and expand response to the needs of Mexican immigrants
through English classes, medical and dental referrals and assistance
with costs, information and advocacy regarding available social
services and assistance with driver education fees
 Oklahoma
Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church (LCMS),
Guymon
To offer free enrollment in and transportation to the church's existing
preschool for a number of Burmese families who have recently relocated
to the area
South Dakota
Zion Lutheran Church (LCMS),
Sioux Falls
To continue funding of the Sudanese Outreach Center, which offers
information and assistance to area Sudanese, provides help with
the transition to life in the United States, and holds regular seminars
on topics of interest to the community
Tennessee
Messiah
Lutheran Church (LCMS), Memphis
To add computer-based ESL instruction for at least 48 students through
a 10-week program and provide introductory word processing and Internet
experience, additional computer-based English practice time and
e-mail access for a larger number of users
Texas
Prince of Peace Lutheran Church (ELCA),
Houston
To meet the growing demand for English, computer and citizenship
courses through the Hispanic Evangelical Lutheran Institute and
develop a program to help address substance abuse in the Spanish
speaking community
Virginia
St. Mark's Lutheran Church (ELCA),
Springfield
To meet the needs of a growing local Salvadoran population by providing
safe, healthy and hope-giving after-school programs through Campamento
Amigo (Camp Friendship) and basic technical instruction for adults
and children through Friendship Computer Lab
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