For Immediate Release
November 21, 2016
Press Contact:
Michelle Blundell
mblundell@mrss.com; 202-478-6176
Miji Bell
mbell@lirs.org; 410-230-2841
WASHINGTON, DC – Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS) is pleased to announce it is a recipient of a generous $650,000 donation from The Church of Latter-day Saints (LDS) to support LIRS’ continued work with refugees and migrants.
The donation represents the growing partnership between Lutherans and Mormons, as the two communities have begun to work together in a larger capacity to address issues surrounding refugee resettlement.
“We are so thankful for this kindhearted gift from the LDS Church, as it will go a long way in helping refugees as they settle into their new lives here in the U.S.,” said Linda Hartke, president of LIRS. “We look forward to the continued opportunities to expand our partnership that has already provided so much for refugees seeking safety and protection.”
The donation will go toward helping LIRS reach its goal of resettling 15,000 refugees in fiscal year 2017, with a significant portion of it going toward mattresses for refugees as they settle into their new homes. These efforts are in addition to the growing number of volunteers from the Mormon community who have turned out over the years to support local refugees and migrants.
The donation from the LDS Church is part of $5 million that has been pledged to the nine U.S. refugee resettlement agencies, including LIRS, in support of relief of the growing numbers of refugees and internally displaced persons across the world.
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Founded in 1939, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service is the second largest refugee resettlement agency in the United States. It is nationally recognized for its leadership advocating with refugees, asylum seekers, unaccompanied children, immigrants in detention, families fractured by migration and other vulnerable populations. Through more than 75 years of service and advocacy, LIRS has helped over 500,000 migrants and refugees rebuild their lives in America.