With support from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) over the past year, the Liberty Lutheran Family has extended its services to hungry children, individuals and families recovering from a disaster, and to older adults who are motivated to remain active.
In January 2014, Lutheran Disaster Response – Eastern PA (LDR-EPA) received a two year grant of $14,000 from the ELCA Disaster Response to pilot a Spiritual Support Partners for Disaster Recovery program. Chaplains, who are trained in disaster preparedness and recovery, will accompany pastors and other faith-based leaders into disaster affected areas and provide coaching and spiritual support. The Spiritual Support Partners project will teach pastors about the stages of disaster recovery, ways to best serve the community, and how to care for themselves while working in these challenging situations.
As a recipient of a $3,500 ELCA Domestic Hunger Grant, Liberty’s Lutheran Congregational Services is working with Backpack Pals/Peanut Butter Project of Easton to ensure a greater number of children, who are participating in school lunch and breakfast programs, will have food for long weekends and holiday breaks from school.
Liberty Lutheran’s Wellness Program, “Liberty Lifestyles,” has been supported, in part, through a grant from the Lutheran Services for the Elderly Endowment at the ELCA Foundation. The $60,000 award will help to support wellness initiatives for more than 900 residents in Liberty’s four senior communities.
