From now through May 21, Thrivent Financial for Lutheran members at least 16 years old can vote to distribute $1 million among 10 national charitable organizations, including two LCMS ministries.
And, if at least 350,000 Thrivent members cast their votes, Thrivent Financial will add another $1 million to f
unds that will be distributed to the 10 organizations based on the percentage of votes they receive.
The two Synod ministries on that ballot are LCMS World Mission and LCMS World Relief and Human Care. Also on the list are Lutheran Disaster Response, in which the LCMS participates, and the Lutheran Malaria Initiative, which the Synod Board of Directors is recommending to this summer’s LCMS convention that the Synod join.
Other organizations for which Thrivent members may vote are the American Heart Association, Habitat for Humanity International, Feed My Starving Children, ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) World Hunger, WELS (Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod) Committee on Relief, and WELS Humanitarian Aid Committee.
An 11th ballot option, labeled “Thrivent Financial Should Select,” allows members to have Thrivent Financial distribute the funds among the 10 participating organizations.
Votes can be cast in one of two ways: online at www.thrivent.com/choicevote, or via a business reply card in the spring issue of Thrivent magazine.
The Web site also has more information about the 10 benefiting organizations.
The balloting initiative, known as the “Thrivent Choice Voting Event,” is part of a new program called “Thrivent ChoiceSM.” This summer, Thrivent will launch a second initiative in the program, to be known as “Choice DollarsSM.” For that, eligible adult benefit members can help direct funds to “thousands of Lutheran nonprofit organizations, including Lutheran congregations,” according to a Thrivent news release. Eligibility for Choice DollarsSM “will be based on benefit members’ ownership and/or Thrivent Financial volunteer leadership,” the release states.
“Our organization is membership owned and member governed,” said Brad Hewitt, Thrivent Financial president and CEO. “Thrivent Choice is designed to let members help direct where Thrivent Financial distributes part of its outreach dollars each year and feel more personally involved in Thrivent Financial decision making.”
Posted April 21, 2010
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