Lutheran Malaria Initiative meets $125,000 challenge grant goal

For Immediate Release

Contact: Vicki Biggs, 314-996-1236, 314-556-3829 (cell), @theLCMS

Donations doubled to help end malaria deaths in Africa

ST. LOUIS, September 6, 2013—Thanks to its generous donors, the Lutheran Malaria Initiative (LMI) has met a $125,000 challenge grant offered by Angel Tear Ministries, a program of Cabot, Pa.-based Concordia Lutheran Ministries (CLM).

The matching grant applied to gifts raised for LMI beginning May 9. The funds will be used for LMI’s work in Africa, where nearly 700,000 people die annually from malaria — most of them women and children.

“This challenge match has provided LMI and our LCMS churches and schools with an opportunity to help us finish strong in the fundraising we’re doing for LMI by doubling the amount of money raised, dollar for dollar,” said Dionne Lovstad-Jones, manager of LMI development outreach for The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS). “Angel Tear Ministries challenged us to raise $125,000 and matched each dollar raised, to an amount of $125,000 — that’s $250,000 in total for programs in Africa that will help families learn how to avoid contracting malaria and get medical treatment when the disease strikes!”

Since early May, LCMS congregations and schools already have raised almost double the challenge amount, or $249,268.10.

LMI is a partnership of Lutheran World Relief and the LCMS to mobilize U.S. Lutherans in the global fight to eliminate malaria deaths in Africa. Originally made possible by support from the United Nations Foundation, LMI seeks to raise $10 million for malaria prevention, education and treatment. The campaign has raised $7.6 million to date.

“Praise God for the faithful gifts of our members and school children from all over the United States who want to save lives from malaria in Africa,” Lovstad-Jones said.

Established in 2007 by Concordia Lutheran Ministries (CLM), Angel Tear Ministries is a fund dedicated to supporting people in need around the globe.

“Concordia Lutheran Ministries has been abundantly blessed and leadership felt compelled to remember our heritage and afford an opportunity to help orphans and those less fortunate,” said Keith Frndak, president and CEO of Concordia Lutheran Ministries. “The Lutheran Malaria Initiative was a perfect match to our criteria. It captures the ‘sweet spot’ of our mission.”

CLM has previously partnered with the LCMS in world relief efforts, including helping to provide for children in home-based or rescue care centers who have been orphaned as a result of the AIDS epidemic and to fund medical mobile clinics, seminary preparation and disaster response training – all in Asia, Africa or Latin America. Learn more about Concordia Lutheran Ministries at http://www.concordialm.org/about-us.

For more information about the Lutheran Malaria Initiative, visit www.lutheranmalaria.org or www.lcms.org/lmi.

About The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod is a biblical, confessional, witness-oriented Christian denomination with 2.3 million members – 600,000 households – in 6,200 congregations. Through acts of witness and mercy, the church carries out its mission worldwide to make known the love of Jesus Christ. Learn more at www.lcms.org.

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