Lutheran Volunteer Corps (LVC)

Our next LVC Fellow is Louisa! 💚

Louisa will serve as an LVC Fellow for The Advocates for Human Rights.

Louisa is a passionate human rights lawyer with LL.M. degrees from the University of Minnesota and the University of Pretoria. Her focus areas include reproductive rights, international human rights law, and global health. She has worked extensively with the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights promoting social justice and health equity. Louisa is driven by a profound belief in equality and the importance of giving a voice to the marginalized. Louisa will serve as an LVC Fellow with The Advocates for Human Rights.

Please meet another of our FY24/25 Fellows, Sophie! 💚

Sophie will serve as a Development and Operations Associate with the Government Accountability Project.

Sophie Sperber graduated from the University of Southern California with degrees in journalism and political science. She's originally from Northbrook, Illinois and has a passion for community work and storytelling. She hopes to continue her education and attend law school, where she plans to channel her passion for justice and people to give back to the community. She previously participated in the JusticeCorps program, where she helped self-represented litigants access legal information. As a student journalist, she covered areas in politics such as the CD6 Special Election and the mayoral debate, as well as campus issues like the fraternity row sexual assault protests and the lack of mental health resources. She also had the opportunity to work directly with the South LA community, covering local artists and shops. A political science student at heart, she has also had the opportunity to work on the simulation featured in the movie War Game, where legislators simulated a future-set escalated January 6th threat. She is excited for the opportunity to use all the skills she has acquired to continue to serve at her placement, The Government Accountability Project. In her free time, she enjoys cooking for her friends and family, working out, and reading.

Introducing another of our FY24/25 Fellows, Kylie! 💚

Kylie will serve as a LVC Fellow for Luther Place Memorial Church!

Kylie (she/her/hers) recently graduated from Valparaiso University with a Bachelors in Psychology. Throughout undergrad, she worked in a variety of different settings with individuals struggling with various mental illnesses. Individuals struggling with mental illness often need support in a variety of other capacities, such as assistance in job security, accessing affordable and high quality food, and obtaining quality health care services for both their physical and mental well-being. In a variety of positions at her university, she served as a link between students and available wellness/mental health resources at the university. One of her main areas of interest is su***de prevention, where she specifically is committed to decreasing rates of su***de in under-served and over-represented groups such veterans, LGTBQ+ individuals, and various ethnic/racial minorities. One of her main goals is to instill hope in individuals who are struggling with finding meaning and purpose within their lives.

You are cordially invited to a Welcome Potluck Dinner for our FY24/25 Fellows in the Twin Cities! 💚

Beverages and desserts will be provided, but please bring your favorite main or side dish! 🥘

The reception will be held at Mount Olive Lutheran Church at 3045 Chicago Avenue in Minneapolis at 6 p.m. on September 3rd. The parking lot is south of 31st Street across from the Church. Handicap parking is adjacent to the north side of the building.

RSVP here! ---> https://rb.gy/5gjc8o

The LVC meal train is leaving the station! 🚇 Are you hopping on?

We are requesting volunteers to cook meals for our FY24/25 Twin Cities Fellows at their home in Winona House. Participants will meet our promising Fellows, share their insight with the next generation of the LVC, and provide a home-cooked meal. 🍽️

Food is energy, folks! Our Fellows dedicate themselves to full-time volunteer work for a year. This is an excellent opportunity to give back to those who have invested their efforts into bettering their community. 😋

Winona House is currently assigned four live-in Fellows and one virtual. Please consider this in your meal planning. 🍲

Winona House is located at 2308 Elliot Avenue S, Minneapolis, MN 55404. Drop off time for meals will be between 6 - 7pm on Tuesdays. 💚

Sign up sheet for the Winona House Meal Train ---> https://www.mealtrain.com/trains/dn5yov

We are off to a RUNNING this season and we'd like to introduce another of our wonderful FY24/25 Fellows, Eriyona! 💚

Eriyona will serve as a Community Care Volunteer for Joseph's House DC.

Eriyona recently graduated from the University of South Carolina with a Bachelor's in Public Health. Throughout her undergrad, she served on various executive boards, fostering her passion for advocacy and social justice. Her roles included organizing events, leading initiatives, and promoting equitable practices. She aims to leverage her experience, education, and skills to educate, facilitate, and support others in social justice efforts. She looks forward to learning so much and contributing to the LVC mission to achieve social justice and peace.

Meet another of our FY24/25 Fellows, Ivannav! 💚

Ivannav will serve as a Paralegal in the Detained Adult Program for the Amica Center for Immigrant Rights.

Ivannav (she/her/hers) immigrated to the U.S. as a political refugee at the age of 14. She understands the experience of being in an immigration camp and what it is like to be separated from family members; this experience, though hard, gave her the knowledge and resiliency to navigate the immigration system and a passion to help others who are in the same situation. She went to Taylor University on a scholarship that was given to her due to her leadership skills, where she was able to participate in different cabinets, such as Global Engagement. She also belonged to the Latino Student Union, as well as the International Student Society.

The LVC is proud to introduce one of our FY24/25 Fellows, Laura! 💚

Laura will serve as our Adult Program Assistant through . Read on to learn more about Laura's journey:

"I graduated from Concordia College in Moorhead, MN in May with a BA in English Literature and a minor in Women and Gender Studies. Social justice is really important to me and to my community. Most recently, I have been involved with organizations like YWCA and the R**e and Abuse Crisis Center. Within social justice, I would like to be considered an advocate for others, empowering them to understand their own worth in a society that is constantly marginalizing them. White supremacy, patriarchy, heteronormativity, and beyond negatively impact everyone, even those in power. Social justice allows us to understand this. I would like to do my part to spread awareness about how the system in place sets us up for failure and how we can overcome it together. Being from Minnesota has allowed me to meet a range of people with different ideologies and this has encouraged me to further my education in whatever way I can, as well as help others further their own education. I believe education is the key to an informed, united society, and I make it my mission to educate others, or at least guide them towards ways they can educate themselves."

Our friend and Second-Year Fellow, Lisa Gaye Thompson of Millvale, New Jersey, passed away last month after a brave and tireless fight against cancer. She was fifty-five years old.

Lisa dedicated the last years of her life to helping those less fortunate, through active volunteerism with the Christian Appalachian Project in Kentucky and L’Arche through the LVC in Washington, D.C. Earlier this year, she wrote: “I have admiration for LVC's mission to be a community of faith uniting people to work for peace with justice. I would like to meet those goals with LVC. It would give me the opportunity to continue to make my dream to give encouragement and support to others to keep working towards their dreams. People who live in peace with justice can feel safe and thrive in their community.”

Click this link to read more about Lisa. ---> https://lutheranvolunteercorps.org/in-loving-memory-of-our-friend-and-second-year-fellow-lisa-gaye-thompson/

Did you get our message? The LVC invites you to become an insider and receive exclusive updates, announcements and invitations through our News and Updates letter. 💚

Click this link to for a spot on our exclusive virtual mailing list! ---> https://bitly.cx/xXC83

Are you looking for a fun way to volunteer your time? Do you live in the Twin Cities or DC area? Look no further! 😇

Each LVC house keeps two or more mentors who visit with our Fellows, host community nights, and provide spiritual enrichment throughout the Fellowship year. We are currently searching for volunteers to fulfill this role for our FY24/25 season. 💖

YOU can help volunteers from all over the world enmesh themselves in the communities they serve, create a stronger relationship with their faith, and enjoy their time as an LVC Fellow. 🌟

If interested, please contact [email protected] for more information. We look forward to hearing from you!

Our Fellows work hard, but they also have fun! This photo is of our FY03/04 Seattle Fellows carving pumpkins in their downtime. 🎃

During intensive volunteering, it's good to find time to connect with each other and explore your environment. 😄

Hey, followers? What did you do to have fun with your peers when you were going through your Fellowship year? 🤔

It's not too late to become an insider on the LVC's campaign of inclusion! 😊

There are still spots on our virtual mailing list to receive News & Updates, exclusive opportunities, and invitations to in-person and virtual events! 🤫

Join our mission at this link! ---> https://bitly.cx/xXC83

Applications Requested for Campaign Associate position with the Government Accountability Project: https://bitly.cx/HVVd

The Campaign Associate will work with the Director of Advocacy Campaigns to execute legal and advocacy strategies in support of whistleblowers making disclosures of fraud, waste, and abuse in the immigration, food, environment, and other sectors.

Job duties:

- Research subjects related to whistleblower disclosures and prepare memoranda on research
- Maintain well organized and up to date electronic files
- Draft advocacy materials
- Review and organize client evidence
- Support timely client communication
- Attend and maintain records of meetings

Required skills:

- Advanced skills with Microsoft suite systems
- Excellent attention to detail
- Excellent organizational skills
- Ability to prioritize multiple time-sensitive tasks
- Team player, excellent interpersonal skills
- Preferred past experience in administrative support and/or customer-service positions

Did you know that the LVC has been active since 1979? 😱

That's FORTY-FIVE YEARS of service to our Placement communities. (That's also a LOT of content for our followers to enjoy! 😁)

This photo is of our Luther Place family during our 1998-99 Fellowship year!

The most magical thing about being an organization like LVC in the information age is that we are given an open window into our pasts and presents, and with that, an awareness that people have always been people; sometimes silly, sometimes serious, and within this particular group, consistently bound by an understanding of service and a vision for a better future. 💚

As an inter-generational organization, it is our honor and privilege to have a window into your world and thus, have the opportunity to extend one back. 🤝

The LVC is eager to communicate with you about your experiences as an LVC alum or supporter. Our comments and DMs are OPEN to anyone who has a story to share. 🔊

For those interested in following our work more closely, please join our mission by updating or entering your email at the following link. ---> https://lvc.salsalabs.org/f0bb280f-0fa4-4508-8548-c9c7fa0154a0/index.html

Psst... are you interested in becoming an LVC insider? 😉

Don't worry, this isn't a long, complex process or a "donation required" opportunity. 💸

We are reaching out to our network of like-minded Samaritans to request that you join our insiders' club to receive News & Updates from our board, staff, Fellows, and alumni. 📱

By entering or updating your email address, you will be provided the MOST up-to-date information regarding our mission, movements, and work throughout the 2024-25 service year. 🔊

You can become an LVC insider at this link! ---> https://bitly.cx/xXC83

What ARE the LVC's values? 🤔

🌱 Simple and sustainable living honors the abundant resources that God provides. These resources must be shared equitably so all can thrive.

🤝 Living in intentional communities creates a supportive space to engage in social justice and live sustainably while exploring vocation and meaning.

✨ Exploring the diversity of spirituality within a community promotes an understanding of the spectrum of beliefs and values.

☮️ Our journey to inclusive community must confront racism and oppression through intentional — and often uncomfortable — personal and institutional transformation.

💚 Social justice compels us to strive for a peaceful world where basic human rights are met with dignity.

Does that sound like you? 😀 You might have a home at the LVC! --->https://lutheranvolunteercorps.org/become-a-placement/faq/

Follow the link above to learn more about our mission!

Our Fellows are all being assigned and gearing up for to offer service to their communities! The LVC ensures that these Fellows are provided food, travel costs, incidentals, and housing throughout their Fellowship. 💚

Please consider providing your best gift to these Fellows as they work for peace and justice in our local communities. 😊

Donate to support social justice service volunteering Support year or semester volunteering with social justice nonprofits around the country, to immerse rising leaders in the values of living simply and sustainably, anti-oppression, and broadened justice understanding.

Want to get more involved with the LVC? 😁

We're trying to "Pack the Pantries" of some of our Placement communities! Contact Shae at [email protected] for more information! ✨

AN EXCITING UPDATE FROM KARIN SELLAND:

Karin attended Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota earning a degree in Global Studies. After graduating in 2021, she joined the Lutheran Volunteer Corps community and was matched with Luther Place Church in Washington, DC. After completing her year of service, she stayed on at LP to re-open and operate their service-learning hostel ministry after the pandemic. She also began working at the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation as part of their Online Learning and Development teams. After three years of living and loving DC, Karin has discerned her call to ministry and will be attending Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley, CA beginning in the fall of 2024 to pursue a role in chaplaincy.

The Impact of Your Financial Partnership:

$240 provides a Fellow's Stipend from the Living and Learning Impact Fund for food, local travel to the charity where our Fellows serve, and incidentals,

$1,650 houses six Fellows in DC's Bon House AND provides a Fellow's Impact Living and Learning stipend,

$3,330 provides rent, housing, and utilities for Six Fellows in the ENTIRE Bon House (in DC) for one month!

Please consider providing a monetary gift to support our Volunteers!

MORE WAYS TO GET INVOLVED... 😊

Please communicate with us and share your insights, observations, and suggestions to [email protected] 📢

Spread the word! Tell your community why you support Lutheran Volunteer Corps by sharing your support on social media. 📲

JOIN OUR MISSION! We invite you to become an LVC insider! Click here to join our campaign of inclusion to receive News & Updates, announcements, and invitations for in-person and video gatherings! 🤝

To make an even more significant impact: Make a gift to at https://lvc.salsalabs.org/donate/index.html or by reaching out to our Interim Executive Director, Jean Ahwesh at [email protected] or by calling her at 724-316-9507. 💞

The LVC is thrilled to announce that we have accepted a partnership with Celestial Manna, an organization that fights food insecurity by delivering healthy and diverse food options to those in need. Fellows who reside in DC, Maryland, and Virginia will have the opportunity to “shop” at three different distribution centers in the metro DC area and make food selections that meet their taste and diet—at no cost!

Fellows who reside in the Twin Cities will be posted on additional alliances that we can forge in the area so they will have the same opportunities!

Read on to learn about the good work Celestial Manna is doing within affected communities:

“Celestial Manna is a faith-based 501(c)(3) food recovery nonprofit founded in 1986 by Charlie Mann. What began as a means to feed his family has grown into an organization supporting over 20,000 people monthly in DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia.

Our primary mission is to help our neighbors who are food insecure. What is food insecurity? Food insecurity is about making tough choices – Do we eat dinner this week or pay the gas bill? Do I buy food for the weekend, or do I buy diapers? Do I put money on my Metro pass to get to work, or do I eat lunch today? This means children are waiting for school to start on Monday for the complimentary breakfast and lunch because that’s the only time they have consistent access to food.

How does Celestial Manna fight food insecurity? We recover food from grocery stores, restaurants, and local farms that would otherwise be discarded and share it in the harvest! With the help of a vast and dedicated group of volunteers, we are able to pick up and distribute these donations to communities where people are affected by poverty. We do this up to twice a day, 7 days a week, throughout the DMV. We support people from all walks of life and diverse ethnicities: blue-collar workers, low-income families, single-parent households, etc.… We gauge success by the countless personal testimonies from individuals and families we help in our communities. Ours is a labor of love, and we work for smiles!”

If you'd like to support the LVC with a gift towards our campaign of inclusion, please visit https://lutheranvolunteercorps.org/donate/

The Impact of Your Financial Partnership:

$240 provides a Fellow's Stipend from the Living and Learning Impact Fund for food, local travel to the charity where our Fellows serve, and incidentals,

$1,650 houses six Fellows in DC's Bon House AND provides a Fellow's Impact Living and Learning stipend,

$3,330 provides rent, housing, and utilities for Six Fellows in the ENTIRE Bon House (in DC) for one month!

Please consider providing a monetary gift to support our Volunteers at https://lutheranvolunteercorps.org/donate/

On behalf of the Board of Directors and the Interim Executive Director, we are pleased to announce that we have been awarded a Management Assistance Grant and accepted into The Forbes Funds' Executive in Residence (EIR) Program. With this admission, The Forbes Funds, a division of the Pittsburgh Foundation, will provide executive-level advisory services to assist LVC in increasing organizational agility, impact, and sustainability.

As a team, the Board of Directors and the staff will collaborate closely with Forbes Funds Executives to develop a more robust and determined marketing and financial plan. This collective effort will significantly strengthen LVC's ability to create meaningful change in our Placement cities. Since the inception of the EIR program, over 40 nonprofit executives have received invaluable support, leading to new funding, more effective asset management, and the development of long-term organizational strengths in operations and governance.

The Forbes Funds and the Pittsburgh Foundation, much like LCV, are committed to inclusion, community and service, diversity, equity, and social justice.

The LVC Board of Directors and staff are honored by the Forbes Funds' commitment to our mission and are confident that our collaboration will usher in a new wave of clarity and enthusiasm.

To receive exclusive updates like this earlier, click here and Join Our Mission! https://bitly.cx/EUGxG

A Moving Story from LVC alum, Carrie Aadland:

"There were lots of volunteers in the LVC's 1983-1984 year, in DC and beyond. The LVC year was designed and supported so well. We lived simply, dividing up our $70 each per month, pushing a grocery cart to an inner city grocery store. A real simplified living aspect was that none of us had cars! We all served our placements for the full year, mine was great. Although from different backgrounds, different ages, newly in DC, we had great community rituals and bonding activities. And I think we were each equipped to continue living as committed Christians doing ministry. Based on my experience, LVC is definitely worthy to donate to.

For me, a major event that year was that I lost much of my vision and was diagnosed with MS. After the LVC year, with the incredible support from the LVC organization and from my placement, I was able to walk through that staying in DC, and got set up with good medical care. After the LVC year, I was able to take advantage of that medical care and stayed in DC for nine years while I worked part-time at Bread for the World.

When the MS progressed I returned to live with my parents in Washington state and have been perched here ever since. During my time here, I've set up a "God's Money Fund" to do mission projects. My projects include sponsoring children, potable water, and farm projects, mostly in Guatemala and supporting many other Christian social justice projects. I'm grateful for the LVC year which launched me into many directions that have been important in my Christian walk."

Join our mission and get exclusive stories from alums like Carrie here: https://bitly.cx/mRnqh

Happy Friday!

For our new house in DC; we are thinking about naming it after a woman who affected change in the Lutheran church.

We are polling the LVC community. Who do you think is a good choice? Please respond in the thread below.

Thanks!

LVC alums and friends.

The ELCA is hiring for the role of Program Director for Sumud. ELCA Sumud: for justice in Palestine and Israel is a new (less than one year old) initiative of the ELCA that replaces the prior ELCA campaign known as Peace Not Walls. Sumud is an Arabic word meaning “steadfastness.” This work focuses on building ELCA engagement to support accompaniment, awareness-raising, and advocacy in relation to Palestine and Israel. Find the job description and apply at elca.org/careers