Disaster Relief

August 2020 – Iowa Storm Fund

Many of us experienced hardships following the devastating derecho storm that passed through Iowa on Monday, Aug. 10. The derecho – a storm of straight-line hurricane-force winds – left more than 400,000 Iowans without electricity and more than a week later, many communities across the state were still left without power, transportation, or reliable access to food.

The Lutheran Disaster Response Fund has been activated to answer the call and lift up those who need support to recover from the derecho.

The Iowa Lutheran Disaster Response Fund is a partnership among LSI and the three Iowa synods of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

Your gift will support your Iowa neighbors as they recover from the destruction left behind by this severe storm. Please consider giving generously. Click below to donate online (be sure to designate “2020 Iowa Storm Fund – Lutheran Disaster Relief” in the drop-down menu).

For those interested in other ways to support these communities, there are several opportunities to volunteer in-person, following COVID-19 safety precautions. View a full list of volunteer needs here. If you or someone you know needs food assistance, relief grant funding, behavioral health care, or other support following the derecho, please view a full list of available resources here.

To mail your donation, please designate “2020 Iowa Storm Fund” in the memo line of the check, and mail to:

 

Lutheran Services in Iowa

Attn: 2020 Iowa Storm Fund – Lutheran Disaster Relief

106 16th St. SW

Waverly, IA 50677

June 2020 — Central Iowa Immigrant Community Support Fund

The Lutheran Disaster Response Fund has been activated to support the relief and response efforts of the Central Iowa Immigrant Community Support Fund with a $25,000 award.

These funds are used to support basic health and economic needs for Iowa communities that have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19. Assistance may include medicine, rent and utility assistance, food, and personal protective equipment for immigrants throughout the state of Iowa who have been impacted by COVID-19 — especially immigrants who do not have access to other assistance programs.

We are grateful to the founding partners of the Central Iowa Immigrant Community Support Fund: Proteus, American Friends Service Committee, and Al Exito.

The Iowa Lutheran Disaster Response Fund is a partnership among LSI and the three Iowa synods of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

Your gift will help continue this important work. Please consider giving generously. Click below to donate online (be sure to select “Immigrant Support Fund – Lutheran Disaster Relief” in the drop-down menu).

To mail your donation, please designate “Immigrant Support Fund” in the memo line of the check, and mail to:

 

Lutheran Services in Iowa

Attn: Immigrant Support Fund – Lutheran Disaster Relief

106 16th St. SW

Waverly, IA 50677

JULY 2018 — RELIEF TO FAMILIES IMPACTED BY CENTRAL IOWA TORNADOES

On July 19, tornadoes struck Marshalltown, Pella, and Bondurant in Central Iowa, causing significant property destruction.

Marshalltown and Pella were struck by EF-3 tornadoes, with winds reaching up to 144 miles per hour. These were the strongest storms experienced in Iowa since 2015. Bondurant was struck by an EF-2 tornado. Governor Kim Reynolds issued a disaster proclamation for the tornado areas.

By the grace of God, no lives were lost, although at least 50 people were injured. The damage to businesses (including a hospital and city buildings), homes, and vehicles is extensive. Many families have been displaced.

The Statewide Lutheran Disaster Response Team (a partnership of LSI and the three Iowa synods of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) is mobilizing in support of Iowans impacted by these devastating tornadoes.

Please consider donating today to support individuals and families whose lives are not the same today as they were before the storms hit. As many struggle to recover and repair the items and places they held dear, let us lift them up in prayer and in care.

To mail your donation, please designate “2018 Iowa Tornado Relief” in the memo line of the check, and mail to:

 

Lutheran Services in Iowa

Attn: 2018 Iowa Tornado Relief

106 16th St. SW

Waverly, IA 50677

JUNE 2018 — RELIEF TO FAMILIES IMPACTED BY FLOODING IN WESTERN IOWA

Governor Kim Reynolds has issued disaster proclamations for three counties — Buena Vista, Cherokee, and Webster — due to serious flooding. Families and individuals in other counties, particularly in Western Iowa, have also suffered the impacts of severe weather. The Statewide Lutheran Disaster Response Team is mobilizing in support of Iowans who have experienced property damage due to flooding. 

Our faith calls upon us to help neighbors in need. Please consider donating. 

To mail your donation, please designate “2018 Western Iowa Flood Relief” in the memo line of the check, and mail to:

 

Lutheran Services in Iowa

Attn: 2018 Western Iowa Flood Relief

106 16th St. SW

Waverly, IA 50677

May 2018 — Relief to Families Impacted by the Mount Pleasant Immigration Raid

On May 9, 32 men were arrested and detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) while working at their jobs at a local concrete plant in Mount Pleasant, Iowa. The men, originally from Guatemala, El Salvador, Mexico, and Honduras, leave behind families, including wives and 24 children. In many cases, the father was the sole wage earner, leaving families with no source of income. This has had a significant impact in the small town of Mount Pleasant, where the men live and their children attend school.

At moments such as these, our faith calls us to wrap our arms around the children and families traumatized by this senseless action. The Statewide Lutheran Disaster Response Team is mobilizing in support of the families affected by the raid, and we need your help. Donations will assist families with food and financial support.

The tearing apart of peaceful, working families is unacceptable. Children facing hunger in our community as a result of dehumanizing raids is unacceptable. Lutheran Services in Iowa (LSI) and the three Iowa synods of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) stand together in support of our neighbors and friends. Won’t you stand with us?

To mail your donation, please designate “2018 Immigration Raid Relief” in the memo line of the check, and mail it to:

 

Lutheran Services in Iowa

Attn: 2018 Disaster Relief

106 16th St. SW

Waverly, IA 50677

ABOUT THE STATEWIDE LUTHERAN DISASTER RESPONSE TEAM

LSI and the three Iowa synods of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) have organized a Statewide Lutheran Disaster Response Team to respond to unmet needs from a disaster in the state of Iowa. Following a disaster, this team considers the scope of the damage and determines an appropriate response.

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