Safe Homes,
Hopeful Futures: Duluth
campaign tops target
Raising a total of $149,300 in
the last eight months, the campaign exceeded the $100,000 goal by almost
$50,000. In addition to the $10,300 of past support that LSS Street
Outreach and Renaissance House regularly raised in years prior to the
campaign, these programs received a total of $86,800 of new support. That
is more than $30,000 beyond than the $56,000 goal.
The great need of homeless
youth particularly resonated with congregations in the Duluth area. The
leadership of pastors in the area, and the generosity of congregations
throughout the NE MN Synod, enabled congregations to contribute $58,200 of
new support for LSS Street Outreach and Renaissance House.
A campaign committee
co-chaired by Nancy Ojard and Rev. John Sippola sought significant support
from individuals in the Duluth area. Generous individuals responding to
these requests, a direct mail campaign, and to media coverage contributed
$28,600 toward the goal of $56,000 goal of new support.
Other programs, such as
Bethany Crisis Nursery and Crisis Shelter, that serve the needs of youth
in the Duluth area, saw nearly a 50% increase in giving to their programs.
The visibility of the campaign, coupled with program staff's continued
fundraising efforts, raised nearly $18,000 in new contributions.
Additional Support
Necessary
During the course of the
campaign, LSS learned that the Federal Department of Housing and Urban
Development chose not to renew its support of LSS Renaissance House in
2005, despite urgent and well-documented need. In response, the
congregations of the NE MN Synod, meeting in Assembly in April, have
stepped forward once again to lead the effort by committing to an effort
to raise $56,000 in the coming year to meet the needs of homeless youth in
the Duluth area.
