Mission Offering for December -
ELCA World Hunger Appeal

The December Mission Offering is designated for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America World Hunger Appeal. The ELCA’s commitment to supporting people who live with chronic hunger, disease, and poverty around the corner and around the world is carried out by ELCA World Hunger through relief, development, education, and advocacy. Last year, we contributed to the World Hunger Appeal and, historically, our congregation has regarded the World Hunger Appeal as one of our distinctive global mission priorities.
All money raised by the World Hunger Appeal comes through specially designated offerings and donations from ELCA members, congregations, and friends. ELCA World Hunger receives no benevolence (general budget money from general ELCA member offerings); the ELCA’s world hunger ministry is based in congregations, where most of the fundraising takes place.

ELCA World Hunger improves the lives of people in need in the United States and around the world in four distinct ways:

• providing immediate relief for people affected by chronic hunger and poverty;
• assisting whole communities through long-term, sustainable development to help alleviate chronic hunger and poverty;
• advocating for justice by changing laws and systems;
• educating members of the ELCA in awareness of issues relating to hunger, poverty, and justice.

How does ELCA World Hunger carry out these functions?

ELCA World Hunger supports “partner organizations” that carry out international relief and development on the ELCA’s behalf with grants from money raised by the World Hunger Appeal. Also through grants, the program helps fund more than 200 relief and development projects in the United States. Funds raised by the World Hunger Appeal also support efforts of ELCA units and other outside partners as they:

• Teach members of the ELCA about causes and solutions to global poverty.
• Carry out active projects in environmental stewardship.
• Carry out hunger advocacy work in the ELCA office in Washington, D.C., and in 20 state offices as well as Bread for the World.
• Examine our lifestyles through resources from Alternatives for Simple Living.

Who decides how the money is spent?

While most of the funds the World Hunger Appeal collects are raised in congregations, the funds are collected at the ELCA churchwide office in Chicago. There, the work of raising and spending of funds is coordinated and supported by various units of the churchwide office, including:

• Development Services (World Hunger Appeal fund-raising, hunger education, communication)
• Global Mission (international relief and development, International Disaster Response)
• Church in Society (World Hunger Program overall coordination, hunger education, ELCA Domestic Disaster Response)
• ELCA Foundation (fund-raising through major and planned gifts)

More information on the World Hunger Appeal

Mission Offering Totals

Thank you, Revs!

In August, three Lutheran pastors from the West Virginia Western Maryland Synod completed the “Tour de Revs,” a 13,000 mile journey to raise funds and awareness for ELCA World Hunger. Countless people were inspired by the dedication and committment of the Revs as they traveled across all 65 synods of the ELCA within 100 days. Though the ride has ended, the committment to end hunger is far from over.

Learn how you can stay involved.