The Lutheran Foundation

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About Lutheran Foundation The Lutheran Foundation is a public charity that represents 96 Lutheran congregations located throughout Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Huntington, LaGrange, Noble, Steuben, Wabash, Wells, and Whitley counties. The Lutheran Foundation originated in 1904 as Lutheran Hospital. In 1995, Lutheran Hospital was sold, and the proceeds from that sale funded the corpus of the Foundation as we know it today. It has awarded more than $100 million through Regular, Partnership and Emergency Grants to non-profit organizations and Lutheran congregations within the 10-county service area. In addition, the Foundation manages a variety of restricted funds, with disbursements made regularly according to the funds' established guidelines. Guided by Christ, and given new and unique ways to share His compassion, the Foundation's vision continues to evolve through the efforts of its Member Congregations, Board of Directors, and Staff. The Lutheran Foundation seeks to make Christ known by strengthening Lutheran congregations and ministries, and to demonstrate His compassion by supporting social ministries that nurture body, mind, and spirit. Foundation's Role The Foundation enables Christians to model Christ's servant leadership, thereby creating a healthier community in mind, body, and spirit. The Lutheran Foundation prefers to take a proactive, long-range view of problems and their solutions. However, sometimes the Foundation addresses short-term, pressing needs. Community challenges are often larger than one organization like The Lutheran Foundation can overcome. Therefore, the Foundation encourages cooperation of community partners including government, business, other grantmakers, congregations, faith-based groups, charities, and individuals. The Lutheran Foundation's involvement in regional organizations also fosters informed grantmaking and provides a perspective into the grantmaking activities of other foundations. The Lutheran Foundation did not come into being to address a challenge today, then go away tomorrow. We carefully balance our grantmaking and our investment strategies to ensure that we continue to exist. That allows us to focus on long-term results. We strive to serve the Lord in a variety of roles in order to maximize our effectiveness: catalyst, convener, an information source, leverager, and funder.