Kathy O’Day, Lutheran Church Charities Director of Disaster Response, received an urgent financial assistance request from Tim Richter, Director of Christian Education (DCE) at Zion Lutheran Church in Fort Myers, Florida, to purchase basic living items needed for very low-income community members in Harlem Heights recovering from the destruction of their homes from Hurricane Ian. Debra Mathinos, Chief Programs Officer of Harlem Heights Community Center, made the initial request for assistance to Zion Lutheran Church, one of their very involved community partners for the past nine years.

Lutheran Church Charities is partnering with Zion Lutheran Church to use your financial donations to purchase microwaves, crockpots, hot plates, mini refrigerators, card tables, and chairs for at least 40-50 families.
 
This will allow families to cook simple meals, have a place to sit and eat, and for children to do homework as they try to live as best they can in their gutted homes with minimal functional electrical outlets.

Zion Lutheran Church will purchase the needed items from local businesses. Tim Richter and Jan Boerman, L.E.R.T. leader from Trinity Lutheran Church in Lisle, Illinois, who is still serving in Florida, will deliver these needed items to the Harlem Heights Community Center for family disbursement as soon as they can.

Harlem Heights is a severely distressed community in South Fort Myers, with families living in poverty at twice the rate of the rest of Lee County in Florida. The average household income of a typical Harlem Heights family is less than $25,000/year. Demographically, this community is 71% Hispanic (from Haiti, Guatemala and El Salvador), 20% African-American, and 9% Caucasian.
 
Within the boundaries of Harlem Heights, there are 350 single-family homes, 400 apartments, and more than 750 children. Ninety-five percent of the residents were employed in the service industry on Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel Island. Due to the hurricane, their jobs and means of support are now gone.

The Harlem Heights Community Center and its Foundation is a grassroots organization that works to build strong, self-sufficient families in the Harlem Heights neighborhood by providing charitable outreach projects in the community with community partnerships. The foundation also operates the community center, early learning center, and school. They are heavily involved in serving this community and helping find resources to assist families in recovering from this devastating disaster.
 
Beginning last week and continuing, four L.E.R.T. volunteers from Trinity Lisle are serving out of Zion Lutheran Church in Fort Myers, Florida. Ed and Jan Boerman and Clay and Linda Arnold have been doing chainsaw work and helping homeowners salvage and pack belongings in their flooded homes.

If any L.E.R.T certified individual is interested in volunteering on their own to do muck-outs or chainsaw work, LCMS Disaster Response is still operating a base camp at Zion Lutheran Church in Fort Myers, Florida. It is planning to remain open until the second week of December.
 
CLICK HERE for more information.

Please prayerfully consider donating to help Lutheran Church Charities and Zion Lutheran Church help Harlem Heights families who are struggling and in need.

Please continue to pray for the residents affected by Hurricane Ian as they face a long recovery process.

Over the last few months, the number of Emergency Site Visit (ESV) requests for LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs has been steadily increasing. In just one week, we've had ten such requests, many difficult ones, involving young people who died tragically.
 
LCC K-9 Ministry handlers and partners have been responding quickly and with compassion to these sudden and unexpected visits involving loss of life.
 
They help those grieving by sharing the comfort and gentleness of the LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs, bringing a sense of calm in these moments of uncertainty.
 
Please pray for our teams who go out each day and for the family and friends of those who lost their loved ones.

On Monday, November 7, LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Eunice (LCC Staff), Julia (King of Glory - Elgin, Illinois), Mary (St. Paul's - Janesville, Wisconsin), Samson (Zion - Marengo, Illinois), and Tobias (Lord of Glory - Grayslake, Illinois), traveled to Winnebago High School, Winnebago, Illinois, to support the students and staff after the death of one of their former students who graduated last spring.
 
The handlers shared the love and compassion of Jesus with those who are grieving. We pray for Joseph's family, friends, and teachers for God's peace, comfort, and light to lead them gently through this time of sadness and loss.

Last week LCC received the heartbreaking news of a horrible car accident involving two friends, both 16 years old, and students at Howards Grove High School in Wisconsin. One of the students died due to her injuries, and the other is in critical condition. The LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs were requested to be at Howards Grove High School that day to be a comforting and calming presence for the students and staff as they absorbed this news and loss.

LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Charity (Brookfield - Brookfield, Wisconsin) and Rhoda (Prince of Peace - Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin) and their handlers arrived that morning, knowing their presence was needed. Students sought comfort in the soft fur of the K-9s or looking into their gentle and loving eyes. Some students would talk while others sat quietly, still processing this tragic news.
 
The K-9 handlers' gentle presence and kind words comforted those who know and love these young students, letting them know they are not alone. 

LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Charity (Brookfield - Brookfield, Wisconsin) and Rhoda (Prince of Peace - Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin) were again requested by the school district to be at Northview Elementary as the students that were in the car accident had younger siblings in the elementary school. A younger brother lost his sister in that accident, whom he adored and looked up to. A younger sister is worried about her older sister, that is still in the hospital with an uncertain future. The K-9s spent time with each of these younger siblings, providing them with a safe and comforting place in the midst of their grief.

We keep in prayer the parents, siblings, friends, teachers, and all those who love the two students for God’s comfort, strength, and peace as they continue to grieve and understand this loss and uncertainty.
 
"Comfort, comfort my people, says your God." Isaiah 40:1

LCC's K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry never charges those we serve as we bring the Mercy, Compassion, Presence and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those suffering and in need.

LCC K-9 Ministry had a busy and wonderful weekend as we trained 18 new handlers for 13 LCC K-9 Comfort Dog teams from 10 states.

The new handlers are dedicated to training and building a trusting relationship with their LCC K-9 Comfort Dog, so they can go out into their communities to share the Mercy, Compassion, Presence, and Proclamation of Jesus Christ with those who are suffering and in need.

It was a weekend of learning, training, and equipping these new handlers as they began their journey as LCC K-9 Comfort Dog handlers. Eighteen people arrived as strangers but left as a family as they shared, trained, and prayed together. LCC K-9 Ministry is a family joined together by their love for Jesus.

LCC K-9 Ministry is happy to welcome the following people to the K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry:

Craig Anderson - Trinity, Lincoln, Nebraska (LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Priscilla)
Pam Anderson - Trinity, Lincoln, Nebraska (LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Priscilla)
Andreea    Baker - The Rock, Seward, Nebraska (LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Nicodemus)
Michele Barbieri - St. Paul, Boca Raton, Florida (LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Jemimah)
Alex Cejas - Faith Community, Las Vegas, Nevada (LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Salome)
Becky Chaplin - Faith Community, Las Vegas, Nevada (LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Salome)
Gail Draper - Redeemer, Fort Collins, Colorado (LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Devorah)
Sally Glick - St. Paul, Boca Raton, Florida (LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Jemimah)
Thomas Handziak - LHSA of Greater Milwaukee, Wisconsin (LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Dora)
Paula Huguenard - Peace, Fremont, Indiana (LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Dove)
Rebecca Hurley (U.S. Army) - Trinity, Auburn, Illinois (LCC Kare 9 Military Ministry Dog Dinah)
Jenny Jasper - Immanuel, Washington, Missouri (LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Sheba)
Heidi Keairns - Our Savior, Louisville, Kentucky (LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Mercy)
Sue Korte - Peace, Fremont, Indiana (LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Dove)
Trina Poppens - Redeemer, Spokane, Washington (LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Isaac)
Debbie Steckler - Immanuel, St. Charles, Missouri (LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Zillah)
Faith Stephens - St. Paul, Janesville, Wisconsin (LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Mary)
Linda Strubbe - Trinity, Auburn, Illinois (LCC K-9 Police Ministry Dog Dinah)

This past weekend, LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Hope (Faith Lutheran - Marietta, Georgia) and her team delivered a Heart of Mercy & Compassion to the Table on Delk Ministry for all their good works to provide a safe place for women who are currently, or at risk of, being sexually exploited.  The ministry's guiding verse is 1 Thessalonians 5:11 "Therefore, encourage one another and build each other up..."
 
The Table on Delk ministers to the homeless women and children living in hotels along the Delk Road corridor who are currently, or at risk of, being sexually exploited. They provide a meal and a safe, peaceful place for them to hang out and get connected to resources that they might not know about. Most importantly, they strive to show their guests the Father's love through genuine interactions. By telling them that their lives do matter and that He has a plan and purpose for them, some of those we serve will take steps toward healing and restoration. 

On Monday, October 24, student Alexandria Bell, 15, and teacher Jean Kuczka, 61, were killed, several others injured, and hundreds of students, teachers, and staff traumatized when a 19-year-old former student suspect entered the Central Visual and Performing Arts High School in St. Louis, Missouri, and began shooting until he was fatally wounded. Due to the heroic act of the teacher, who put herself between her students and the gunman, many students survived a direct vicious attack.

In less than 24 hours, Lutheran Church Charities received an invite from the Wellness Coordinator at the St. Louis Police Department & Communications/911 Call Center to bring the LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs to the shocked and hurting community that is greatly impacted by this tragic event. Last week, LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs made several visits to St. Louis Police Departments to offer support and comfort after the tragic school shooting.

From Wednesday, October 26 through Saturday, October 29, LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Boaz (Christ the King - Lake Ozark, Missouri), Esther (Holy Cross - Collinsville, Illinois), Noah (Timothy - St. Louis, Missouri), Sheba (Immanuel - Washington, Missouri), Tabby (St. Paul's - Des Peres, Missouri), and Zillah (Immanuel - St. Charles, Missouri) were a presence of love and comfort for many of the first responders of St. Louis.
 
The LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs teams were invited to three St. Louis Police Departments and their Communications Center to comfort 911 operators, police officers, and support staff. Everyone enjoyed taking a few moments to relax and decompress with the K-9 teams. This community has faced so much sadness and loss this past week, and it is an honor to bring a presence of mercy and compassion to them.
 
“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:21

On Sunday, October 30, members of Timothy Lutheran Church in St Louis, Missouri, signed Hearts of Mercy & Compassion (HMC) for talented student Alexandria Bell and beloved teacher Jean Kuczka, who were killed in the shooting at Central Visual and Performing Arts High School last week. The two Hearts of Mercy & Compassion and crosses were placed at the memorial site at the school campus on Monday, October 31.
 
The loss of Alexzandria and Jean is heavy on the hearts of many who knew and loved them. We pray that these Hearts of Mercy & Compassion and the messages on them will be a source of hope and comfort to all who see them.

LCC's K-9 Comfort Dog and Hearts of Mercy & Compassion Ministries never charge those we serve as we bring the Mercy, Compassion, Presence and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those suffering and in need. We know that comfort is needed to help this shocked and devastated community and the first responders who serve them.