St. Peter Lutheran Church in Arlington Heights, Illinois, is working alongside Lutheran Church Charities to provide rental assistance through their generous offerings. They are also reaching out to families by delivering furniture donations. On Saturday, August 11, Brad Schroeder, Bob Vossel, and Dave Fischer from St. Peter’s helped a single parent family with assembling new bunkbeds for the children to use. The children were thrilled and the mother could not say "thank you" enough. She expressed that, “Your donation and act of kindness are so greatly appreciated.” As one of these volunteers said, “Helping today was a gratifying and humbling experience.”

A huge thank you to Walter E. Smithe Furniture in Glen Park, Illinois, for donating three couches to Lutheran Church Charities for Prospect Heights residents who lost everything in the fire. The residents who received these were thrilled with this donation for their new homes

A single parent and caregiver to her father are starting over and expressed much gratitude and appreciation for the rental assistance given to move into a new home. Although she still needs furniture and other things, she is grateful to now have a place to call home again.

Another family with two children are very thankful that we have reached out to them and were willing to help with rental assistance. Although we had to speak through an interpreter, the tears of joy and hug of thanks was clearly conveyed.

A single parent with four children was very excited to finally be able to move out of the cramped motel room they all have been sharing and into a new home this past weekend. She is so very appreciative and grateful for the rental assistance. She cannot believe how kind and caring people, churches, and businesses have been. She stated, “It means the world to me to see my children being cared for and about by so many in this community!”

A family with three adult children will be moving into a new home this week. They received a donated voucher for Community Threads so they can shop for household items. They also received a handmade quilt from Immanuel Lutheran Church in Palatine, Illinois.

Local LCMS churches and their members have also responded with many types of donations to assist these families.

On Sunday, August 5, Kathy O'Day, LCC Director of Disaster Response, attended St. Peter Lutheran Church in Arlington Heights, Illinois to thank the congregation for their generous donation of their entire Sunday offering to Lutheran Church Charities to assist the families affected in the Prospect Heights fire. Pastor Micah Greiner also invited her to share with members about the families their donations will assist and how they can provide further help. The congregation is pleased to be able to share the mercy, compassion, presence and proclamation of Jesus Christ with any of the affected residents.

LCC will continue to respond to requests for assistance through their partnership with the City of Prospect Heights. Please continue to pray for everyone impacted by this tragic fire. LCC will continue to provide Disaster and Crisis Response to our neighbors, bringing the Mercy, Compassion, Presence, and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those who are suffering and in need.

Prospect Heights Mayor Nicholas Helmer asked Lutheran Church Charities to help provide support to these families and over 150 first responders from 50 local departments who bravely responded to the fire. The LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs always bring relief to all of the first responders. They also continue to bring comfort and hope to the distraught families

Tim Hetzner
President/CEO
Lutheran Church Charities and the LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry