Lutheran Social Ministries of New Jersey Presents Humanitarian Award to Congressman Rush Holt
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Heather Kato
Annual Giving and Marketing Manager
(609) 699-4139
BURLINGTON – January 15, 2008 – Congressman Rush Holt and Thrivent Financial for Lutherans were recently honored by Lutheran Social Ministries of New Jersey (LSM/NJ) with the organization’s prestigious Immigration & Refugee Services Humanitarian Award. Each year, LSM/NJ proudly recognizes One Man and One Organization that has provided significant humanitarian services or demonstrated exceptional philanthropy to LSM/NJ’s Immigration & Refugee Service Program and to the citizens of New Jersey.
Both honorees have been instrumental in helping to further the mission of LSM/NJ — to serve those in New Jersey who hurt, who are in need, or who have limited choices. Congressman Holt, representative of New Jersey’s 12th District, has been a long-standing advocate on Burmese immigration and refugee issues, as well as Medicare, veteran’s healthcare and children’s environmental health issues. He has assisted over 18,000 constituents by producing resolutions for such issues.
Thrivent Financial for Lutherans is a faith-based, not-for-profit Fortune 500 financial services membership organization, which helps nearly 3 million members thrive in life. Thrivent Financial and its subsidiaries offer a broad range of financial products and services including life insurance, annuities, mutual funds, disability income insurance, bank products and more. The mission-driven organization provides financial solutions, supports member activities and provides resources to the Lutheran community and nonprofit organizations, such as LSM/NJ.
At the annual award dinner, Congressman Holt was described as “a tireless advocate for his constituents he serves” by Reverend Bruce Davidson, Director, Lutheran Office of Governmental Ministry in New Jersey. He was commended for his compassion and steadfast dedication to the human rights of the citizens of Burma.
Thrivent Financial was applauded for its commitment to its members and the Lutheran community. Through philanthropic support and volunteerism, the organization provides approximately $46 Million to the Lutheran community each year; and members volunteer for an average of 275 community-supporting projects each day. Reverend Jerry Nugent, President & CEO of LSM/NJ, praised Thrivent Financial for their commitment to investing in the quality of life of its members, their families and the communities they serve.
LSM/NJ’s Refugee Resettlement Program is the largest program of its kind in New Jersey. For the past 60 years, the program has extended hope and hospitality to the world’s refugees, those persons forcibly uprooted from their homes and displaced. We receive refugees from all corners of the globe and offer resettlement services without regard to national origin, race, or religion. It also provides quality immigration legal assistance to low-income immigrants, always holding to the highest standards of professional, low-cost immigration legal services. Each year, LSM/NJ assists over 1500 persons with a wide variety of immigration legal needs.
In addition to providing direct legal service, LSM/NJ’s Immigration and Refugee staff conducts informational lectures for community groups, as well as training in immigration related issues for a broad range of community professionals and agencies. Using their expertise and experience, they work together with local, state and national agencies to address immigration issues on a policy level and to advocate on behalf of refugees and other immigrants.
The Humanitarian Award Dinner, a fundraising event for LSM/NJ’s Immigration & Refugee Services, raised $25,000 to benefit the program and its many services. The evening’s sponsors included: Thrivent Financial as the Event Sponsor; Covenant Solutions, M&T Bank, and PNC Bank as the Healing Sponsors; Diamond and Associates as the Hope Sponsor; and Schindler Elevator as the Floral Sponsor.
To make a donation to the Immigration & Refugee Services program or for more information on Lutheran Social Ministries of New Jersey and its broad scope of services, visit https://www.lsmnj.org or call (609) 386-7171.
Lutheran Social Ministries of New Jersey (LSM/NJ) is a faith-based, statewide not-for-profit provider of compassionate, quality senior care services, as well as community programs such as adoption, immigration & refugee resettlement, community residences for developmentally disabled women & affordable housing for seniors and families. For more information, call (609) 699-4108 or visit www.www.lsmnj.org.