We believe that together, we are stronger and when we live and act through support, we can create a culture of generosity and love. Many people don’t know that Immanuel is so much more than retirement living and senior support services.
When we were founded over 132 years ago, Immanuel’s mission was to support anyone in need, and whether it was orphans or seniors, homeless or sick, Immanuel was there to help. Today, while we’ve focused most of our efforts to seniors, we’re proud to continue to honor our founders’ community spirit through the Immanuel Vision Foundation.
The Immanuel Vision Foundation was created in 2015 to provide financial support to non-profit, charitable 501(c)(3) organizations whose missions align with our own. It’s a key part of our mission of Christ-centered service to seniors, each other and the community. Grants provided by the foundation support organizations that meet the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of seniors; respond to needs in community health; and/or support the ministry of the Church. Since 2015, the foundation has given over $11 million to many incredible organizations that serve our community.
In a typical year, the Immanuel Vision Foundation leadership and board of directors reviews and awards grants each spring. But spring 2020 was unlike any other. Our Immanuel Difference means coming together in times of need and to support mission driven organizations, especially during the uncertain times we’ve seen this year through COVID-19.
Proactively, we reached out to organizations for ways we could help and our Immanuel Vision Foundation board voted to expedite funding to meet the needs of serving arm organizations most affected by COVID-19.
One such organization was The Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (LSTC), a seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The Immanuel Vision Foundation had already awarded the seminary a 3-year grant to support contextual education, internships and more. But after the school needed to quickly shut down campus and move to online learning amidst a global pandemic, our Vision Foundation expedited a second grant to help with COVID-19 response.
This isn’t the first time Immanuel has helped in times of need. In 2018, when 21 Nebraska nursing homes went into receivership for failing to meet payroll, Immanuel was there to provide funds for supplies and payroll expenses. And in 2019, the Immanuel Vision Foundation was honored to celebrate our vision by awarding a grant to every congregation in the Nebraska Synod ELCA.
Click here to learn more about the Immanuel Vision Foundation.
More about LSTC
The Lutheran School of Theology (LSTC) a seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), is dedicated to bearing witness to the good news of Jesus Christ. Based in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood, it is the leading urban Lutheran seminary training students for purposeful vocations in the global community. LSTC has a long history in Nebraska and Iowa, IVF’s areas of geographic interest. Central Lutheran Seminary of Fremont, Neb., merged with LSTC in 1967. From the start of the ELCA, the Nebraska Synod and all three Iowa synods have provided financial Support to LSTC. The seminary is a founding partner and remains active in Lutheran Giving of Nebraska. Each summer, until 2020, LSTC students and faculty have traveled to Nebraska for a rural immersion, learning from congregation and community leaders. Nearly every year several LSTC students do their internship year in Nebraska and Iowa congregations and many alumni serve congregations in those states. To learn more visit www.lstc.edu