Washington - Alaska District LWML
Mission Grants 2010 - 2012
Fort Wayne, IN
The Co-op to Seminary students and their families operates as an actual cooperative with each family working a certain amount of time each month in either the food or the clothing area. They then receive points in exchange for their work. These points are redeemable on each of the two shopping days per week in the Food Co-op. No points are necessary for clothing; they may take whatever they need for free. Individuals from around this country and the world come to Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana, to prepare to serve God’s people here in the United States as well as in mission work around the world. When these students make the momentous decision to quit their jobs and come to the seminary with their families, they no longer have the same financial flow of funds that they had before, but continue to have the same financial needs. Wives in many student families do not find employment in Fort Wayne, due in part because employers know that they will only be there for two years, throwing families into difficult financial positions. One of the ways that the seminary seeks to alleviate this financial burden is by providing the students access to a Food Co-op, which currently supplies between 75% and 85% of all familiis’ food and household needs each month at no cost to the students, relying upon donations from individuals, congregations and organizations. This grant in the amount of $5,000 will purchase one month of perishable items for the Food and Clothing Co-op of Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana.