First Lutheran Foundation
Mission and Vision
The First Lutheran Church of St. Joseph, Missouri Foundation (hereinafter referred to as “the Foundation”) exists to support innovative projects that sustain and expand the mission of First Lutheran Church and to address the needs of the hungry.
​We do this through receiving and managing gifts, grants, bequests and designated contributions of money and property so that the principal of the funds donated is preserved in perpetuity, making only the interest earned available to fund grant requests from the congregation and support hunger related ministries.
Foundation Board
The Foundation is governed by a five-member Board of Directors.  Current board members are Dan Chladek, Steve Highby, Nancy Gordon, Deann Young, and Phil Heeler, Please feel free to contact any board member to discuss the Foundation.
The Matthiesen Fund
This fund, established through an estate gift, is dedicated to addressing hunger needs in our community and in the world.
 
Each year, the interest earned is gifted to a variety of ministries that address the needs of the hungry.  First Lutheran Church’s Church Council provides direction on how these gifts are distributed.
 
In 2023, a total of $6,160 was donated to charities listed below as instructed by the Church Council. To date a total of $190,800 has been gifted to hunger-related projects from the Matthiesen Fund.
$1000 to Cathedral of St. Joseph MO Food Pantry
$2000 to Nutrition Center
$1000 to Open Door Food Kitchen
$1000 to First Lutheran Church
$1000 to St. Francis Xavier House of Bread
$160 to ELCA Lutheran Disaster Response for the
Sudanese Hunger Fund
Approximately $30,000 from the Matthiesen has been donated to First Lutheran Church over the years to fund various activities including First Lutheran Hunger Fund, First Lutheran Food Pantry, First Lutheran Samaritan Fund and First Lutheran Food Kitchen.
The General Fund
The Foundation’s General Fund is dedicated to the support of new and innovative projects at First Lutheran Church.
 
Five grant requests for a total amount of $8,690 were received in 2023. The grants were for the South Parking lot repair ($1,375), Stipend for Addy Gabriel as youth ministry ($1,015), Marketing Campaign ($1,000), Chapel exterior repair ($3,500) and North Tower repair ($1,800). All grants were approved in full. This brings the total amount gifted to First Lutheran Church to $97,076.
 
Monies from the Foundation for projects approved by First Lutheran Church’s Church Council is used as seed money or matching funds rather than as the main source of funding for a project.
 
Available funds from this source are not to be used for budgeted, current or regular expenses.
 
Please contact a Foundation board member for further information about this fund or to request a grant request form.
Making A Donation
There are a variety of tax-exempt ways individuals can contribute to the Foundation and its work.  These include:
— Making a donation of money, property or stocks
— Contributing out of Required Minimum Distributions from an IRA
— including a bequest to the Foundation in your estate planning, will or trust.
— Designating Memorial Gifts to the Foundation
— Adding “Transfer on Death” to the title to real estate or other property, stocks, bonds, annuities or other investments.
 
Donations are accepted at any time and in any amount.
 
For more information on how you can support the Foundation’s mission, contact any of the board members listed above or email the Foundation at  firstlutheranchurchfoundation@gmail.com
The First Lutheran Church of St. Joseph Missouri Foundation is registered with the State of Missouri as a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation.  It was established September 20, 1992, and granted its Certificate of Incorporation on January 21, 1993.
