Time to (Re)Enroll in Kroger's Community Rewards Program

Now's the time to enroll or re-enroll in Kroger's Community Rewards Program! Thanks to this program, you can support LSG while shopping for groceries.  Simply follow the directions below to link your Kroger Plus Card along with your telephone number to our rewards numbers.

1) Click here to register online. Have your Kroger Plus Card available. If you do not have a Kroger Plus Card, they are available free of charage at the Customer Service desk at any Kroger. 2) Click on Sign In/Register. 3) If this is your first time visiting the site, click Sign Up Today in the “New Customer?” box. 4) To sign up for a Kroger Rewards account, simply enter your zip code, select your favorite store, enter your email address, create a password, and agree to the terms and conditions. 5) You will receive a message to check your email inbox. Click on the link within the body of the email. 6) Click on “My Account” and use your email address and password to proceed to the next step. 7) Click on Edit Kroger Community Rewards information and enter your Kroger Plus Card number. Enter your telephone number as well in case you forget your Kroger Plus Card. 8) Update or Confirm your information. 9) Enter Lutheran Services of Georgia or 12818, select LSG from the list, and click to confirm. 10) If you have enrolled correctly, you will see Lutheran Services of Georgia on the right side of your information page.

Please remember:

-Purchases will not count for LSG until after you register your card(s).

-Members must swipe their registered Kroger Plus Card or use the phone number that is connected to their registered Kroger Plus Card when shopping for each purchase to count.

–Do you use your phone number at the register? Call 800-576-4377 and select option 4 to get your Kroger Plus Card number.

Thank you for supporting Lutheran Services of Georgia. Happy shopping!

Support LSG at the 7th Annual Ballroom Extravaganza!

Carolyn (in the orange dress) and Blair (in white T-shirt) are learning their Salsa moves with instructor Jimmy Rumba! In five weeks, they will compete against other nonprofit leaders at Savannah’s 7th Annual Ballroom Extravaganza to raise funds for LSG. Here are ways you can join them in supporting LSG:

1) Visit Carolyn and Blair’s Crowdrise page today to make a donation. Donations received on this site will go towards the votes for Carolyn and Blair during their dance routine on the evening of the event and other incidents. Ballroom dancing is not only competitive but expensive.

2) Write a check in the amount of your choice to Lutheran Services of Georgia. Mail it to: LSG, 100 Edgewood Ave., Suite 1800, Atlanta, GA 30303 or hand deliver it to Terri Medina (Atlanta office), Deidre Harrison (Savannah office), or Linda Larson (Savannah office). Don’t forget to include “Ballroom Extravaganza” in the note section.

3) Purchase a ticket (or more!) to attend the event on August 2, 2014. Tickets are $100 per person or $1,000 for a table of ten. LSG will receive 50% of all ticket sales purchased to support us. Seats are limited and tickets will sell quickly, so please purchase yours as soon as possible.

4) Sponsor the event! 100% of sponsorship dollars will do directly to LSG. Please include in the note section of your check or online that the sponsorship is for Lutheran Services of Georgia.

5) Help with our Silent Auction! Do you have a great item or a themed basket you can donate to LSG for the silent auction? All money received from the silent auction is donated back to LSG at 100%

6). If you attend the event on August 2, 2014, you have the opportunity to “vote” for Blair and Carolyn after their dance routine is completed. All donations received as votes are given to LSG at 100%.

Please share this link with your family, friends, and other contacts. LSG needs support from all our friends!

By supporting this event, you are helping LSG raise money for its much needed programs and services. For questions regarding the Ballroom Extravaganza, please contact Terri Medina (tmedina@lsga.org), Deidre Harrison (dharrison@lsga.org), or Linda Larson (llarson@lsga.org).

Thank you for supporting LSG!

LSG Tees Off at the 20th Anniversary Atlanta Golf Classic

On a gorgeous spring day in May, 57 golfers and LSG supporters teed off at the Atlanta Golf Classic. Held at the Trophy Club of Atlanta, a beautiful and challenging course located in Alpharetta, this year's event marked the 20th anniversary of the annual Lutheran Services of Georgia fundraiser.

After a continental-style breakfast and opening prayer, fourteen foursomes scrambled for first place on the green. The day concluded with a 19th Hole Party featuring cold beer, hamburgers and hot dogs, door prizes, a silent auction, and awards for top players. The competition was fierce but one foursome emerged victorious: Ken Anderson, Bruce Johnson, Mark Olsen, and John Smith, pictured above. John Didcher, Ken Hyde, Mark Moeller, and Frank Pepe followed closely in second place, and Don Derrico, Brown Edwards, Greg Erath, and Mo Tabarrok came in third.

Awards were also given for men and women with exceptional play. Littie Brown and Mike Campbell won trophies for the Longest Drive for women and men, respectively. Julie Miller received the Closest to the Pin award for women and Brown Edwards for men. LSG awarded Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Alpharetta both the John Timpe Participation Trophy for bringing the largest number of golfers and the Bob Ott Memorial Sponsorship award for bringing in the most sponsorship dollars.

Together, golfers and supporters raised over $17,000 and an additional $11,000 in in-kind donations. LSG is grateful for all of the golfers, volunteers, staff members, and sponsors who made this event possible.

To see photos from the day’s activities, visit our Facebook page. Don’t forget to like, tag, and share!

Support LSG Through Kroger's Community Rewards Program!

Lutheran Services of Georgia recently enrolled in Kroger's Community Rewards Program! Thanks to this program, you can support LSG while shopping for groceries.  Simply follow the directions below to link your Kroger Plus Card along with your telephone number to our rewards numbers.

1) Visit www.kroger.com/communityrewards to register online. Have your Kroger Plus Card available. If you do not have a Kroger Plus Card, they are available free of charage at the Customer Service desk at any Kroger. 2) Click on Sign In/Register. 3) If this is your first time visiting the site, click Sign Up Today in the "New Customer?" box. 4) To sign up for a Kroger Rewards account, simply enter your zip code, select your favorite store, enter your email address, create a password, and agree to the terms and conditions. 5) You will receive a message to check your email inbox. Click on the link within the body of the email. 6) Click on "My Account" and use your email address and password to proceed to the next step. 7) Click on Edit Kroger Community Rewards information and enter your Kroger Plus Card number. Enter your telephone number as well in case you forget your Kroger Plus Card. 8) Update or Confirm your information. 9) Enter Lutheran Services of Georgia or 12818, select LSG from the list, and click to confirm. 10) If you have enrolled correctly, you will see Lutheran Services of Georgia on the right side of your information page.

Please remember:

-Purchases will not count for LSG until after you register your card(s).

-Members must swipe their registered Kroger Plus Card or use the phone number that is connected to their registered Kroger Plus Card when shopping for each purchase to count.

--Do you use your phone number at the register? Call 800-576-4377 and select option 4 to get your Kroger Plus Card number.

Thank you for supporting Lutheran Services of Georgia. Happy shopping!

Fundraising Made Easy: Six Tips for Hunger Walk/Run 2014

Are you participating in the 2014 Hunger Walk/Run, but the thought of asking for money makes you sweat? Fundraising can be intimidating at first, but it can also be a lot of fun! And just think - the funds you raise for your team lead to healthier, happier people throughout Georgia. Here are six fundraising tips to help you raise more funds, reach more supporters, and increase your impact! 1) Get Started Today! The 2014 Hunger Walk/Run is a month away, and now is the perfect time to amplify your fundraising efforts. If you haven't registered yet, you can register online. Once registered, you can customize your webpage with your own notes, photos, and stories.

2) Team Up! There is strength in numbers and you'll have more fun and success. Form or join a team and you'll have a support network all working together towards a common goal. Teams are a great way to have fun, build deeper relationships, enjoy friendly competition, build teamwork with your co-workers, and achiever your goals. Click here to team up!

3) Spread the word! Use your social network to share the link to your fundraising page. Post regular status updates on your fundraising efforts so others can support you and cheer you on. Send out emails to everyone you know asking them for any amount...any little bit helps. Click here for more ways you can use social media to spread the word and here to access promotional materials!

4) Get your employer involved! Ask your employer to get involved by forming a team or supporting your efforts. Your employer may also be willing to match your gift---you won't know until you ask!

5) Ask everyone you know! The more people you ask, the more you'll be able to raise. Ask everyone you know and ask often! Even people from out-of-state can support you and will be interested in your efforts for positive change.

6) Be Creative! There are so many creative, fun ways to engage your community in fundraising. Get your neighbors involved in a community yard sale. Host a bake sale, a car wash, a chili cook-off, or a dinner party for your friends, clients, co-workers, or congregation. Creativity is a great way to keep fundraising fun!

Click here for these and other fundraising tips and here to register for the 2014 Hunger Walk/Run. Thank you for supporting LSG in the fight to end hunger throughout Georgia!

Take the Next Step with LSG at the 30th Annual Hunger Walk/Run!

Join thousands in the fight against hunger on Sunday, March 9th at Turner Field. The 5K walk/run benefits the Atlanta Community Food Bank and one of its partners, Lutheran Services of Georgia, with hunger relief programs. Everyone is welcome to join or donate!

The event opens at Noon and the 5K walk and 5K “fun run” begin at 2 p.m. Pre-register online as a team or individual at www.HWR2014.org/LSG or at the registration tent the day of the event. Walk Registration is $25 and includes an official Hunger Walk/Run 2014 event t-shirt. Run Registration is $35 and includes a special moisture-wicking t-shirt.

Create your team TODAY and enjoy the fun, festival-like atmosphere with activities for the entire family including games, Atlanta’s finest food trucks, live entertainment and more on March 9th! If you’re unable to attend, you can still fight hunger by joining the Lutheran Services of Georgia Team by visiting www.HWR2014.org/LSG. For more information, contact Terri Medina at tmedina@lsga.org or 404-591-7067.

10 Reasons to Give to LSG on Georgia Gives Day!

November 13 is Georgia Gives Day, and LSG needs your help! Here are our top ten reasons to give to LSG!

1) LSG cares for kids! In 2011, LSG helped place 16 of Georgia's children in foster care into permanent, loving, adoptive families. Click here to read about Ryan, one of the children LSG serves. 

2) LSG welcomes newcomers! Each year, LSG resettles up to 500 refugees. LSG works alongside recently arrived refugees to make their transition to life in the U.S. as smooth as possible. Click here to meet Nur Abdi, a Somali refugee who recently accepted a job at the airport.

3) LSG empowers individuals with developmental disabilities! LSG's FACES program creates a meaningful family environment for individuals of all ages with developmental disabilities and helps them become active, integrated members of their communities. Click here to read the story of Angelica, one of our FACES clients who recently danced the night away at the prom!

4) LSG strengthens families!  LSG's Family Intervention Services offers an array of services focusing on building and strengthening healthy relationships within families. One parent recently told LSG that our parenting classes helped him better relate to and care for his teenagers!

5) LSG prepares children for the future! LSG's afterschool programs help Georgia's at-risk children achieve success within and beyond the classroom. Click here to meet Berguissa, a refugee student at Clarkston High School who prepares for college after school!

6)LSG helps communities cope with disaster! LSG provides immediate relief after natural disasters, as well as long-term recovery services that remain critical long after initial headlines have faded.

7) LSG is non-discriminatory!  LSG offers services to individuals and families without regard to age, creed, gender, origin, race, religion, or sexual orientation.

8) Volunteers love serving with LSG! LSG relies on the support of our volunteers. One volunteer told LSG, "I love to volunteer with LSG because I’m given the opportunity to make a small difference in someone’s life." Click here to read other reasons why volunteers love serving with LSG!

9) LSG is constantly growing to respond to new needs! In response to Georgia's needs, LSG recently began offering several new services: housing opportunities for people with HIV/AIDS; immigration legal services; and outpatient mental health and substance abuse counseling services. Fundraising efforts like Georgia Gives Day allow us to keep growing!

10) LSG can't do it alone! Our work at LSG depends on the generosity of donors, volunteers, and supporters. Your Georgia Gives Day gift helps us keep bringing restored hope, transformed lives, and healthy tomorrows to individuals and families throughout Georgia. Click here to give!

Backpack in the Park!

Sunday, July 28, 2013 4:00-7:00 p.m. Cator Woolford Gardens 1815 Ponce de Leon Ave.

Come join LSG and For the Kid in All of Us for an afternoon of food, entertainment, and a silent auction while benefiting children in LSG's After-School Academic/Arts Program (ASAP). With the money raised from the event, For the Kid in All of Us will donate backpacks stuffed with school supplies to the refugee and at-risk children whom we serve in ASAP.

Backpack in the Park will be slightly different this year. Instead of bringing a backpack to the event, you just need to make a "virtual" backpack donation by purchasing a ticket for $35 online or $45 at the door. To buy your ticket online, please click here. We'll see you there!

For more information, please visit www.forthekid.org