LOCAL DROP-OFF SITES

Each year around the U.S. dedicated volunteers coordinate local drop-off sites for LWR material resource donations—often referred to as “ingatherings.” We call the volunteers who plan these events “Key Leaders” because of the important leadership role they play in LWR’s material resource program. Without them, all parish groups would be left on their own to get donations to one of our warehouses, sometimes incurring heavy shipping costs in the process. Ingatherings are a great example of LWR’s philosophy of partnership—together is always better!

Because the ingatherings are coordinated by volunteers, LWR staff are not always
aware of the specific details regarding dates, locations, etc.

Listed below is the information we have received from Key Leaders regarding upcoming ingatherings. If you’re looking for an ingathering in your area that is not listed here, please call 1-800-LWR-LWR-2 or email lwr@lwr.org and we’ll refer you to your area Key Leader.

Not all areas of the country have a Key Leader. If you are interested in coordinating a local ingathering, please let us know. We’ll put you in touch with some of our other Key Leaders who can share their ideas and experience.

If you are aware of local ingatherings that are not listed here, please contact Brenda Meier at bmeier@lwr.org to update this listing.

Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee: The Southeastern Synodical Women's Organization of Women of the ELCA coordinates an annual collection. Click here to download excerpts from their newsletters with dates and locations of 2007 collections.

California: Lutheran Social Services of Southern California coordinates pick-up sites in several communities. Click here to download a PDF of their October 2007 schedule.

Colorado: Urban Servant Corps at 1660 Ogden Street in Denver serves as a drop-off point for LWR parish projects. They have a large room to collect the items and once the room is full, the items are trucked to Minneapolis. Call (303) 894-0076 or click here for more information.

Florida: The Florida-Bahamas Synodical Women's Organization of Women of the ELCA organizes an annual collection each February. Click here for the 2008 schedule and other information.

Georgia: The Southeastern Synodical Women's Organization of Women of the ELCA coordinates an annual collection. Click here to download excerpts from their newsletters with dates and locations of 2007 collections.

Central Illinois: Irine Roelfs and her faithful volunteers coordinate an annual fall ingathering with several drop-off locations. Click here for 2007 details.

Illinois: Friends of Lutheran World Relief, which coordinate the collection for Metropolitan Chicago and Northern Illinois has been serving for 30 years! Visit their website at www.lwr.org/friends for their sites and dates.

Indiana: St. John Lutheran Church in Fort Wayne and Christ Lutheran Church in Valparaiso host a collection each fall. Click here for details.

Northern Iowa: First Lutheran Church in Albert Lea, MN, is sponsoring an LWR semi-truck to transport quilts and other material resources to LWR's warehouse. Visit First Lutheran's website for more information.

Kansas: Ken and Muriel Greene, LWR Key Leaders for more than 20 years, coordinate an annual gathering at several locations across Kansas. Click here for the October 2007 schedule.

Michigan and Ohio: The Michigan District of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod coordinates boxcar loading sites in several locations. Click here to download the 2007 loading schedule.

Upper Michigan: Pastor William Truby and his network of volunteers organize fall collections in several communities. Click here to download a copy of their Fall 2007 schedule.

Minnesota: First Lutheran Church in Albert Lea is sponsoring an LWR semi-truck to transport quilts and other material resources to LWR's warehouse. Visit First Lutheran's website for more information.

Nebraska: Beatrice Freight Line of Lincoln provides trailers in several Nebraska communities to collect donations each November. Click here to download a 2007 schedule.

North Carolina: The North Carolina Synodical Women's Organization of Women of the ELCA coordinates an annual collection. Click here for details.

North Dakota: Lutheran Social Services of North Dakota serves as the Key Leader for North Dakota. Click here for a PDF of their mailing regarding Spring 2008 pick-up dates and locations.

Ohio: See Michigan and Ohio listing above.

Pacific Northwest: Three sets of volunteers help coordinate ingatherings in the Pacific Northwest. Click here for information about 2008 locations, dates and times. Click here to download a copy of the ingathering newsletter.

Pennsylvania: Norma Good has been a longtime friend and servant to Lutheran World Relief's mission as the Volunteer Coordinator for Relief Projects with the Lower Susquehanna Synod of the ELCA. She has a well-organized ingathering each October. Click here for a complete 2007 schedule of locations and times.

Tennessee: The Southeastern Synodical Women's Organization of Women of the ELCA coordinates an annual collection. Click here to download excerpts from their newsletters with dates and locations of 2007 collections.

Texas: Jan Spitzenberger from the Texas District LWML coordinates Texas ingatherings. Visit their website at www.lwmltxdist.org/officers/care.html for current information.

Wisconsin and Upper Michigan: Pastor William Truby and his network of volunteers organize fall collections in several communities. Click here to download a copy of their Fall 2007 schedule.