FaithLife Financial volunteer hours reach all-time high

Contributions raised for the "Make a Real Impact" campaign. (l-r) Debbie Reece (SGH Foundation Chair), Doug Deichert (FaithLife Financial), Marjorie Brickeman (Convenor of Fundraising Bazaar), and Rev. Will Kramer.

WATERLOO, Ont. – The 360 chapters of FaithLife Financial and their members supported initiatives within their communities and around the world for a total of 90,732 volunteer hours in 2011—an all-time high the equivalent of $1,360,973.*

President and CEO Karen Bjerland said, “I am very thankful for the commitment of our Members and their Chapters. Last year, they went above and beyond with a record number of volunteer hours to impact people’s lives—building a better world one community at a time.”

Members gave generously of their time—providing support for food banks, shelters, hospitals, churches, mission trips, youth programs, and other community support initiatives. As an example, the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Wartburg (Ontario) presented a cheque for $3,300 in support of the Make a Real Impact campaign for the MRI department at Stratford General Hospital. FaithLife Financial contributed a matching grant of $500 to this chapter initiative.

Roney Mohammed Ali, a Somali refugee, ties her baby on her back in Dadaab refugee camp in Northeastern Kenya. (Photographer: Paul Jeffrey/Act Alliance)

Examples of international outreach include a chapter from Christ Lutheran Church in St. Catharines (Ontario) which raised over $500 for a child feeding program they support in Nicaragua. Other chapters raised more than $24,000 plus $5,250 in FaithLife Financial matching grants for aid to the Horn of Africa—helping men, women and children threatened by the most severe drought in decades. The Africa funds were sent through Canadian Lutheran World Relief (CLWR) and World Vision. Members in these chapters contributed more than 1420 fundraising hours—responding to dire needs with compassion and generosity. FaithLife Financial members model the Christian principles of compassion, respect and generosity to build a better world.

FaithLife Financial is a Christian, not-for-profit, member-based financial services organization that provides insurance and investment solutions to more than 33,000 members in Canada. It administers assets of $644 million and has more than $2.4 billion of in-force insurance as of December 31, 2011. The organization reinvests a portion of its earnings in programs that support members, their congregations and communities, as well as people in need worldwide. Its mission is to help Canadian Christians protect their financial future, live their Christian values and build a better world. For more information, visit FaithLife Financial’s website, visit them on Facebook, or follow on Twitter.

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*This is based on a calculation rate recommended by the Canadian Centre for Philanthropy.

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