ALL GIFTS

Many women have a dream to start their own small business, but it's hard to get started. A microloan helps a woman start her business — weaving, baking or running a storefront, for example — to create a steady source of income and help her family escape poverty.

The future of this church relies on the next generation of leaders. Help future pastors and deacons throughout the ELCA say “yes” to God’s call to ministry by supporting and encouraging outstanding candidates for seminary.

Special varieties of fruit trees are known to thrive in the driest of conditions. These low-maintenance trees are an investment in the community that can span generations, protecting the soil from erosion and providing nutritious fruit to children and adults alike.

A startling 2.3 billion people lack access to basic sanitation, including toilets. A new latrine, along with training to help with maintenance and hygiene, leads to a much healthier community, not to mention a safer way to take care of business.

After the immediate danger of a disaster has passed, emotional and spiritual care can help heal the trauma inflicted by a crisis. Peer-to-peer, group or individual counseling can provide disaster survivors with hope and healing.

Food, new clothes, bedding and toiletries can be a big help to a family struggling in the aftermath of a disaster, especially when they have no place to call home. This gift helps remind a family that they haven't been forgotten.

Lutherans are known for their active role in the lives of refugees. While refugee camps shelter people who have fled their homes due to war and violence, food supplies are critical to helping families stay healthy after a long, dangerous journey to safety.

Start with a shared plot of land and good soil, add drought-resistant seeds and top it off with tools and training. The result? Plenty of tomatoes, potatoes, cabbage, beans, cassava and other vegetables to go around.

The gift of a shared plot of land, drought-resistant seeds, and honeybees means there will be plenty of tomatoes, potatoes, beans and other veggies to go around. Extra produce and honey can be sold for income and reinvested to help a community expand their garden.

Give your neighbor a fish, and they’ll eat for a day. Give your neighbors a community fish farm, and they’ll eat for a lifetime. A fish farm begins with a pond, training and a few fast-growing fish.

A simple water well or other water point can help as many as 500 families gain access to clean, safe water.

Goats can go where other animals can’t, surviving in some of the world’s most challenging terrain. Goat's milk provides nutrition for children and their families, and goats are quick to reproduce — which means a family can pass this life-saving gift onto others.