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Each month of the year, we highlight a different organization, ministry, or movement that we believe in and as a congregation can support financially through monthly donations and offerings. 

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You may give a one-time gift by using the QR code or clicking the button below. *Enter the amount, go to Fund,

and select CAUSE OF THE MONTH from the drop-down.

JANUARY 2025

ST. LOUIS PARK
DINNER AT YOUR DOOR

​Serving St. Louis Park (Hopkins and East Minnetonka), Dinner at Your Door is our local Meals on Wheels program. Currently based at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, their partner kitchen is Open Arms of Minnesota. This nonprofit organization serves nutritious meals to the homebound and disabled. When a meal is delivered, they also do a safety check and short visit.

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Westwood has supported them through the years both financially and with volunteers. Join other Westwood members  who deliver meals!

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To volunteer, please contact DAYD Meals on Wheels Program Coordinator Susanne Elsaid hopkinsmow@gmail.com or at her DAYD 952.405.0703.

FEBRUARY 2025

LSS REFUGEE SERVICES

LSS Refugee Services of Minnesota assists federally approved refugees from various countries. LSS helps refugees get settled, fill out proper paperwork, and provides case management and employment services. For more information check out their website at https://www.lssmn.org/services/refugees/services or contact Pastor at j.vanhunnik@westwood.church

MARCH 2025

LUTHERAN
DISASTER RESPONSE: UKRAINE

In light of the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, the Westwood Community Partnership team has decided to designate Lutheran Disaster Response as March Cause of the Month. All funds collected will be used to support relief efforts in the Ukraine and in the surrounding countries that are taking in Ukrainian refugees.  For more information see HERE.

APRIL 2025

OUTREACH FOOD PACKAGING INC.

Each year, hundreds of volunteers come to Westwood to package meals to support children in Dodoma, Tanzania, who have lost a parent or guardian to AIDS. Our sister congregation, Arusha Road Lutheran Church in Dodoma, Tanzania, distributes these meals to its surrounding community. Our goal is to send at least 100,000 meals annually to Arusha Road. These 100,000 meals can sustain 275 recipients for one year. Westwood remains committed to this outreach mission by allocating $30,000 annually to sponsor the event. These costs are partially off-set through gracious continued financial support from Thrivent Financial and Westwood's Holiday Fair funds. Please be a part of the next annual packing event by donating an hour of your time to pack meals. For more information contact Brenda Knutson

MAY 2025

STEP
FOOD SHELF

The summer months are the most challenging for STEP (our local food shelf) because demand goes up with children and youth off from school and many volunteers and contributors away for vacations. You can support this effort with food shelf donations or a financial gift through the May Cause of the Month program. For more information on STEP check out their website HERE or contact Pastor Jason Van Hunnik.

JUNE 2025

GLOBAL REFUGE
(f/k/a Lutheran Immigration
& Refugee Service)

Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service is now "Global Refuge": new name, same mission. Due to ongoing events along our southern border, the Westwood Outreach Advisory Team has selected Global Refuge as the June Cause of the Month. All funds will go to support Global Refuge. For more information about Global Refuge and other ways to be involved check out the website Global Refuge or contact Pastor Jason Van Hunnik.

JULY 2025

Lutheran Disaster Response
Middle East Crisis

During the months of July and August we invite you to consider supporting the work of Lutheran Disaster Response in the Middle East. Since Oct. 7, 2023 the Israeli-Hamas conflict has created a huge humanitarian crisis especially in Gaza. All gifts will go to support LDR’s work there. For more information, please visit the ELCA's website for Lutheran Disaster Response Middle-East-Crisis or contact Pastor Jason Van Hunnik.

AUGUST 2025

Lutheran Disaster Response
Middle East Crisis

During the months of July and August we invite you to consider supporting the work of Lutheran Disaster Response in the Middle East. Since Oct. 7, 2023 the Israeli-Hamas conflict has created a huge humanitarian crisis especially in Gaza. All gifts will go to support LDR’s work there. For more information, please visit the ELCA's website for Lutheran Disaster Response Middle-East-Crisis or contact Pastor Jason Van Hunnik.

SEPTEMBER 2025

EVERY MEAL

Help us support food-insecure students and families at Aquila and Park Spanish Immersion Elementary in St. Louis Park! Westwood has a partnership ministry with the “Every Meal” organization. Follow this link to learn more: What is Every Meal (formerly The Sheridan Story)? on Vimeo

OCTOBER 2025

WESTWOOD EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER SCHOLARSHIP FUND

As part of the Mission & Ministry of Westwood Early Childhood Center and Westwood Lutheran Church, a scholarship fund has been established. The purpose of this fund is to assist families with young children who are in need of financial support to meet their childcare expenses. These funds are available to children of all ages (i.e. infant through preschool) and are available to current families experiencing hardship as well as families who could not otherwise afford to send their child to WECC. We are blessed to provide our community with a caring, high quality, faith-based early childhood program. What a gift!  Please contact Shannon Eide, Interim Director of WECC with further questions.

NOVEMBER 2025

WESTWOOD COMMUNITY MEAL

On Wednesday evenings from 5-6:30 PM, Westwood hosts a community meal for folks from Westwood and our larger community. From humble beginnings of serving 40 people on its first night, this volunteer-led ministry now hosts from 200-250 folks weekly (150 during the summer) made up of Westwood folks coming to our ministries, families from the Westwood Childcare, people hungering for a space to build community, to folks in need of a good meal. While donations cover a portion of the costs, we invite you to help financially support this important ministry through a gift this month. We also are in need of additional folks to participate in making this meal happen. Please contact Ann Kisch with further questions or see more information HERE.

DECEMBER 2025

ARUSHA ROAD ORPHAN MINISTRY SUPPORT

Since 2005 Westwood has had a relationship with Arusha Road Lutheran Church in Dodoma, Tanzania. One of Arusha Road's ministries is food and education support of 150 Orphans from the community (many who lost their parents from AIDS). Westwood has pledged to provide support for at least 40 of these orphans through the food packed through Outreach Inc. in April and through financial support to cover the educational expenses. The cost to support one orphan is $225 a year. $175 of this amount will go to cover education costs and the rest helps Westwood package and send 100,000 meals. For more information contact Pastor Jason Van Hunnik or to read more about our relationship with Tanzania click HERE.

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