Thrivent develops new forms of service

Thrivent Financial

For one local organization, the new year ushers in significant change.

A Thrivent chapter has been the local outreach organization for Thrivent Financial, a membership organization of Christians that offers a way to connect faith and finances for good.

As a not-for-profit organization, members of Thrivent have access to programs to do good within communities.

Thrivent is an organization that has been quietly supporting local organizations and families in need for decades, and a shift in organizational structure will help ensure that the communities in Hill County will continue to receive those benefits.

Many in the community may be unfamiliar with the Thrivent organization, but it is very likely that most of the community has benefited in some way from the people and projects Thrivent has helped throughout the years.

In just the past five years, the local Thrivent Chapter has distributed more than $62,000 directly to families and organizations, and those funds have been leveraged for more than $250,000 in total. Additionally, the Thrivent Chapter has been instrumental in many other community projects including projects which have benefited the Havre Public Schools, Boys & Girls Club of the Hi-Line, Havre Food Bank, Beaver Creek Park Kiwanis Campground, Adopt-A-Highway, Head Start, HRDC, veterans organizations, Northern Montana Hospital, Feed My Sheep Soup Kitchen and many others.

Through the close of 2014, Thrivent has distributed these funds through a local chapter or leadership team typically made up of 6-10 Thrivent members who have fielded requests for funds and provided the labor force to help with projects and fundraisers.

Thrivent has a new volunteer program available for which members can go online to apply to lead a team — a fundraiser, service event or educational event.

They are making it easier for more of their members to live generously and make a difference in their community around causes they are passionate about. Using a simple online form, Thrivent members can request funds for a project, and, upon approval, receive a pre-paid $250 Community Impact Card for project expenses, T-shirts for project volunteers, promotional materials and other materials to assist with the development of a successful event.

Recently, the Craig Gardner family was the recipient of a fundraiser developed with Thrivent Action Team funds. The volunteer team purchased groceries to help prepare and serve a spaghetti meal, ads for the event and post event thank-you ads that were placed in the Havre Daily News.

Through the use of these Thrivent Action Teams, seed money, funds and the incredible support of the Gardners’ friends and neighbors, the event proceeds neared almost $10,000. This money will help the Gardner family navigate the twists and turns of life while fighting a chronic illness.

While the new year has brought a new way for Thrivent members to strengthen communities, the heritage of “living generously” is alive and well within the Thrivent organization. For more information contact a Thrivent Financial representative or go online to Thrivent.com.