APPLETON &mdash When the former Aid Association for Lutherans combined with Minneapolis-based Thrivent Financial for Lutherans in 2001, adopting the latter firm’s name and
home address, Fox Cities leaders feared the worst.
Appleton-based AAL’s benevolent commitment to its home community had established it as one of the Fox Cities’ primary sources of charitable support. A national Salvation Army award presented Thursday in Appleton to the Thrivent’s charitable foundation is tangible proof those fears were misplaced. The Others Award, a prestigious honor that recognizes extraordinary service to people in need, recognizes Thrivent for what is now the nation’s largest continuing match-day program in support of a local Salvation Army office. Thrivent’s $125,000 Red Kettle Day match challenge last Dec. 5 triggered another $372,423 in Fox Cities donations by local residents, businesses and organizations, nearly triple its established goal. It was the first day the local Salvation Army office had sufficient numbers of volunteer bell-ringers to fully staff each of its 48 red kettle collection sites. The Salvation Army-Fox Cities typically collects about $10,000 a day during the Christmastime campaign. Thrivent’s five match day challenges have driven more than $900,000 in charitable donations since they began in 2004. Its first local match-day challenge offered a dollar-for-dollar match of $25,000. The match has grown each year since, establishing four new one-day fundraising records along the way. Jon Stellmacher, chief of staff and administration for Thrivent Financial, accepted the award, a mounted brass plaque, at the Salvation Army-Fox Cities’ first annual Report to the Community event. “We talk about Minneapolis and Appleton as our two hometowns,” Stellmacher said Thursday. “The whole idea (of the match day program in the Fox Cities) was to inspire and challenge people to give generously. It was pretty exciting for us to see how the response from the community has grown each year.” Thrivent tailors its local charitable support to the needs of communities throughout the U.S. Its members are organized into more than 1,300 local chapters addressing local needs and concerns. Thrivent, whose operations center occupies the former AAL headquarters in Appleton, generated nearly $310 million in charitable support through community projects in 2008. Thrivent members donated $183.6 million, and Thrivent Financial added $126.2 million in contributions to communities, nonprofit organizations and Lutheran institutions. Robb Waugus, director of development for Salvation Army-Fox Cities, said the Others Award, established in 1961, honors individuals and organizations that demonstrate an extraordinary commitment to helping people in need. It is named for the cost-saving one-word Christmas telegram sent by Salvation Army founder William Booth to his soldiers and officers reminding then to focus on the needs of people who might otherwise be ignored. The Salvation Army, an international Christian church, assists people in need, regardless of their religious beliefs. Its local offices raise most of their money from the red kettle campaigns. The Fox Cities chapter provides free noon meals, a food pantry, transitional housing, and emergency financial assistance and other services.