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Members with the Collier County Chapter of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans joined with youth and adults from area Lutheran churches to sort and pack donations on Saturday, May 3.

The activity was part of the ninth annual JOIN HANDS DAY, which is sponsored by America’s fraternal benefit societies and is the only national day of service specifically focused on bringing youth and adults together to form lifelong relationships while improving their communities through neighborhood volunteering. Approximately 70 adults and youth participated in the Collier County activity.

“This year’s JOIN HANDS DAY project accomplished what we set out to do,” said Donald Harring, Thrivent Financial member and project coordinator. “To gather with others from the community to make a difference where we live and work is an incredible opportunity and that’s what we’re all about as members of Thrivent Financial. Everyone who participated in our project left knowing that they made an impact on the community.”

During the JOIN HANDS DAY activity, local youth and Thrivent Financial members boxed personal items and snacks donated by members of area Lutheran churches, plus coffee products donated by area Starbucks stores—a total of 71 boxes, weighing approximately 1,500 pounds. In addition, monetary donations from church members plus $1,000 in matching funds from the Collier County Chapter of Thrivent purchased phone cards valued at $1,500 and devotionals valued at $1,000, and paid for shipping costs of $2,000. Boxes are being shipped to Iraq and Afghanistan for further distribution to U.S. troops serving in the regions.

“Each year, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and its members are excited to participate in JOIN HANDS DAY,” said Mary Weibel, manager of Lutheran community services for the Thrivent Financial Florida Region. “This national volunteer day supports the positive impact members of Thrivent Financial and other fraternal benefit societies make throughout the year by doing outreach activities in their communities.”

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, the nation’s largest fraternal benefit society, has nearly 3 million members who belong to one of 1,357 local chapters. Thrivent chapters meet regularly in order to plan and execute benevolent, social and educational activities enabling members to support their local communities and congregations through fund-raising and service projects.

Through their participation in Thrivent Financial outreach programs in 2007, members raised and donated $178 million to help not-for-profit organizations, individuals in need and Lutheran congregations. The organization contributed an additional $143 million for a total of more than $321 million. In addition, through Thrivent Financial membership programs, the organization's members contributed 22.6 million volunteer hours in 2007.