ELCA World Hunger

Synod Emphases for 2024

Water is Life

Together we can be the generation that ends hunger.

The world produces more than enough food to feed every person, yet the number of people who are hungry has grown since 2019. More than 2 billion people around the world aren’t sure where their next meal will come from, and for as many as 828 million people, that next meal won’t come at all.

Together, we can be the generation that ends hunger. There is another story unfolding around us: the story of God at work through you in ELCA World Hunger around the world. It is a story that has been unfolding for the last 50 years through our church as we worked together to create sustainable, lasting change. It is a story of new homes being built, of new fields being planted with crops. It is a story of wells bubbling with clean water and of small businesses bursting with opportunity. It is a story of caring for the environment and of healthy communities thriving.

We all have a role to play, just as generations of Lutherans have done before us. Do you believe that hunger has no place in our world?

Our goals for 2024 are to...

  1. Bring an awareness of the importance of water on the world’s food supply and global efforts to end hunger.

  2. Show how ELCA World Hunger is working to encourage, support, and sustain safe water supplies.

  3. Raise money to support ELCA’s water projects including simple wells, irrigation systems, latrines, and water filters.

As we become more aware of the precious resource of water, the La Crosse Area Synod Hunger Team invites all congregations to support our 2024 water project “Water is Life”.

This project will focus on water and how it impacts us both physically and spiritually.

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World Hunger Water Projects

Simple water well

Lack of access to safe water is one of the biggest challenges to overcoming poverty.

It’s also one of the most powerful opportunities to create change.

With a simple water well, spring box or other water point, as many as 500 families gain access to clean, safe water.

Communities are healthier. People spend less money on medical expenses and more on food and education. And instead of spending hours each day gathering water for the family, women and children have time for work and school. Talk about a future filled with hope!

Project Costs

  • Simple Water Well $2,500

  • Share of a Safe Water Project $250

  • Hygiene Kit

    We all know that hand-washing is an important way to stay healthy and control the spread of disease, including COVID-19. But in many communities, critical supplies such as soap, bleach and even water are scarce. A hygiene kit provides sanitation supplies and education for households, schools, clinics and other public spaces. It’s a simple yet powerful way to protect our most vulnerable neighbors and save lives.

    $25

  • Water Filter

    When safe drinking water just isn’t available — especially in times following natural disasters or emergencies — a simple ceramic water filter is a lifesaver. Capable of purifying water without electricity or chemicals, a water filter is a powerful, reliable way to provide safe water when it’s needed most.

    $30

  • Portion of an irrigation project

    Many farmers around the world rely on rainwater to nourish their crops. When the rain doesn’t fall, an entire community can be vulnerable to drought and hunger. Irrigation systems, coupled with training and maintenance, can relieve the stress of unpredictable weather patterns and climate change for some of the most vulnerable farmers and their families.

    $100

  • Latrine

    When you gotta go, you gotta go. But a startling 2.3 billion people lack access to basic sanitation, including toilets. Without facilities, contamination of the local water supply and food chain make far too many people sick from preventable diseases. 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.

    $150

  • Share of a Safe Water Project

    Lack of access to safe water is one of the biggest challenges to overcoming poverty. It’s also one of the most powerful opportunities to create change. With a simple water well, spring box or other water point, as many as 500 families gain access to clean, safe water. Communities are healthier. People spend less money on medical expenses and more on food and education. And instead of spending hours each day gathering water for the family, women and children have time for work and school. Talk about a future filled with hope!

    $250

  • Simple Water Well

    Lack of access to safe water is one of the biggest challenges to overcoming poverty. It’s also one of the most powerful opportunities to create change. With a simple water well, spring box or other water point, as many as 500 families gain access to clean, safe water. Communities are healthier. People spend less money on medical expenses and more on food and education. And instead of spending hours each day gathering water for the family, women and children have time for work and school. Talk about a future filled with hope!

    $2,500