Local Lutheran group sends Haiti donations in truck loads

In what they call one of the largest Chicago-area Haiti relief efforts, Lutheran Church Charities officials collected an estimated $1 million in donations from 22 area churches.

But what always overwhelms Tim Hetzner, the group's president, is "the outpouring of people and the love and compassion of the volunteers."

The effort, in partnership with Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod's World Relief/Human Care, was launched was lunched with an e-mail blast. Both groups recruited more than 200 volunteers to work at an Itasca warehouse for three shifts per day this week to help sort and pack donations.

The volunteers helped to assemble, pack, wrap and load hundreds of boxes into several semi-trucks. They group is shipping necessities like bottled water, food, toiletries, bedding and tents, and first-aid supplies. Hetzner said the trucks will carry the donations to a ministry in South Carolina that will then deliver almost 90 tons of goods to Haiti.

Many of the volunteers, said Hetzner, are currently unemployed but still wanted to use their free time to help.

"It would be easy for Americans right now to say how bad we have it during these economic times but, compared to the people in Haiti, our volunteers feel very blessed," Hetzner said. "It says a lot about the people of this country and the Christian community. It helps put things in perspective."

Area organizations that contributed to the Haiti fundraiser include: St. Matthew Lutheran Church, Hawthorn Woods; Living Christ Lutheran Church, Arlington Heights; St. Matthew Lutheran Church, Barrington; St. John Lutheran Church, Burlington; St. Paul Lutheran Church, Mount Prospect; Zion Lutheran Church, Bensenville; Lord of Life Lutheran Church, Elburn; Trinity Lutheran Church, Lisle; New Song Community Lutheran Church, Oswego.

In addition to collecting material items, Lutheran Church Charities has established an online, dollar-for-dollar Haiti Disaster Relief Fund, lutheranchurchcharities.org, where people can direct their monetary donations. Charity supporters will pay all the administration costs, and 100 percent of all donations go to those in need in Haiti, organizers said.