Five changemakers honored with Live Generously Award

Shoreline, Washington
Nominated by Selia Ebenezer of Hilliard, Ohio

Dr. Job Ebenezer is committed to innovative urban agriculture and community empowerment. This is evidenced in part by the work he has been doing since 1993 creating container gardens in areas where a typical garden could not grow.

Job’s first garden was on the rooftop of the ELCA offices in Chicago. With no experience in gardening but a heart set on helping provide healthy food access to the poor, this venture was just the beginning for Job, who started a ministry, Technology for the Poor (technologyforthepoor.info), in 2006.

Through the years, Job has facilitated container gardens in many places, with a recent venture in partnership with the Neighbors in Need program of Trinity Lutheran Church in Lynwood, Washington.

“I saw a vacant parking lot where no one parks in a corner of the church complex,” Job says. “I talked to the pastor and said I could establish a garden there. There was some initial hesitation, but people who work with the program said it was a project to attempt.” Made up of eight wading pools and three vertical gardens made up of wooden pallets taken from the waste pile, the harvest supports Saturday breakfasts for people experiencing homelessness.

“Our church has so many retirees with time on their hands, and we have children who want to learn,” he says. “This is the ministry I’ve been called to."

Colby, Wisconsin
Nominated by Brian Haines of Colby, Wisconsin

Five evenings a week for the past two years, Charlotte Haines has made it her mission to teach English, as well as Spanish writing skills, to the area’s large Hispanic population. “This is my heart; what God has called me to do,” Charlotte says. “I’m just totally amazed at how God is using me and this ministry.”

Charlotte teaches both practical skills and citizenship topics in the classroom at the Hope Center in Abbotsford and to students in other locations via Zoom. There are more than 165 registered students, and typically anywhere from 1 to 15 students may be in her classroom on any given evening. The free class also is posted online for students to access.

“We started by teaching English but discovered about six months ago that 60% of my students only speak Spanish; they don’t write in Spanish,” Charlotte says. With the help of technology and whiteboards, she has been able to help them learn to write in Spanish, too.

Her lessons are geared to the needs of those attending class, starting with the A, B, Cs and ranging from practical skills and reviewing things like renter’s agreements to setting up email.

“Essentially, I’m following the needs of our students,” she says.

Carol Stream, Illinois
Nominated by Felicia Kelly of Carol Stream, Illinois

Thanks to the kindness of a school administrator, when Edmond Kelly’s family fell on rough times, he was able to graduate from the private Lutheran school he was attending.

“That allowed me to continue to grow as a young black man,” says Edmond.

Six years ago, he started working at that same school, Walther Christian Academy, and had a similar encounter with a student to what he experienced. “Too often, Black and Brown students come to me in tears that they can’t afford to stay here,” he says. “I knew I had to find a way to lower costs.”

Edmond talked to his wife about starting a scholarship fund. And four years later, after starting with a simple scholarship at Walther, Edmond, his wife Felicia and their two daughters established The Heroes of Tomorrow Foundation to provide scholarships to Black and Brown students attending private schools and Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

In the past year, Edmond helped raise over $10,000, and foundation has granted a variety of scholarships to 18 students.

Chanhassen, Minnesota
Nominated by Barbara Kvale of Cologne, Minnesota

Ruth Lunde is passionate about affordable housing—and Habitat for Humanity. So when Habitat Minnesota eliminated the Habitat 500 after 2022, Ruth, who had served on the board, and other volunteers wanted to find a way to keep it going.

“We found some nonprofit organizations to partner with, regarding registration fees for the ride and fundraising, and the Bike Build Home 500was born,” Ruth says. Organizations and volunteers also helped with distributing funds, overnight accommodations, setting up the routes for riding and lining up meals for the riders. Many led Thrivent Action Teams to help with separate parts of the ride.

The 2023 ride was based in the LaCrosse, Wisconsin, area, and raised more than $180,000. This year the five-day ride was based in Winona, Minnesota, and is on track to raise a similar amount.

While Ruth has been volunteering with Habitat for more than 27 years—including serving as lead for the Habitat team at her church and participating on several local and international Habitat builds, this was the 71-year-old’s 15^th ride raising money for the organization.

“It’s been a wonderful chance to ride through so many parts of Minnesota and neighboring communities in Wisconsin and Iowa,” Ruth says.

Lancaster, Wisconsin
Nominated by Ann Yurcek of Lancaster, WIsconsin

Mac Yurcek, 14, believes every child needs an emotional support partner (ESP), in this case, a stuffed penguin, when facing trauma. And he’s doing his part to make it happen.

Mac was in kindergarten when he got his ESP, Furry. Medically fragile with multiple disorders and diagnoses, life has been challenging for Mac. But he doesn’t let it get him down. Unable to attend school since the pandemic, Mac has made it his mission to distribute the stuffed penguins wherever he can, says his mom, Ann Yurcek.

“These stuffies are a bridge for children to cope when the world is too scary,” Ann says.

Mac had been secretly handing out Furrys before his “service” went public. He helped stuff local police car trunks with the penguins and sent them to children who have lost family members or are facing cancer or surgeries. He dropped some off at the hospital emergency rooms. He also distributes kits that include a coloring book, letter and a Furry.

Since Mac plays baseball in the Miracle League in Dubuque, he gave a furry kit to each of the 120 special needs baseball players this summer.

“Mac has empathy; he cares for others,” Ann says. “We always talk about what our kids can’t do; but look what they can do.”