Barnabas Uplift Program

Michelle Talbott,

Western Iowa Synod Coordinator

Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Initiative

The three ELCA synods in Iowa are members of Barnabas Uplift in partnership with Lutheran Services in Iowa, Catholic Charities of Dubuque, the Muslim American Society of Iowa, Iowans for Social and Economic Development (ISED) Ventures, Iowa Health System, and the state Public Policy Group. Together, these groups are working to educate and connect lower-income Iowans with the money they have earned.

People who work but do not earn a lot of money may be eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) as well as free help preparing their tax returns.

The Earned Income Tax Credit is the federal government's largest program benefiting working families, but as many as 20 percent of eligible families do not claim the credit, leaving $13 billion unclaimed. In Iowa, it is estimated that over 29,000 residents failed to claim $36,298,000 in 2004.

That is $36 million to pay toward rent, mortgage, utilities, and groceries. That is $36 million to repair a car or purchase a car providing reliable transportation. That is $36 million that could go toward education, starting a business or buying a house.

Each year millions of eligible workers risk missing out on these important federal tax benefits because they do not know they qualify, do not know how to claim the credits or do not know where to find free tax filing assistance. Your outreach efforts can ensure that eligible workers can receive the tax credits they've earned.

In the Western Iowa Synod, Bethany Lutheran, Emmetsburg; Estherville Lutheran, Estherville; Bethlehem Lutheran, Royal; Emanuel-St. John, Lytton; and Riverside Lutheran, Sioux City have hosted times when taxpayers could come in and get their taxes prepared for free through the mail-in campaign sponsored by Barnabas Uplift.

Siouxland Mission Health --

Healthcare for uninsured and underinsured Iowans is now a reality!

What Mission Health is:

Mission Health is a program offered jointly by St. Luke's Health System, Mercy Medical Center and the Siouxland Community Health Center to provide affordable healthcare services. Anyone who is uninsured or underinsured can qualify for Mission Health.

What you can expect from Mission Health:

Mission Health will provide routine medical care on a sliding fee scale at the Siouxland Community Health Center. In addition, those enrolled in Mission Health will be pre-qualified for financial assistance at St. Luke's Health System and Mercy Medical Center based on income guidelines.

Find out more about Mission Health:

Visit the Siouxland Community health Center to complete a simple application. For directions, hours and answers to all your questions call toll-free 888-371-1965 or locally 712-202-1062.

A few ideas about how your congregation can support Barnabas Uplift and Siouxland Mission Health:

1. Advertise this service (brochures are

    available);

2. Volunteer at the Siouxland Community Health

    Center;

3. Raise funds or make donations to the

    Siouxland Community Health Center;

4. Have an "Over the Counter Drug Drive" and

    make donations to the Community Health

    Center Pharmacy.

Barnabas Uplift Program

Barnabas, meaning “son of encouragement,” describes a new poverty-alleviation program taking root throughout Iowa.  The varied Barnabas Uplift programs are designed to give individuals living at or near the poverty level a hand up rather than a hand out.

Matthew 25 calls us to serve the needy in our midst:  to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, shelter the homeless, clothe the naked, care for the sick and imprisoned.  It reminds us that whatever we do for the least of God’s people, we do for God.  It also reminds us of how we will be asked to answer to our efforts in this arena. 

The Barnabas Uplift programs address the many needs mentioned in Matthew 25.  A related reality is that many of our congregational facilities are underutilized.  Might connecting our facilities with these program resources be a way of extending our call to mission for the needy in our communities?  This is our hope.

The Western Iowa Synod is pleased to announce that Michelle Talbott will serve as the implementer of the Barnabas Uplift poverty-alleviation program!!  Michelle comes to us as a recent master’s graduate from Iowa State University with a host of wonderful skills to jumpstart and implement this vital program.  Michelle’s approximate half-time work will be supervised through the synod office and will be funded through generous grants from the Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Foundation and the endowed benevolence grant program at Zion Lutheran in Gowrie.  Michelle’s work will begin mid-July.  After a time of program initiation, Michelle will be calling upon congregations to present and educate on the parameters of Barnabas Uplift and to seek congregational collaboration as we live out the gospel by attending to the needs the poor in our midst.  We ask that you warmly welcome Michelle as she brings the face and hope of Barnabas Uplift to life throughout our synod.

Barnabas Uplift partners include the three Iowa synods of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Archdiocese of Dubuque, the Muslim American Society of Iowa, Lutheran Services in Iowa, Institute of Social and Economic Development Ventures, Iowa Health Systems, and the State Public Policy Group. 

Barnabas Uplift programs currently include tax credit processing, micro-enterprise development, discount health care circles, financial education and health, Certified Nurses Aid training, cooperative farming, drug-free work places, and a savings program for home ownership down payments.