June 2025 2nd Mile Giving Partners

With the recent congressional cuts to the Medicaid program and to the SNAP

program (Supplemental Nutritional Assistant Program), advocacy agencies will have a great burden to in helping overcome funding decreases funding decreases at the state level.

Here in our Sierra Pacific Synod, we have two Lutheran agencies who are working to offset medical and nutritional assistance losses. These two agencies are the Lutheran Office of Public Policy (LOPP) in California, and Lutheran Engagement and Advocacy Nevada (LEAN) in the state of Nevada.

Our congregation is lifting up LOPP and LEAN as the two agencies in our

Second Mile Giving program for the month of June (Advocacy month). These agencies represent the coordinated witness of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) on public policy issues in California and Nevada. In addition to presence on legislative matters, these agencies provide education and networking for ELCA congregations in both states.

The work of LOPP and LEAN is guided by the Social Statements of the ELCA.

These statements are teaching and policy documents which provide a theological/faith framework for discerning response to a myriad of issues, now including funding losses in California and Nevada to the Medicaid and

SNAP programs.

We are grateful for the advocacy work of LOPP and LEAN! Please join us in

supporting the important work of these Christian advocacy organizations.