FALL 2019

ABOUT THE NEWSLETTER: This issue provides financial insights, member stories, local partnerships and upcoming events happening in your region.

Want to know more?

Visit us online at: connect.thrivent.com/southeast-tmn or on Facebook at: Facebook.com/SoutheastTMN

in this issue:100 Days of Summer Thrivent Action Team Challenge Update

Thrivent Member Spotlight

A Thrivent Action Team to “Tweet” About!

Have a Say and Vote!

Crowdfunding Tool Helps Students

Don’t Leave Money on the Table with Social Security

Southeast Region

100 Days of Summer Thrivent Action Team Challenge UpdateCongratulations Southeast Region on reaching 166% of our goal! Over the summer, our Thrivent Member Network – Southeast Region participated in a 100 Days of Summer Action Team Challenge. We challenged our membership to complete 550 Thrivent Action Teams during the 100 days between June 5 and September 13. You blew that goal out of the water with 921 Thrivent Action Teams during that period of time. To celebrate, we randomly picked a member from each state to direct an extra $500 to the benefiting organization.

Congratulations to the following winners:

• Donna Emmans of Charlotte, NC: Christ Lutheran Church Outreach

• Cynthia Baldwin of Rincon, GA: Lizzie the Comfort Dog from Trinity Lutheran Church

• Jayne Lauve of Valrico, FL: Mary and Martha House

• Rachel Zahn of Myrtle Beach: Amazing Grace Lutheran Church

Thrivent Member SpotlightDuring the month of August, the Thrivent Member Network – Southeast Region teamed up with Samaritan’s Feet to make a difference by hosting back-to-school shoe drives

across the region. One Thrivent member took it a step further. NASCAR driver, Corey LaJoie, and his wife Kelly have always had a passion for bringing shoes to children in need. LaJoie mentioned this to his Thrivent Financial professional, Lucas Beatty, and he made the connection to Samaritan’s Feet. He decided to give up one month’s salary to pay for his car to be wrapped in a Samaritan’s Feet car wrap for the Cup race at Watkins Glen International in August.

LaJoie raised money online through his personal Hope

Comfort dogs, Lizzie and Luke, enjoying the sunset on the beach together.

NASCAR driver, Corey LaJoie, driving the No. 32 Ford Mustang for Go Fas Racing gave up one month’s salary to pay for his car to be wrapped in a Samaritan’s Feet care wrap. (continues on next page)

Crowdfunding Tool Helps Students

With $1.5 trillion in student debt, there’s no doubt that we are in the midst of a student debt crisis. Students and their families everywhere are struggling to cover the rising

costs of college. That’s where Thrivent Student Resources comes in. We offer a thriving hub of tools and resources to help students achieve their college dreams with as little debt as possible.

As part of this hub of resources, we’ve created GradPath, a new crowdfunding platform created to connect students with their communities and help offset the cost of college. 100% of the money donated to a student’s GradPath campaign goes directly to him or her as part of our commitment to helping students get an education without getting in excessive debt.

How does it work? Students create a GradPath campaign where they’re able to share their story, create a budget and share updates with donors. After creating the campaign, students invite friends and family to share advice and to give generously to their campaign. After raising the funds they need through donations, students use that money for their educational needs and then share their story and empower other students to do the same!

GradPath is just another way Thrivent Student Resources is turning the old way of paying for college on its head. As a division of Thrivent Financial, we bring the not-for-profit mindset to everything we do. Because when we work together, we can thrive together. For more information visit thriventstudentresources.com/gradpath.

Givers page with the names of each donor being written on his car regardless of the amount donated. He expected to raise between $15,000 and $20,000. Instead, more than 1,700 donors have contributed an average of $72 to reach over $126,000.

“I’ve felt God pull at my heartstrings with this project, and there is absolutely no better fit being that my longtime racing nickname is ‘SuperShoe.’ Now being a ‘SuperShoe’ is being a part of something bigger than myself to bring the gift of a new pair of shoes as well as the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ to all the ends of the earth through Samaritan’s Feet.”

LaJoie asks his fellow Thrivent members to consider using their Thrivent Choice dollars to help close the gap of the 1.5 billion people in the world who do not have adequate footwear.

To help LaJoie continue his fundraising efforts visit his Hope Givers page at 2019-hope-givers.everydayhero.com/us/supershoes.

The Thrivent Member Network – Southeast Region will be hosting shoe distributions in partnership with Samaritan’s Feet in 2020 in the following locations: Atlanta, GA; Charleston, SC; Columbia, SC; Orlando, FL; Tampa, FL; and Raleigh, NC. More details to come.

A Thrivent Action Team to ‘Tweet’ About!Girl Scout Troop 30387, Ogeechee Audubon Society, Savannah National Wildlife Refuge staff, and volunteers worked together with the help of a Thrivent Action Team to create a backyard birding habitat demonstration site at Savannah National Wildlife Refuge. In addition, they hosted a free family fun backyard birding event for the public in August 2019. The Girl Scouts researched, planned, created a budget and bought necessary supplies for the backyard habitat site. They evaluated styles of feeders and feeds they wanted to use, chose native plants for the site as well as a bird bath and birdhouse.

During the process, the girls learned how to maintain the site by regularly cleaning the feeders and bird bath and keeping the feeders full of treats for the birds. The Girl Scouts were excited about what they had created, and they wanted to host an event to teach the public about creating backyard wildlife habitats. The girls worked together with Ogeechee Audubon Society members and Refuge staff to plan various activities to educate people of all ages about birds and backyard habitats. The event attracted over 100 people and included information, refreshments, crafts and games. There were 18 volunteers to help make this event successful on a 100-degree day with another Thrivent Action Team supporting the cost of the event.

Girl Scout Troop 30387 made a refreshment station with a bird theme to compliment the

Thrivent Action Team activities.

Thrivent Board Election goes through Nov. 22By voting in the upcoming board election, you can choose the candidates that best represent you. If you are a Thrivent benefit member, you can vote in the Thrivent Board of Directors election. Benefit and associate members can also vote in the Thrivent Member Network regional board election in the Southeast Region.

If you signed up to vote online, you were sent an email on Oct. 7 with a link to the voting website. If not, you will get a voting packet in the mail. We encourage you to vote!

Questions? Contact BoxVoting@Thrivent.com.

2019 Board of Directors Election

MEMBERS: HAVE A SAY

AND VOTE!

Don’t Leave Money on the Table with Social Security

In 2019, the Thrivent Member Network – Southeast Region hosted 15 workshops with Jim Caulder, a Social Security expert, around the region. Caulder is known as “Mister Social Security,” and is a national consultant and former employee of the Social Security Administration. With his knowledge and witty stories, over 500 Thrivent members and guests gained valuable insights to help them avoid leaving money on the table so they can continue to live more content, confident and generous lives in their retirement. In addition, Thrivent Financial professionals at each workshop demonstrated a tool that illustrates one or more Social Security retirement income planning strategies that is individualized to help you reach your retirement income goals.

For some people, choosing the right time to file for Social Security retirement benefits appears to be straightforward. Some choose to take benefits at age 62, as soon as they become available. Some choose to take benefits at the same time they stop working. While others delay claiming benefits just to get a higher benefit payment. Unfortunately, it might not be that simple. Indeed, for many, the decision is more complicated.

Most people should ask, and get answers to, the following questions:

• At what age should I or my spouse file for benefits?

• When does it make sense to claim a spousal benefit?

• How do I make sure my spouse gets the largest survivor benefit?

• How do we know which of the common filing methods might be right for us?

• If one of us lives a long life, how does that affect our decision?

Clearly there can be a lot involved and Thrivent wants to help you be wise with money and make the best decision for you and your family. Reach out to your financial professional today and ask about the Social Security tool.

Jim Caulder, Social Security expert, shares his tips with a group of Thrivent members in Hickory, NC on how not to leave money on the table.

2019CALENDAR OF EVENTS

For additional events, details or to RSVP, visit our website connect.thrivent.com/southeast-tmn

or email SoutheastTMN@Thrivent.com.

DECEMBER

Social Security: Money Left on the Table with Jim CaulderJoin us with Social Security expert, Jim Caulder, as he shares his knowledge and experiences. You’ll gain valuable insights to help you avoid leaving money on the table so you can continue to live a more content, confident and generous life.

12/5 – The Country Club of Lexington 1066 Barr Rd., Lexington, SC 29072

12/5 – Sticky Fingers 1200 N. Main St., Summerville, SC 29483

Click here to RSVP.

03 #Giving TuesdayAfter all the helpings of grace, gratitude and gravy this Thanksgiving, please join us for Giving Tuesday – one of the biggest, boldest days for fundraising for the organizations and causes you care about! There are many ways to get involved and make a difference – see below for all the ways to get started!

DONATE to make a big impact.

Visit one of the links below on Tuesday, Dec. 3, and make a special contribution to Eckerd Connects or Inpiritus. Thrivent will make your donation go further by matching $1 for every $2 raised*, up to $20,000 per regional Thrivent Member Network. Plus, all online processing fees will be covered by Thrivent, meaning 100% of your gift will go right to the cause!

Eckerd Connects: bit.ly/2JWZwsb

Inspiritus: bit.ly/2ClDbjQ

ATTEND a local event.

Lady Ann’s Victorian Tea Room 506 SW Camden Ave., Stuart, FL 34994

Red Hare Brewing Company 1998 Delk Industrial Blvd. SE, Marietta, GA 30067

Red Gate Farms 136 Red Gate Farms Trail, Savannah, GA 31405*Donations made online through Thrivent’s giving platform or at events on Giving Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2019, will be matched up to $20,000 per Thrivent Member Network or until 11:59 p.m. CST, whichever comes first. Thrivent, in partnership with InFaith Community Foundation, offers you the opportunity to make online personal donations to the organizations you care about.

Jim Caulder is not affiliated with or endorsed by Thrivent. The views expressed in this presentation by Jim Caulder are his own and not necessarily those of Thrivent or its affiliates. The material presented has been obtained from sources we believe to be reliable and is current. No products will be sold.

STAY CONNECTED

To receive the most up-to-date information on events, activities and communication, please update or add your email address by logging on to Thrivent.com or calling 800-847-4836.

About Thrivent Thrivent is a not-for-profit financial services organization that helps Christians be wise with money and live a life of contentment, confidence and generosity.

To learn more, visit Thrivent.com.

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INSURANCEADVICE INVESTMENTS BANKING GENEROSITY

DECEMBER

Thrivent Member CelebrationJoin us for an annual Thrivent member celebration at NarroWay Theatre! Enjoy a dinner, Thrivent member updates and The Real Christmas Story show! Live animals, talented actors, original scripts, inspiring music and a delicious meal themed with the show are all part of the experience.

NarroWay Theatre, 3327 Hwy. 51 N., Fort Mill, SC 29715, 5 p.m.

Click here to RSVP.

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