Lutheran services tops largest nonprofits list

Christian Century, Jan 25, 2003

Lutheran Services in America continues to top the list of the country's 100 largest nonprofit groups, according to an annual survey by the NonProfit Times. The LSA is a joint venture of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.

For the third year in a row LSA earned the No. 1 spot, with $7.0 billion in income for fiscal year 2001, which ended on June 30, 2001. Following in second and third places were the National Council of YMCAs and the American Red Cross, respectively.

Other faith-based groups in the top ten (in term of income) were Catholic Charities USA ($2.6 billion) in fourth place, United Jewish Communities ($2.2 billion) in fifth place, Goodwill Industries International ($1.0 billion) in sixth place and the Salvation Army ($1.0 billion) in seventh place.

The Salvation Army reported a $1 billion decline in income from the previous year, mostly from lost investment value, according to the survey. Without that loss, the 100 groups would have grown by 4 percent; instead, growth was only 2 percent. Among other faith-based groups in the top 100 were Habitat for Humanity (14), America's Second Harvest (18), Volunteers of America (20), World Vision (23) and Campus Crusade for Christ (31).--RNS