DONOR SPOTLIGHT: AMANDA FRISCO

AND THE WOMEN OF ST. PAUL’S LUTHERAN CHURCH

Amanda Frisco of Philadelphia first learned of Sambhali Trust in 2014. “I had always been drawn to India and had been looking for a way to volunteer with a women’s empowerment nonprofit for a semi-long-term project. I wanted to avoid ‘voluntourism’ by working with a nonprofit whose volunteers didn’t negatively impact the local community,” states Amanda. 

Sambhali Trust fit those requirements, so she planned to volunteer for three months and started raising money for the Trust. She made and sold bracelets at craft fairs, to friends and family, and members of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Glenside, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia. 

After she left for India, women at the church were so inspired by Amanda’s efforts they donated while she was volunteering there. “A woman at the church read one of my blog posts about women at the empowerment centers who needed sewing machines, so she decided to donate enough money to purchase one. She then wrote on her own blog about it and that created an outpouring of support from two of the women’s groups at St. Paul’s. Altogether, they donated enough funds to purchase sewing machines for 26 women.” 

The two groups, the Good Works Team and the Lois Circle of Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, conduct social ministry and lead projects to help others in need.

“What we heard was impressive,” states Phyllis, a member of both groups at St. Paul’s. (Phyllis asked that we only use her first name.) “We felt the results Sambhali achieved were more than worthy of our help. We support efforts to help women provide for themselves and their families. We looked forward to hearing more from Amanda.”

In 2019, when Amanda became a founding board member of the newly created Sambhali U.S., they gave again with generous donations from each group. “Five years later, these same women have become supporters of Sambhali U.S. to continue to champion the work of Sambhali Trust,” Amanda says. 

Elly Brtva, Amanda’s fellow board member and a former staff member of Lutheran Social Services of Illinois, adds, “I am always humbled when places of worship and their groups give to our mission.  The women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America have a long and treasured history of philanthropy. I hope their gift inspires others to join us.”  

Today, Amanda is the Secretary for the Sambhali U.S. Board of Directors. She recently received her Masters of Social Work, and her passion for helping others remains solid. “I am committed to supporting women to raise their voices so they may be champions of their own lives.”

Sambhali U.S. is thankful for Amanda and the women at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. If you would like to learn more about how you can help Sambhali U.S. through group donations, please contact us at info@sambhalius.org.