Furs for Food? Art for Affordable Housing? It's Trading Graces

BALTIMORE, Jan. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Furs for food? Popular art for affordable housing? Antique dolls for disaster relief services? It's exchanging common goods for the good of others at the Trading Graces online auction on eBay February 25 through March 22, 2007.

Proceeds from the second annual auction will benefit Lutheran health and human service organizations nationwide. Through a quarter of a million staff and volunteers, LSA member organizations feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, care for the elderly, provide disaster response, strengthen families and create positive change in communities across America and the Caribbean.

Trading Graces items will be auctioned online on e-Bay. Learn more at http://www.ebay.com/tradinggraces. Trading Graces items range across the spectrum of e-Bay categories and include many high-quality items. Artwork and collectibles highlight this year's goods. Items include:

  -- An original Madonna painting by contemporary artist Miguel Martinez
     (Proceeds to benefit Solheim Lutheran Home in Los Angeles, CA)
  -- An Indian Shaman Bronze Sculpture by Bill Worrell
     (Proceeds to benefit Solheim Lutheran Home in Los Angeles, CA)
  -- A full-length Coyote Fur
     (Proceeds to benefit Lutheran Mission Society in Baltimore, MD)
  -- Two Bye-Lo Antique Baby Dolls from 1917
     (Proceeds to benefit Lutheran Social Services Group in Jamestown, NY)
  -- Full-Length Ranch Mink Coat
     (Proceeds to benefit Lutheran Services in America in Baltimore, MD)
  -- Naming rights to a new kindergarten classroom that will be added to the
     Holy Family Lutheran School on Chicago's West Side
     (Proceeds to benefit Holly Family Ministries in Northfield, IL)
  -- A timeshare at Peppertree resort in Ashville, NC offered by the St.
     Luke Foundation in Canton, OH
     (Proceeds to benefit the St. Luke Lutheran Community in North
     Canton, OH)

"We have many interesting, original items to auction this year, and we are excited about raising funds that will help make a real difference in the lives of many people," said LSA President and CEO Jill Schumann.

Six million people are served each year by nearly 300 LSA community-based organizations throughout the United States. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans helped fund this event. To participate in Trading Graces, call (410) 230-3548 or visit the LSA website at http://www.lutheranservices.org/