Lutheran Church Charities Sends Members and Comfort Dog to New Orleans Following Bourbon Street Truck Attack (New Orleans, Louisiana)

Lutheran Church Charities is sending a team from Tulsa, Oklahoma, including a comfort dog named Persis, to New Orleans following a tragic truck attack on Bourbon Street. The group aims to provide care and comfort to those affected by the incident, emphasizing hope and support for the community.

Chris Singer, president and CEO of Lutheran Church Charities, explained that the mission is to deliver hope and administer care to those in need. The team includes a K9 comfort dog, Persis, who is trained to offer emotional support through physical interaction, helping people relax and find peace.

The group is also bringing 15 hearts of mercy and compassion to Bourbon Street. Each heart is a cross with a heart in the center, serving as a gathering place for the community to express grief, sadness, and hope. Names of the deceased are Cricut onto the hearts, even when they are not publicly released, allowing people to write messages of sympathy and compassion.

Singer emphasized that the hearts are meant to be a space for communal healing. “We aren’t just going to show up and leave,” he said. “Our intention is to walk alongside this community and to really make sure hope stays light in this community.”

The team plans to begin their work in New Orleans on Sunday morning after arriving Saturday evening. Singer mentioned that once they return, they will consider returning again to continue providing support and hope.

The initiative reflects Lutheran Church Charities’ commitment to serving others with compassion and care, aligning with the biblical call to protect the vulnerable and show mercy. Proverbs 31:8-9 reminds us to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, a principle that guides the organization’s efforts in times of tragedy.

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