Author: Aditya Kumar

By Emily Gross, Senior Manager of Program Development and Outreach

Formerly known as Bethany Home Association, today’s Front Line Hero is Bethany Village, a social ministry and Lutheran Services in America member organization that provides long-term care and rehabilitation, full-service apartments, and independent living for seniors in Lindsborg, Kansas. The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically altered day-to-day operations of senior care facilities across the nation, with many families having to forgo in-person visits in order to keep loved ones safe. No stranger to the challenges brought, Bethany Village staff have come up with innovative ways to stem the virus while continuing to provide excellent care.

Under CEO Kris Erickson’s leadership, the organization has not only put in place new screening and sanitation procedures to keep residents safe, but also implemented a new resident care assistant (RCA) program, hiring dozens of new employees alongside licensed staff to help with tasks that do not require professional certification, such as making beds, delivering meals, and escorting residents to and from meals and activities.

To combat isolation, gatherings among residents are restricted, but still permitted with appropriate safety measures in place. Church services continue in the dining room, games and social activities have moved to the hallways, and staff have held several parades where family drive past with greeting signs and words of encouragement, expressing their love from a safe distance. Bethany Village has also enabled friends and family to communicate with residents via video chat and “window visits,” where they can see loved ones through the window and chat with them on the phone.

We are so proud to have Bethany Village as part of our network and congratulate Kris and his team on expanding their facility to help even more seniors thrive.

By Christopher Findlay, Senior Marketing Manager

Today’s Front Line Hero is Lutheran Social Services of Central Ohio for spreading awareness about domestic violence throughout the month of October.

LSS Central Ohio serves thousands of people daily across 27 counties in Ohio, providing necessary services to address challenges surrounding food, shelter, safety, and healing. Amongst LSS Central Ohio’s offerings are domestic violence services through LSS CHOICES for Victims of Domestic Violence, as well as senior living and health care, housing services through LSS Faith Mission, and its LSS Food Pantries service.

LSS Central Ohio has been active throughout Domestic Violence Awareness Month in making sure men and women suffering from abuse are able to receive the support they need. Its CHOICES domestic violence shelter and hotline recently announced a $1.5 million, 24-bed expansion of the shelter that opened just last year. The organization recently aired a half-hour “Choose Hope” television program to help people understand intimate partner violence, hear stories from survivors, and learn about the shelter and services offered at CHOICES. LSS Central Ohio also partnered with community leaders to speak out against domestic violence, including Ohio state senator Stephanie Kunze, Columbus City Council president Shannon Hardin, and WBNS television news anchor Angela An. In addition, the organization created a promotional card with information on how you can show your support for survivors and help spread awareness.

Thank you LSS Central Ohio for your support of survivors of domestic violence over the past month and for standing against abusive behavior in all its forms.

By Emily Gross, Senior Manager of Program Development and Outreach

Today’s Front Line Hero is Immanuel, a Lutheran Services in America member organization and retirement solutions provider that empowers seniors throughout Omaha and Lincoln, NE, as well as Des Moines and Council Bluffs, IA. Founded in 1887, this month marks an incredible 133 years of service for the organization!

Evolving over time to address different needs in the greater Omaha, Lincoln, and Des Moines communities, Immanuel now provides care for more than 2,000 seniors through independent and assisted living, long-term and at-home care. In 2020, Immanuel staff have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic to ensure the wellbeing of seniors in their care, following through on the organization’s six CHRIST promises — Compassion, Honesty, Relationships, Integrity, Serve and Teamwork — to develop creative new initiatives that help seniors thrive. Employees at Immanuel work together to combat COVID-19 with activities that address both physical and emotional wellness, including: virtual chats with family members, balcony exercises, outdoor musical concerts, virtual scavenger hunts, door-to-door packages, social clubs via phone, and virtual pastoral care.

This past September, leadership presented Awards of Excellence to six employees for embodying one or more of Immanuel’s CHRIST promises and Immanuel’s mission of “Christ-Centered Service to Seniors, Each Other and the Community.”

All of us at Lutheran Services in America send our heartfelt congratulations on 133 years to Immanuel’s talented staff and board. Happy birthday, Immanuel! 

By Christopher Findlay, Senior Marketing Manager

Today’s Front Line Hero is Immanuel Lutheran Communities, which continues to take steps to expand its reach while maintaining a safe environment for residents during the pandemic.

Immanuel Lutheran Communities, which is based in Kalispell, Montana, offers a diverse set of services for older adults in need of assistance. From assisted living and memory care to adult day care and hospice, Immanuel Lutheran is committed to creating an extraordinary aging experience for residents and respecting their personal goals.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, Immanuel Lutheran has taken steps to protect residents and staff. Staff members are required to social distance and limit time amongst other staff members to 15 minutes when possible. All staff are required to wear personal protective equipment and are screened before each shift.

Immanuel Lutheran isn’t letting the pandemic slow its plans to accommodate Montana’s growing older adult population, which increased 40 percent between 2007 and 2017. It broke ground on a collection of cottages for adults age 55 and older in August, and is launching a company to form partnerships and manage communities across the western part of the state. In addition, Immanuel Lutheran is developing home health care services for older adults who are unable to transition to senior housing.

Thank you to Immanuel Lutheran for advancing plans for serving more adults in the future and to its hardworking staff members for keeping residents safe today.

By Haley Leis, Intern

Today’s Front Line Hero is Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area for their dedication to helping refugees build a new life here in the United States!

Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area, based in the nation’s capital, strives to provide people the chance to have healthy and self-sufficient livelihoods. By providing refugee and immigrant resettlement, workforce development, and migrant support services, LSSNCA provides necessary aid and hope to those looking to rebuild their lives.

As the fall weather gets colder, refugee and immigrant families are in need of warm clothing. In response to this need, LSSNCA has held cold-weather clothing drives across the D.C. metro area to give to newly-arrived families. Thank you LSSNCA for your commitment to some of the most vulnerable in our communities!

By Emily Gross, Senior Manager of Program Development and Outreach

Today’s Front Line Hero is Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest! LSS-SW gained widespread recognition in 2020 for its innovative Refugee Youth Mentor Program (RYMP). With offices in Phoenix and Tucson, LSS-SW offers robust services for refugees settling in Arizona. RYMP is unique in its focus on the personal and professional development of young people under the age of 25, many of whom are in the U.S. by themselves. The premise is that by pairing young refugees with a mentor to meet one or more self-defined goals, such as learning about a particular line of work or mastering a new skill, LSS-SW helps young refugees grow confident and feel more connected to their community.

In making direct, one-on-one matches, RYMP coordinators ensure each young person gets strong commitment from their mentor. LSS-SW currently has 70 young people paired in their program and encourages connections to continue even after the mentorship officially ends. The program also continues with proper safety protocols in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. This September, RYMP mentor Erica Prather and her mentee Nazaneen visited the Tucson Museum of Art, snapping the above photo in one of the exhibits. Nazaneen resettled in southern Arizona after fleeing Afghanistan, and Erica is helping her meet goals to be more involved in the Tucson art community and improve her English. Erica has also been helping Nazaneen learn to drive, something Nazaneen would not have had the opportunity to do in Afghanistan.

We are so proud of all of the work Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest is doing to help refugees feel welcome and engaged!

By Christopher Findlay, Senior Marketing Manager

Today’s Front Line Hero is Glade Run Lutheran Services in Zelienople, Pennsylvania, for reopening in-person services for its Acute Partial Hospitalization program.

With history dating back more than 160 years, Glade Run has evolved to meet the needs of individuals and families across western Pennsylvania with a specific focus on education, mental health, autism, and other unique therapeutic offerings. Last year, Glade Run served more than 4,300 individuals in school, home, and community settings.

Glade Run recently announced it was accepting referrals for its youth Acute Partial Hospitalization program, which is designed to stabilize children experiencing significant psychiatric challenges with the goal of deterring inpatient hospitalization. While the COVID-19 pandemic has forced many providers to offer services virtually for the foreseeable future, Glade Run was pleased to offer a limited number of spaces for in-person services. Children who participate in the program are assigned a teacher who coordinates with the child’s home district to gather information about the child’s needs, inform the home district of the child’s progress in treatment, and develop a plan for transitioning the child back to the home school district.

Thank you to Glade Run for offering this critical service to children and youth!

By Emily Gross, Senior Manager of Program Development and Outreach

Today’s Front Line Hero is Lutheran Social Services of Northern California!

Since 1992, LSS has helped individuals and families rebuild their lives after experiencing homelessness. Communities of color continue to contend with the ripple effects of systemic racism, and LSS in particular has seen discriminatory housing policies contribute to COVID-19’s disproportionate impact on the health, safety, and employment of those they serve. In response, staff have been ramping up their services. The team currently assists 4,000 clients through 30 supportive housing programs across seven counties. Recently, staff in Sacramento boxed items from their local food bank and delivered them to clients, many of whom are highly vulnerable to the virus. More staff packed their cars with supplies and met halfway between Sacramento and Redding – a total distance of more than 150 miles – to distribute essential items such as food, toilet paper, disinfecting wipes, and hand sanitizer.

LSS is also actively collecting and distributing batches of homemade masks to staff and clients, all lovingly crafted by supporters to keep safe employees and those they serve. What’s more, the broader team at LSS is now driving donations towards the purchase and delivery of food and essentials – including take-out meals from local businesses – directly to people in need of assistance as they shelter in place.

We applaud LSS’ steadfast commitment and wish the team continued success in driving support to communities throughout northern California.

By Christopher Findlay, Senior Marketing Manager

Today’s Front Line Hero is Cassia for their creativity in using cutting-edge technology to keep families connected during the pandemic.

Cassia provides services geared toward older adults across five states. The Edina, Minnesota-based organization offers independent senior living, assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing care, short-term transitional rehabilitation, adult day programs, and several community-based services.

The COVID-19 pandemic thrust video calls to the forefront of social interaction, especially for residents at senior living facilities such as Cassia’s. Cassia, however, decided to up the ante by turning to robotics. Cassia is using a robot nicknamed Beam, which is built with two HDR cameras and an audio system, to take family members of residents on virtual tours of their facilities. Family members and caregivers have the ability to control the robot remotely, allowing them to visit residents without the danger of exposure.

Thank you to Cassia for helping residents stay in touch with loved ones in a safe setting during the pandemic!

By Caitlyn Gudmundsen, Director of Strategic Initiatives

Today’s Front Line Hero is Lutheran Social Services of Northeast Florida, which is working overtime to address food insecurity in Jacksonville.

Lutheran Social Services of Northeast Florida is a trusted pillar in Jacksonville, and has served the community for more than 40 years, motivated and guided by the compassion of Christ to “serve and care for people in need.” One of the ways LSS demonstrates that compassion is through the Hunger Relief program, which was the first initiative operated by the non-profit. Additionally, LSS serves refugees, and provides programming that offers employment services designed to foster self-sufficiency, as well as comprehensive care for individuals living with HIV/AIDS. LSS’s thoughtful programming offers wraparound services to its more than 1,200 clients, including lifesaving medications and care.

Through the COVID-19 pandemic, LSS has adapted its programming to continue to serve the community. The economic downturn has increased the need for food pantry services, so LSS is now offering a mobile food pantry on select days. The mobile food pantry serves individuals in their cars to help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus, and serves more than 200 households each time. LSS continues to offer its regular food pantry Monday through Friday, and is feeding 10,000 individuals per month.

LSS Executive Director Bill Brim was recently recognized for his important role in the community in the October issue of Riverside Avondale Neighbors. Read the feature here.

Thank you to Lutheran Social Services of Northeast Florida for your ongoing commitment to serving your community!