Category: Frontline Heroes

Science shows that embracing practices that relax the mind as well as the body has long-lasting positive effects as we age. Integrative approaches are beneficial for promoting good health and well-being, while also making people happier in their lives.

Nurturing the mind, body and soul is the mantra for Aase Haugen Senior Services in Decorah, Iowa. At Aase Haugen, a stress-free environment is key to healthy living and is the basis for its flexible system of care. This continuing care retirement community prides itself on offering innovative solutions for senior living and specialized care for recovery, long-term nursing, and other areas.

Aase Haugen also maintains an eye on the well-being of its staff, especially during these challenging times. The services that skilled nursing professionals provide on a regular basis are an irreplaceable facet of the lives of many older adults. To show its gratitude, Aase Haugen and three other local nursing homes met with the Winneshiek County Board of Supervisors during “National Skilled Nursing Care Week” to advocate for support for their dedicated workers.

Aase Haugen Senior Services is a member of Lutheran Services in America, a network of 300 health and human service organizations located in more than 1,400 communities across the United States. Together, the network makes a difference in the lives of one in 50 Americans every year.

Learn more about Aase Haugen Senior Services.

By Christopher Findlay, Senior Marketing Manager

When Hurricane Elsa began developing last week, it was unclear what areas the storm would damage and who would be affected. Lutherans in the United States have a long history of participating in disaster response and are often the first to arrive in the wake of an emergency. Lutheran Services Carolinas, located in Salisbury, North Carolina, is dedicated to disaster response in their region and rose to the challenge once again in the wake of Elsa.

As Hurricane Elsa approached, Lutheran Services Carolinas took immediate action to help their friends and neighbors who would be struck by the storm. In partnership with NC Mission Ministries and FEMA Donation Management, Lutheran Services Carolinas Disaster Services helped load emergency supplies for distribution across the coastal areas of North and South Carolina. These donations made a huge difference for communities affected by the storm.

Lutheran Services Carolinas is a member of Lutheran Services in America, a network of 300 health and human service organizations located in more than 1,400 communities across the United States. Together, the network makes a difference in the lives of one in 50 Americans every year.

Learn more about Lutheran Services Carolinas.

By Sophia Behrens, Intern

Every person deserves a chance to reach their full potential, an opportunity to succeed despite any mitigating circumstances in which they find themselves.

We Raise Foundation in Itasca, Illinois, is in the business of investing in human potential. The foundation is leveraging the power of generosity to make a difference in people’s lives throughout its community using strategic, collaborative, and sustainable solutions. Together with its partners, We Raise is transforming Chicago neighborhoods for the better.

The foundation awarded their largest grant to date to the MAAFA Redemption Project, which provides housing—in addition to life coaching, professional training, and other social services—for high-risk young men in the Chicago’s West Garfield Park, an area with one of the lowest life expectancies in the city. With support from We Raise, the MAAFA Redemption Project is revitalizing a neighborhood that the project’s executive director describes as long forgotten.

Thirty-one-year-old Quentin is a product of MAAFA’s work. Traumatized by the death of family members and incarceration of people close to him, Quentin turned to MAAFA to build back his sense of trust. After completing MAAFA’s program, he earned his high school diploma and was accepted to an associate’s program at Loyola University Chicago.

Two years ago, We Raise helped make an incredible second chapter possible for Tabitha. After completing her seventh prison sentence, Tabitha went back to school and subsequently founded the SoulFisher Ministries, which provides workforce training and educational resources for women as they re-enter society after incarceration. With We Raise’s backing, Tabitha is helping to keep formerly incarcerated women above the poverty line and out of prison.

We Raise’s belief that all people deserve to be protected from poverty, violence, and inequality is transforming lives through education, training, and many other support programs that offer a brighter future to so many.

We Raise Foundation is a member of Lutheran Services in America, a network of 300 health and human service organizations located in more than 1,400 communities across the United States. Together, the network makes a difference in the lives of one in 50 Americans every year.

Learn more about We Raise Foundation.

By Christopher Findlay, Senior Marketing Manager

Sometimes the best support someone can receive after a traumatic experience comes with four legs. Mark and Walker are a pair of colleagues dedicated to sexual assault and crime victim advocacy. Walker is a certified courthouse facility dog and Mark is his handler and caregiver. Mark works at Lutheran Community Services Northwest in SeaTac, Washington, as a sexual assault and crime victim advocate.

In a recent interview with LCS Northwest’s Louise McGrody, Mark details how he and Walker spend their time with survivors of sexual assault, providing priceless comfort while survivors report their stories to law enforcement and attorneys. Walker’s furry cuddles help soothe people and give them courage to retell traumatic events. Mark provides an example of Walker’s work where in one interview, a young woman was able to calm down while with Walker to give enough information to identify another offender. Mark and Walker also provide support to the staff in the offices at Lutheran Community Services, whether it’s a tough day or stressful meeting.

Lutheran Community Services Northwest is a member of Lutheran Services in America, a network of 300 health and human service organizations located in more than 1,400 communities across the United States. Together, the network makes a difference in the lives of one in 50 Americans every year.

Learn more about Lutheran Community Services Northwest and read the full interview with Mark and Walker here.

By Sophia Behrens, Intern

The tragic building collapse in Surfside, Florida, brought heartache to the loved ones of 98 individuals. In the wake of the tragedy, Lutheran Church Charities in Northbrook, Illinois, deployed its team of comfort dogs to help the victims’ families cope during their time of mourning.

Launched in 2008, the Lutheran Church Charities K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry is a national human-care ministry embracing the unique, calming nature and skills of purebred golden retrievers. LCC K-9 comfort dogs are working animals, trained to interact with people of all ages in need. From Northeastern communities hit by Superstorm Sandy to Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, LCC’s comfort dogs are a welcome distraction for victims of the unthinkable and their loved ones.

Following the collapse in Surfside, a local Lutheran pastor reached out to LCC and the ministry answered the call with nine golden retrievers in tow. “Lutheran Church Charities uses only ‘goldens’ because they love people, they’re very smart, and people like to approach them,” said LCC’s Cheryl Skelly in an interview with the Beloit Daily News. “They’re a people dog. They just want to be with people.” Along with the natural comfort the retrievers provide, LCC dog handlers handed out plush toys to rescuers to deliver to their children and an opportunity to pray for anyone interested—a multi-pronged approach to helping all those in need.

Lutheran Church Charities is a member of Lutheran Services in America, a network of 300 health and human service organizations located in more than 1,400 communities across the United States. Together, the network makes a difference in the lives of one in 50 Americans every year.

Learn more about Lutheran Church Charities.

By Christopher Findlay, Senior Marketing Manager

The Lutheran Services in America network is working passionately to resettle Afghan allies and their families here in the United States. Following the recent takeover by the Taliban in Afghanistan, Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area in Washington D.C., has been a leader in finding new homes for Afghans around the nation’s capital.

LSS has welcomed more than 550 individuals so far, with the goal of resettling approximately 800 over a two-month period. The organization is receiving help from across the community. LSS spokesperson Autumn Kendrick told CBS News Uber and Lyft have donated free transportation for daily tasks, such as trips to the grocery store or job interviews, and Airbnb recently donated $70,000 for temporary bookings. In order to accommodate the influx of refugees, the organization is continuously reevaluating how it operates. With generous support from partners, LSS expects to continue to assist Afghan refugees during this critical time.

Since 1917, the Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area has been making a positive impact in their community. Today LSS continues to foster healthy and self-sufficient livelihoods through community services, including refugee and immigrant resettlement, workforce development, and interpretation; family and children services such as foster care for unaccompanied refugee minors and adoption services; and health and wellness services.

Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area is a member of Lutheran Services in America, a network of 300 health and human service organizations located in more than 1,400 communities across the United States. Together, the network makes a difference in the lives of one in 50 Americans every year.

Learn more about Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area and find out how you can get involved.

By the Lutheran Services in America team

“Practicing compassion will change the world.” The team at Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota lives by the promise of addressing the needs of its community with compassion for all, working to connect people with opportunities to live and work with dignity, safety and hope.

LSS’s passion for transforming lives and building community is evident at its Center for Changing Lives in Duluth, which provides holistic care for all individuals, no matter their background. The center offers transitional housing and supportive apartments, life skills training, counseling support and wellness education, amongst other services, to 880 young people each year.

“We’re really here to help them build the skills and connections they need to be successful in life,” Kelly Looby, LSS’s program director in youth, children and family services, said in an interview with the Duluth News Tribune. Many young people migrate from location to location before arriving at the center. “This could be the first time they’ve ever had a home,” Looby said.

The center follows a wraparound model in which it offers comprehensive services focused on providing young people with what they need, all from a holistic standpoint that speaks to its core mission for more than 150 years of inspiring hope while responding to the changing needs of Minnesotans.

The Center for Changing Lives is but one significant component in a broader effort by LSS to transform the lives of young people. LSS participates in the Lutheran Services in America Results Network, a cohort within our Results Innovation Lab that focuses on stabilizing families in their communities and preventing the unnecessary placement of children into out-of-home care. Through this program, LSS is helping to improve equitable outcomes with the goal of making a measurable difference in the lives of 20,000 children and youth by 2024.

Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota is a member of Lutheran Services in America, a network of 300 health and human service organizations located in more than 1,400 communities across the United States. Together, the network makes a difference in the lives of one in 50 Americans every year.

Learn more about Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota.

By Christopher Findlay, Senior Marketing Manager

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. At least 1 in 3 women and 1 in 7 men have experienced some form of domestic violence. It is a calamity affecting people of all backgrounds that has only become more severe during the COVID-19 pandemic.

There is hope for anyone who has experience with domestic violence. The Lutheran Social Services of Central Ohio organization’s CHOICES for Victims of Domestic Violence program assists victims in breaking the cycle and beginning the healing process. LSS chronicles the story of Dina, a victim of abuse who sought refuge with her children at the LSS CHOICES shelter. “I have a job. I have friends. I smile a lot and even laugh with the other women,” she told LSS a month after living at the shelter. “I am proud and feel confident. I am enjoying my life. This is freedom.”

LSS CHOICES offers temporary emergency shelter at an unpublished location for victims and their children who are in imminent danger and have no safe place to go. LSS also offers a 24-hour hotline staffed by people who are trained in safety planning and provide information and referrals based on a caller’s individual needs. “We get about 4,500 crisis hotline calls a year,” said Susan L. Villilo, assistant vice president of community-based services at Lutheran Social Services, in an interview with the Columbus Dispatch. In 2020, LSS sheltered more than 800 people, she said.

Last week, LSS was featured for the second time by the WBNS television special “Choose Hope: Breaking the Cycle of Domestic Violence Together,” which explored the organization’s work through the CHOICES program. The special featured two female victims who shared their experiences and their choice to turn to LSS CHOICES. Their bravery exemplifies the strength of all people who experience domestic violence.

Lutheran Social Services of Central Ohio is a member of Lutheran Services in America, a network of 300 health and human service organizations located in more than 1,400 communities across the United States. Together, the network makes a difference in the lives of one in 50 Americans every year.

Learn more about Lutheran Social Services of Central Ohio and its LSS CHOICES program.

By Christopher Findlay, Senior Marketing Manager

Tens of thousands of Afghan families have come to the United States since the withdrawal of troops over the summer. From Virginia to Arizona and Minnesota to Florida, the Lutheran Services in America network is working to assist the newest generation of Americans in planting new roots.

Finding housing for newly arrived families is the priority for Lutheran Services in Iowa. The organization is in constant contact with landlords across Sioux City to find suitable accommodations. In addition to affordable housing, LSI connects refugees with employers in the area, including Tyson Foods.

LSI is working to resettle up to 200 refugees in the area amidst a nationwide labor crunch. The workforce shortage has led the organization to reach out for additional support from the community. “We’re looking for volunteers who can be family mentors and help transport people to appointments and English classes,” said Bethany Kohoutek, vice president of marketing and communications for LSI, in an interview with the Sioux City Journal. Kohoutek welcomes the new arrivals as a “really necessary component of helping Iowa thrive.”

LSI is leading an effort in the community to create welcome boxes for the families, who generally arrive in the United States with minimal possessions. The welcome boxes include necessities such as dishes, bedding items and winter clothing.

Lutheran Services in Iowa is a member of Lutheran Services in America, a nonprofit that harnesses a nationwide network of 300 health and human services organizations to change lives in communities across America. Together, the network works with more than one in 50 people in America each year.

Learn more about Lutheran Services in Iowa and how you can volunteer to assist the resettlement of our Afghan allies.

By Christopher Findlay, Senior Marketing Manager

The Christmas season is a natural time to reflect on our own lives and the experiences of others. The holiday season brings a renewed sense of faith for many and sparks a curiosity in learning more about the world in which we live.

While Christmas is generally a time of happiness and celebration, it is also a stressful period, especially for many older adults who face less involvement with loved ones. SpiriTrust Lutheran in Pennsylvania is proactively engaging older adults in its communities to ensure their well-being. December is Spiritual Literacy Month, which encourages people to deepen one’s faith or gain a broader understanding of another spiritual practice. To celebrate, SpiriTrust is recommending residents read about spirituality, faith or religion, even if one is not particularly religious. In promoting this month’s observance, the organization quoted Ralph Waldo Emerson in saying, “Make your own Bible. Select and collect all the words and sentences that in all your readings have been to you like the blast of a trumpet.”

For decades, SpiriTrust has played an important role in providing compassionate care and support to older adults in its communities to ensure their well-being and help them achieve an optimal quality of life. SpiriTrust created its Spirit360 program to inspire meaningful purpose in the lives of residents by empowering them with continued growth opportunities for wellness in body, mind and spirit. The program fully integrates seven dimensions of wellness to encompass every aspect of life, supporting active aging and well-being so residents can live as fully as possible. Spirit360 emphasizes purposeful, enriching experiences amongst its residents, and encourages them to move forward with enthusiasm and positivity.

Our network focuses on empowering older adults and others to help build strong and thriving communities. This work transcends demographic lines, covering people of all races and ages. At a time when aging is sometimes associated with a missing sense of purpose, we are committed to enabling older adults to age with dignity and respect, during the Christmas season and beyond.

SpiriTrust Lutheran is a member of Lutheran Services in America, a nonprofit that harnesses a nationwide network of 300 health and human services organizations to change lives in communities across America. Together, the network works with one in 50 people in America each year.

Learn more about SpiriTrust Lutheran and its Spirit360 program.