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Leaders from nonprofit housing and social service organizations nationwide — stewards of nearly $2 billion in combined affordable housing assets — came together in Northern Virginia to deepen collaboration and advance creative solutions to challenges in the financing, development, and management of affordable housing and support services.

RESTON, Va. — Fellowship Square hosted Lutheran Services in America’s Housing Solutions Collaborative Nov. 12–13 to explore implementation strategies and solutions that increase access to affordable and stable housing for the one in 50 people in America served by the Lutheran Services in America (LSA) network.

“Sixty-five years ago, Lutheran Reverand John A. Scherzer founded Fellowship Square to provide safe, reliable housing for seniors in the Washington, D.C. area,” said Christy Zeitz, CEO of Fellowship Square.  “Our organization is proud to partner with LSA and its members and continue our tradition of working to solve the continuing housing crisis plaguing the DC metro area and beyond.”

“Affordable housing is fundamental to the health and well-being of individuals and whole communities alike,” said Alesia Frerichs, president and CEO of Lutheran Services in America. “The Housing Solutions Collaborative brings together diverse stakeholders to strengthen our collective ability, and the ability of the communities we support, to expand access to safe, reliable housing and supportive services. We’re very pleased to welcome a growing set of partners who share our commitment to address this hardship.”

The Lutheran Services of America Housing Solutions Collaborative includes more than 20 leading nonprofit organizations working across 25 states and Washington, D.C. The Collaborative addresses barriers to affordable housing for people who need it most, including people with disabilities, older adults, and families experiencing poverty, refugee communities, and more.

Collaborative members steward more than $1 billion in annual revenues and manage nearly $2 billion in assets, including strong affordable housing portfolios. Fellowship Square is a member of the Housing Solutions Collaborative.

“We’re honored to host the Housing Solutions Collaborative at Hunters Woods Fellowship House where Fellowship Square invested $26 million to renovate and modernize a building that serves more than 300 seniors who live on less than $20,000 a year,” said Zeitz. “Our residents are proof that everyone has the ability to help those that struggle to make ends meet and provide supportive services to ensure a high-quality of life for all.”

About Lutheran Services in America
Lutheran Services in America, one of the nation’s largest networks of health and human service providers, is rooted in a century-long, faith-based commitment to service. Its 300 nonprofit organizations operate in 1,400 communities across 46 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands, reaching more than 7 million people each year. Together, they improve outcomes for children, youth and families, support independence for older adults, champion meaningful services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and strengthen stability and purpose for veterans and others. Lutheran Services in America brings together a broad network of leaders, partners and stakeholders, connecting insights, elevating innovation, fostering collaboration, and shaping policies and practices that advance health and opportunity for all.

About Fellowship Square
Based in Reston, Va., Fellowship Square is one of the leading nonprofit providers of affordable housing and services to low-income seniors in the greater Washington DC region, owning 670 units (240 of them jointly) and serving more than 800 older adults. Through HUD funding and vouchers, residents of Fellowship Houses – many who live on Social Security or Supplemental Security Income alone, with an average annual fixed-income of $10,000/year – pay no more than 30 percent of their income toward their housing costs, including rent and a utility allowance. Through professionally managed apartment communities, programming, and services, Fellowship Square ensures that residents have the support they need to live independent and fulfilling lives even in the face of serious obstacles, such as the high costs of housing in the region.

WASHINGTON — Lutheran Services in America announces a new partnership with RRF Foundation for Aging (RRF) to launch Rural Caregiver Voices 2026: Elevating the Rural Caregiver Experience, a national initiative designed to uplift the lived experiences of family caregivers supporting older adults across rural and frontier communities. This project responds to a critical gap in the aging and caregiving landscape: the stories, challenges, and expertise of rural caregivers remain largely unheard in conversations shaping systems of care.

With generous support from RRF, the project builds on Lutheran Services in America’s Rural Aging Action Network (RAAN), a proven model that strengthens community leadership, innovation, and peer-to-peer learning in underserved rural communities. In partnership with the National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC), Rural Caregiver Voices 2026 will equip rural family caregivers with tools in storytelling, systems literacy, and leadership development, ensuring that those who shoulder the bulk of caregiving responsibilities in rural America have the skills and platforms to advance meaningful change.

“Family caregivers in rural communities play an extraordinary role in the health and well-being of older adults, and yet their lived experiences too often go unseen in decisions and discussions that impact their daily lives,” said Alesia Frerichs, president and CEO of Lutheran Services in America. “Through this partnership with RRF Foundation for Aging, we are expanding the power of local leadership and elevating the expertise of rural caregivers whose voices are essential to designing equitable, responsive systems of support.”

“At RRF Foundation for Aging, we are committed to improving the quality of life for all older people, and that includes uplifting the experiences of those who care for them,” said RRF President and CEO Mary O’Donnell. “This partnership with Lutheran Services in America ensures that rural family caregivers—who often serve as the primary source of support for older adults aging in place—are better equipped, heard, and connected to conversations that shape the services and resources available to them.”

Through in-depth qualitative research, a two-day storytelling and mobilization workshop in Washington, D.C., and ongoing coaching by NAC, the project will identify and train rural family caregivers and aging leaders across Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota RAANs. Participants will engage directly with national leaders, share their stories, and contribute to a co-branded Rural Family Caregiver Framework that highlights the real-world challenges and opportunities facing rural caregiving communities.

About Lutheran Services in America
Lutheran Services in America, one of the nation’s largest networks of health and human service providers, is rooted in a century-long, faith-based commitment to service. Its 300 nonprofit organizations operate in 1,400 communities across 46 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands, reaching more than 7 million people each year. Together, they improve outcomes for children, youth and families, support independence for older adults, champion meaningful services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and strengthen stability and purpose for veterans and others. Lutheran Services in America brings together a broad network of leaders, partners and stakeholders, connecting insights, elevating innovation, fostering collaboration, and shaping policies and practices that advance health and opportunity for all.

About RRF Foundation for Aging (RRF)
RRF Foundation for Aging seeks to improve the quality of life for older people through grantmaking, research, and thought leadership. RRF invests in innovative, forward-looking solutions that support older adults in aging with dignity, independence, and well-being. With a focus on equity and impact, RRF funds initiatives that strengthen caregiving, enhance economic security, and expand access to essential supports—particularly in communities facing persistent disparities. Learn more at www.rrf.org.