Tag: Lutheran Social Services

Today’s Front Line Hero is Lutheran Social Services of New York (LSSNY), which is making efforts to recognize the unsung heroes of the pandemic.

Lutheran Social Services of New York (LSSNY) has sustained and even amplified its much-needed services in New York throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. LSSNY continues to serve its community, including the formerly homeless, people struggling with addiction, immigrants and refugees, people living with mental illness, families who are food insecure, and children in foster care.

Though they are providing crucial services in New York, social services providers are often overlooked. People thank doctors and nurses for their important work during the COVID-19 pandemic, but they forget about other care providers like social workers, case managers, and many others who are continuing their essential work. At the beginning of April, LSSNY started a series in which they recognize those unsung heroes in their midst.

Last week, LSSNY recognized Sandra Bisono, a case planner for LSSNY’s foster care program. For the last two years, Sandra has juggled part-time work at LSSNY and full-time graduate school, and she graduated this year with her masters in social work from Fordham University. LSSNY recently promoted Sandra to a foster care supervision position, a job she has worked hard to achieve and truly earned. Sandra has always stepped up to take on additional work to support the program, and is willing to help whenever needed.

During COVID-19, Sandra has gone the extra mile for her clients, including a 5+ hour’s long trip to the emergency room with an 11-year-old girl when a foster parent couldn’t leave her other children at home alone. She maintains her composure amidst the challenges COVID-19 presents so she can serve her clients well. Fordham University’s alumni magazine also recently recognized Sandra in a piece about alumni on the front lines of the pandemic.

Thank you to LSSNY employees like Sandra Bisono who are committed to the community they serve during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to LSSNY for elevating their work!

Today’s Front Line Hero is Lutheran Social Services of Nevada (LSSN), which is providing food pantry services every day during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lutheran Social Services of Nevada (LSSN) has provided services in Las Vegas for more than 25 years, and is a trusted source of support in the community. It began with a small group of dedicated volunteers wanting to provide food and clothing to their neighbors in need, and has since expanded to provide a wide array of services, including supports for low-income individuals and families, veterans, seniors, and people with disabilities.

LSSN is well-known for its significant contributions to food security in Las Vegas. Food programs include an online food pantry called DigiMart, mobile food distribution events, nutrition classes, live cooking demonstrations, and meal programs for seniors. As the need for food assistance increased due to the recent economic downturn, LSSN expanded its services to meet that need. It suspended its normal registration requirements for DigiMart and increased the food pantry’s size significantly, and transferred Cooking Matters classes to Zoom.

The Partnership for Food Safety Education recognized LSSN on World Food Safety Day, June 7, for its contribution to food security in Las Vegas. The organization highlighted LSSN employee, Nicolas Salas, as a 2020 food safety hero. Nicolas provides food services to pantry shoppers each day during the COVID-19 shutdown. He is the first in the building and the last to leave, and keeps to pantry organized and efficient so shoppers can have a joyful experience at LSSN.

Thank you to LSSN for serving your community’s nutritional needs, and especially to Nicolas Salas for his tireless work at the food pantry!