Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota
| File:LSSMn Logo.jpg | |
| Abbreviation | LSS |
|---|---|
| Formation | Established 1865 |
| Type | Social services |
| 41-0872993 | |
| Headquarters | Saint Paul, Minnesota |
Region | Minnesota |
Key people | Eric Norelius, founder Jodi Harpstead, CEO |
| Affiliations | Lutheran Services in America |
Budget | $72,282,044[1] |
Staff | 2,300[1] |
Volunteers | 10,000[1] |
| Website | LSSMN |
Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota (LSS) is a social service organization headquartered in Saint Paul, Minnesota, with programs in each of the state's 87 counties.
As the largest non-profit organization in Minnesota, LSS employs over 2,300 staff and is supported by 10,000 volunteers. The organization traces its roots to 1865 when Reverend Eric Norelius took in four orphaned Swedish children, founding the Vasa Children's Home.
Mission
LSS "expresses the love of Christ for all people through service that inspires hope, changes lives, and builds community." The organization's vision is for "all people [to] have the opportunity to live and work in community with dignity, safety, and hope."
Further, LSS envisions that its 2,300 employees would have "deeply meaningful work that changes lives, the opportunity for their unique gifts to shine and grow, and abundant and balanced lives."[2]
History
Vasa Children's Home
In 1865, Reverend Eric Norelius purchased ten acres of land near the site of his congregation, Vasa Lutheran Church in Welch, Minnesota, in order to dedicate a home for orphaned children while providing ample room for farming. Rev. Norelius managed Vasa Children's Home until 1876 when supervision was transferred to the Minnesota Conference of the Augustana Lutheran Synod.[3]
After being rebuilt twice due to tornado and fire damage, the home moved to its present Red Wing, Minnesota location in 1926, where it continues to house children and young adults with disabilities aged 7–22 years old.
In 2012, LSS acquired Children’s Home Society of Minnesota, forming one of the largest adoption agencies in the nation.[4]
Services
LSS reaches children, youth, families, people with disabilities, and older adults through 23 distinct lines of service.[5] Among them are programs targeting adoption and foster care services, behavioral health services, crisis shelters for children and services for youth experiencing homelessness, disaster response, employment services, financial counseling and debt management services, support services for people with disabilities, and support services for older adults.
LSS operates Camp Knutson, which hosts annual summer camps for children with special needs in Crosslake, Minnesota,[6] as well as Camp Noah for children and communities impacted by disasters.[7]
Center for Changing Lives, Duluth
In May 2015, LSS broke ground in Duluth, Minnesota for a facility that will house 20 young people experiencing homelessness while acting as a central location to dispense youth services.[8] The center opened in June 2017.
Affiliations
LSS is a member of the Lutheran Services in America (LSA) network.[9] LSSMN President and CEO Jodi Harpstead is on the LSA Board of Directors.[10]
The organization is a partner of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and most Region 3 ELCA synods. Other faith-based partners include Thrivent Financial and Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service. Target is a corporate partner.[11]
References
- ^ a b c "Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota". GuideStar. Retrieved December 22, 2017.
- ^ "About Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota (LSS)". Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota. Retrieved December 22, 2017.
- ^ Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota Retrieved December 22, 2017.
- ^ Natalie Zett (July 3, 2012). "Children's Home Society and Lutheran Social Service merge adoption services". Twin Cities Daily Planet. Retrieved December 22, 2017.
- ^ "All Services". www.lssmn.org. Retrieved 2017-12-22.
- ^ "http://www.lssmn.org/camp/". www.lssmn.org. Retrieved 2017-12-22.
{{cite web}}: External link in|title= - ^ "http://www.lssmn.org/camp_noah/". www.lssmn.org. Retrieved 2017-12-22.
{{cite web}}: External link in|title= - ^ John Lundy (May 5, 2016). "Ground broken for Center for Changing Lives in Duluth". Duluth News Tribune. Retrieved December 22, 2017.
- ^ "Social Ministry Organization Directory" (PDF). Lutheran Services in America. April 2016. Retrieved December 22, 2017.
- ^ The LSA Board of Directors Retrieved December 22, 2017.
- ^ "Corporate and Foundation Partners". Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota. Retrieved December 22, 2017.
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