Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota
| Abbreviation | LSSMN |
|---|---|
| Type | Social services |
| 41-0872993 | |
| Headquarters | Saint Paul, Minnesota |
|
Region
|
Minnesota |
|
Key people
|
Jodi Harpstead Eric Norelius |
| Affiliations | Lutheran Services in America |
|
Budget
|
$72,282,044 |
|
Staff
|
2,300 |
|
Volunteers
|
10,000 |
| Mission | Express the love of Christ for all people through service that inspires hope, changes lives, and builds community. |
| Website | http://www.lssmn.org/ |
Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota (LSSMN) is a social services organization headquartered in Saint Paul, Minnesota, with offices in each of the states 87 counties. As the largest non-profit in Minnesota, it employs 2,300 staff and has 10,000 volunteers. It traces its roots back to 1865 when the Vasa Lutheran Church in Welch, Minnesota opened its doors to care for four orphaned children and became the Vasa Children's Home.
LSSMN "expresses the love of Christ for all people through service that inspires hope, changes lives, and builds community." Its vision is that "[a]ll people have the opportunity to live and work in community with dignity, safety, and hope." Further, its employee vision is that "LSS employees have deeply meaningful work that changes lives, the opportunity for their unique gifts to shine and grow, and abundant and balanced lives." It prioritizes children, youth, families, people with disabilities, and older adults.
Four children were taken in by Reverend Eric Norelius, who had the ambition to purchase ten acres of land near the Vasa Lutheran Church in Welch, Minnesota in order to dedicate a building meant for orphans and ample room for farming. His vision was realized with the construction of the Vasa Children's Home. Norelius managed the institution until 1876, when the Minnesota Conference took over the Home. After being rebuilt twice due to environmental and fire safety issues, the Home relocated to their current location in Red Wing, Minnesota. Currently, the building houses children and young adults aged 7–22 years old with disabilities.
LSSMN offers 63 total services, which includes programs that target youth homelessness, adoption, senior nutrition, immigration, and financial wellness. In 2012, LSS merged adoption services with Children’s Home Society, which now handles all of their adoption needs. LSSMN offers behavioral counseling services at 14 of its sites. It also operates Knutson Point Camp and Retreat Center.
In May 2015, LSSMN broke ground in Duluth, Minnesota for a shelter that will house 20 youth and act as a central location to dispense youth homeless services. The Center should be completed in 2017.
LSSMN is a member of the Lutheran Services in America (LSA) network. LSSMN President and CEO Jodi Harpstead is on the LSA Board of Directors. It is partnered with 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.
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