New Senior Hub in Tacoma Opening Soon
Senior District Director Trudy Sorensen is excited about our new Senior Hub that is about to open in Tacoma. The hub will serve as the primary office for the South Puget Sound (SPS) District. “It’s a great space that meets our needs and a very different layout than...
Creating Artistic Expression for People with Dementia
Art can help people living with dementia express their thoughts, memories and emotions. With that in mind, LCS Northwest has begun offering an art program for people living with dementia in Pierce County. Opening Minds through Art (OMA) is an award-winning,...
Our Communal Bowl Will Help Refugees, Immigrants and Local Farmers
YOU can support our refugee and immigrant neighbors by joining our Communal Bowl! Lutheran Community Services Northwest is teaming with Coopers Hall and local agriculture to make this possible in Portland. Across the world, the Communal Bowl signifies that one does...
Lutheran Community Services Northwest and Compass Housing Alliance Pursue Affiliation to Address the Region’s Growing Affordable Housing Needs
We’re excited about our upcoming affiliation with Compass Housing Alliance. This is a press release LCS Northwest sent out this morning. We will have more information about our affiliation in the near future. Lutheran Community Services Northwest and Compass...
Pilot Project Introduces Refugee Elders to Telehealth and Virtual Connections
When the spread of the coronavirus forced us to shelter in place in March, business as usual came to a halt. Diego de Acosta, program coordinator for LCS Northwest’s Elder Refugee program based in SeaTac, was unsure how he would continue assisting the 30 participants...
Helping Families for School Year in Port Angeles
Nearly 47 percent of the students enrolled in Port Angeles schools are eligible for free or reduced lunches. Pandemic or not, Lisa Lyon knew the annual Back to School event had to happen to help struggling families. Lisa manages our family support services in Clallam...
Strengthening Portland’s Immigrant and Refugee Families
A substantial new grant from the City of Portland will help us strengthen the lives of more immigrant and refugee children and their families. LCS Northwest recently received a 3-year $736,347 grant from the City of Portland’s Children’s Levy. These funds will help us...
Relief Nursery Opens in Klamath Falls
Some of the youngest residents in Klamath Falls and their families are about to get a helping hand from LCS Northwest. After earning certification this summer, A Family Gathering Place relief nursery opened its doors to its first clients in August. It took years of...
Four Principles of Culturally-Specific Behavioral Health Services
Refugees are often underserved when it comes to mental health, as there are limited services with culturally-specific programs and staff to meet their needs. Our Multicultural Community Services (MCS) based in Portland is changing that.
Connecting Foster Teens With Their Family Roots
Amber grew up in foster care. She had no knowledge of other family members and her family history was a mystery. When her social worker put her in touch with Georgina Jones, Family Find program coordinator for LCS Northwest in Astoria, the veil began to lift. Family...
Therapy Kits in Tri-Cities
One hundred shoe-sized boxes line the walls in the conference room at the Tri-Cities office. Each one is filled with art supplies, playdough, worksheets, a whiteboard and other creative items. The boxes are ready to be distributed to clients under the age of 10. ...
The Umbrella Story
A few years ago, South Puget Sound District Director Trudy Sorensen was blessed to walk with a stranger who reminded her of the work of Lutheran Community Services Northwest in the South Sound. Trudy had just left work and she could already see the stranger down the...
‘A Family Place’ Expands to Reach more Children
LCS Northwest has been keeping Yamhill County’s vulnerable children safe and families together since 2013 through our A Family Place relief nurseries. The first nursery opened in McMinnville in 2013, followed three years later by a second one in Newberg. We are now...