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...
Black Lives Matter at LCS Northwest
Lutheran Community Services (LCS) Northwest condemns the murder of George Floyd and police bruitality. We are committed to not only dismantling systems of oppression, but also providing healing and opportunity. We recognize the pain of friends, families and the Black...
Coalition Works with Oregon Legislature to Extend Refugee Services
A collaborative effort led by faith-based organizations, including LCS Northwest, and community leaders convinced the Oregon Legislative Assembly to invest in refugees. The legislature funded services that connect refugees with needed resources to rebuild their lives...
Adoption Dream Comes True for Refugee Youth
Barbara and Jeremy Tantrum became a licensed foster home in 2009. Parents to a toddler and guardian to an Ethiopian teen, they wanted to foster a refugee or immigrant youth through LCS Northwest. In January 2010, the Tantrums learned from us that six Congolese...
Helping Children by Using Their Language
Play is the natural language of children. Young children learn exceptionally fast through observation and interaction. They acquire language by engaging with adults and children before they can speak. Play, however, isn’t learned; children are hard-wired for play....
Seniors Learn to Connect in Pandemic
During a time of increased isolation, seniors like Kattie Payne and her husband, John, are finding new and safe ways to connect in the digital space. “Maybe this form of connection is another way that’s being opened up for all of us who deal with Alzheimer’s disease,...
Judge Robert Gets His Day in Court
(Editor’s Note: We have changed names of the victim and his mother to protect their identities. This story deals with the issue of sexual assault of a person with a disability. This is an underreported crime. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the rate of...
Going Virtual in the Tri-Cities
Our nation may be under a stay at home order to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, but Victoria Huey still has a full work day ahead of her. Victoria works for Lutheran Community Services Northwest as a care coordinator for the Wraparound with Intensive...
Meals on Wheels Adapts Services to COVID-19 Pandemic
Susan Nocella and her Meals on Wheels team at Lutheran Community Services Northwest do more than deliver meals to homebound residents in Tacoma and Pierce County. They provide nutrition, social connection and community referrals that help vulnerable seniors remain...
Telehealth takes off in Klamath Falls
Telehealth is up and running in Klamath Falls, and key community partners appreciate our efforts. On a recent call with Klamath County Drug Court partners, Associate District Director Nora Foster was surprised by compliments about our conversion to telehealth....
Hone Your Listening Skills
We’re communicating differently during the COVID-19 crisis as we practice social distancing. Phone calls and FaceTime have replaced visiting people in person. We have to listen more closely now, because it’s more difficult to read body language when we communicate...