Our Stories
Finding the Road to Recovery
Klamath Falls, OR – It took Amber Avitable 20 years to find the road to recovery. It wasn’t easy to find, but now she believes in herself.“I’ve learned that I have a purpose in life,” Amber said with a smile. “Nothing can hold me back in life if I don’t let it.”The...
Gethsemane Welcomes LCS Immigration
Earlier this year, LCS Northwest was invited to house our Seattle Immigration Counseling services at Gethsemane Lutheran Church. We graciously accepted the offer.This urban congregation actively embraces people of many gender identities and expressions, sexual...
Candidate Visits: Message of Hope
By Erin Williams, District Director(Editor’s note: Erin Williams leads our work in Spokane. Prior to that, she was our Director of Victim Advocacy in Spokane.) We don’t endorse candidates up for election, but they can learn about us and we can learn from them. With...
Rapping for Mental Health
Three balloons float in Travis Civic Rybarski’s office. They’re a gift from a coworker celebrating his passion: rap music. “When I come to work, being a rapper is still my first identity,” he said. “I’m also a youth partner when I’m rapping.” As a Youth...
Familias Unidas guides homeless family toward a brighter future
Like any parent, Hilda Rodriguez wanted a better future for her children. It’s what motivated her and husband Gabriel Robles to leave Mexico for a new life in the United States more than 27 years ago. When their son found himself as a single parent raising three...
8 Lakes Bike Ride Moves to June
Enough of the smoke already! Our 8 Lakes Leg Aches annual fundraising bicycle ride in Spokane will take place in June instead of August starting in 2019. Next year’s ride will be June 22, and will take place the Saturday after Father’s Day in upcoming...
Coping with Panic Attacks
Right as the interview started in our Prineville office, Christopher Koontz made it clear he had a rough night. “I had a really bad panic attack last night,” he said. “It’s always tough for me to think clearly the next day.” But for the next hour, Koontz talked about...
