LSA News

On November 2, President Obama signed into law a two-year budget and debt ceiling agreement, the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 (BBA, 114-74). The measure lifts the federal borrowing limit – also known as the debt ceiling – through March 2017, and provides a framework for federal spending in fiscal years 2016 and 2017. The deal includes $80 billion in sequestration relief, split evenly between defense and nondefense discretionary (NDD) programs – a major win for NDD advocates like Lutheran Services in America (LSA). The legislation also addresses a looming increase in Medicare Part B premiums, and makes legislative changes to extend the solvency of the Social Security Disability Insurance trust fund. To comply with parliamentary requirements, the deal also includes program and policy changes to offset the cost of these sequester and health care provisions.

Lutheran Services in America, Incorporated (LSA) is pleased to announce the launch of the "Great Plains Senior Services Collaborative" (Collaborative), a three-year project starting October 1, 2015 with a goal to develop a model for rural communities that can be adapted and replicated in Midwestern states and beyond. LSA brings together two of the LSA network's most established senior services providers, Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota and Lutheran Social Services of North Dakota, to take joint action together to improve the lives of seniors in rural Minnesota and North Dakota. Both organizations are trusted providers of services for seniors and bring significant experience, expertise and infrastructure assets on which to build.

LSA and other national nonprofit groups have called on Congress to act immediately on legislation that will preserve charitable giving incentives that expired at the end of 2014. There are countless examples of how nonprofit organizations make a difference in your communities every day, and they are supported in large part through charitable giving.

Being a leader in today's nonprofit world requires a special set of skills and leading a social ministry adds an even more complex set of challenges and opportunities. It's a balancing act leaders can relate to as well as the focus of the 2016 LSA Lutheran Leadership Summit. This year's theme, the "Leadership Balancing Act," will take center stage, February 21 - 24, 2016 in Carefree, Arizona. During this highly interactive leadership development program, you'll explore the intersection of innovation, mission and change, through the lens and unique context of Lutheran social ministry.

On September 17, 2015, The NonProfit Times held its annual "NPT Power & Influence Top 50 Gala" at The National Press Club in Washington, D.C., to honor the nonprofit sector leaders named to this year's NPT Power & Influence Top 50 list. This year, LSA's President and CEO Charlotte Haberaecker was named for the first time to the Top 50 list, and had the opportunity to attend the gala event, representing Lutheran social ministry and our members. Accompanying Haberaecker was LSA member Sam Sipes, president and CEO of Lutheran Services Florida, and former Chairperson of LSA's Board of Directors.

Lutheran Services in America (LSA) welcomes the nomination of prospective board members who are committed to our mission and vision and share our core values. If you are called to serve as a leader helping to guide the work of one of the nation’s largest health and human services networks through active service on the Board of Directors, we invite you to submit a nomination form.

If you're considering accreditation for your organization or would like to learn more about the process and benefits of accreditation, the Council on Accreditation (COA) is the place to start. Lutheran Services in America (LSA) is a sponsoring agency of COA, which means that organizations that are members of LSA are eligible for a 25% discount from COA.

Lutheran Services in America, Incorporated (LSA) has announced the appointment of two new members to its Board of Directors. Reverend John Barton Day, executive director of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) Office of National Mission, and Reverend Donald J. Fondow, district president of the Minnesota North District of The LCMS, joined as Class B Board Directors as of August 10, 2015.

Lutheran Services in America (LSA) is thrilled to announce that it has met the Thrivent Financial Foundation's (Thrivent) Challenge Grant for the LSA 20-500 Fund, a three-year fundraising campaign commemorating and building towards LSA's 20th anniversary and the 500th anniversary of the Reformation in 2017. Thrivent's Challenge Grant matched $1 for every $1 raised from individual donors up to $25,000. Upon successful completion of the Challenge, Thrivent generously made a second grant of $25,000 to the LSA 20-500 Fund.

Lutheran Services in America (LSA) President and CEO, Charlotte Haberaecker, has been honored as one of this year's recipients of The NonProfit Times magazine's "Power & Influence Top 50" listing for her impact on behalf of the LSA network and Lutheran social ministry. LSA is one of the nation's largest health and human services networks, touching the lives of one in 50 people in the U.S. every year. The network spans the spectrum of care, providing critical services in communities across the country, from health care to disaster relief, senior care, refugee resettlement, disability support, housing, veterans' services and more.