"Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota expresses the love of Christ for all people through service that inspires hope, changes lives, and builds community."

LSS Disaster Services

LSS Disaster Recovery Services include long-term disaster case management, volunteer coordination, rebuild assistance, mental health supports, financial counseling, Camp Noah (for children impacted by disaster) and other related disaster recovery services.

How can you help?
Recovery takes a long time. Throughout the process families need support to rebuild their homes and their lives. Your contribution helps give families the hope and resources they need.

MAKE A DONATION NOW >

Send donations by check to:
Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota, ATTN: Disaster Services
SDS 12-2054
PO Box 86
Minneapolis, MN 55486-2054

To support the Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami relief and rehabilitation efforts, Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota invites gifts to ELCA Disaster Response.

Volunteer
Volunteers not only provide valuable physical help, they also offer families great comfort by simply showing up and letting them know that they are not alone.

Immediate Need!
Volunteer Teams needed to help bring healing to children through Camp Noah!

Other current volunteer needs:
Long Term Flood Recovery Volunteers
Wadena and OtterTail Long Term Recovery Volunteers

Current Updates:

Spring 2011 Tornados Families affected by devastating tornadoes need your help! The tornado in North Minneapolis on Sunday, May 22 caught many by surprise as 120- mile-an-hour winds ripped off rooftops and downed mature trees that fell on homes and cars. Our hearts go out to those affected. We encourage individuals seeking to provide or needing immediate help with shelter, food and clothing to contact our disaster relief partners, the American Red Cross at 612.871.7676 or the Salvation Army at 612.522.4871. For information regarding the latest city updates, visit the City of Minneapolis website at http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/. At LSS of Minnesota, we will be working with families after immediate needs have been met by providing special support to children through Camp Noah and longer-term, rebuilding services to families. Your financial support is critically needed to bring physical and emotional recovery as families begin the long journey of recovery. MAKE A DONATION NOW > Camp Noah has an immediate need for volunteer teams to help children deal with their losses, fear and feelings of uncertainty about the future. Volunteer teams are needed in Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri and Alabama this summer. Volunteer Teams needed to help bring healing to children through Camp Noah!

Long-Term Flood Recovery With the help of LSSMN Disaster Services Staff, communities affected by floods have made great progress in the long and difficult clean-up process of mucking out, disinfecting and removing debris from homes and businesses. And although no longer in the spotlight, the recovery process is far from over. Volunteers to make their homes habitable once again. Unfortunately, many families not only suffered the loss of their home but also all of their personal property, some even their business. Resources are scarce. Most families have had to borrow more money than they can afford to repay. Your financial support can help people in these communities to rebuild and recover. Please consider making a donation to disaster recovery efforts or volunteering to help families rebuild their homes and lives.

NW Minnesota Long-Term Tornado Recovery On June 17, 2010, an unprecedented number of tornadoes touched down in multiple areas throughout the state of Minnesota. These devastating tornadoes caused three deaths, hundreds of injuries and wide-scale damage. Since early summer, LSS Disaster Services has worked hard to ensure that families receive the support and care they deserve. This support began with a call for help which was answered by hundreds of volunteers who worked over 1,000 hours to help families clean-up and rebuild. Next, LSSMN Disaster Services helped the citizens of Wadena develop the Wadena/ Otter-Tail Long Term Recovery Committee (WOLTRC), which was established to help develop resources for the rebuilding and recovery efforts in Wadena and Otter Tail counties. Then, LSSMN hired and continues to supervise staff in disaster case management, volunteer recruitment and reconstruction management to support families as they work through this difficult time in their lives. Disaster Case Management has assisted 139 families locate the resources to rebuild their lives and homes and has helped WOLTRC distribute over $265,000. By recruiting dozens of volunteers and supervising those volunteers many homeowners are finally moving back “home”. And although there have been many accomplishments over the past 8 months, the communities damaged by the tornado are still in need of help. Your financial support can help people in these communities to rebuild and recover. Please consider making a donation to disaster recovery efforts in Northwestern Minnesota or volunteering to help families rebuild their homes and lives.