Letter From the President
Dear Friends of LSS
When we turn the calendar on
December 31, LSS will begin its 140th year of work in Minnesota! We have a
remarkable heritage, passionately devoted to serving others. Our work
began in Vasa and Red Wing, where our work remains vital to this day.
In addition to celebrating our
past, LSS will be recognizing major initiatives for the future. In Red
Wing, we will be completing renovations to the Vasa Center, a massive
effort to prepare for another century of service for young people with
developmental and physical disabilities. We will be conducting special
campaigns to assure that we will continue to be able to serve at-risk and
homeless youth. We will be preparing for major initiatives in our work in
the Twin Cities' poorest neighborhood. We will be planning new ventures to
help older persons live in community.
I believe that in our society
every child should have a safe place to sleep every night. I believe that
in our society every older person should have the opportunity to live in
community. I believe that in our society every person with disabilities
should have the opportunity to be fully engaged in community. Our work is
devoted to these values.
In a history that spans as many as 140 years, LSS has experienced good
times as well as challenging episodes. We are preparing for some
significant challenges that are likely in the next few years, and we will
be reaching out to you for your support in several ways.
Over the last year, we have seen funding evaporate for some of our youth
services. In some cases, we were able to find other funding to keep
helping the at-risk and homeless youth we serve statewide. In other cases,
we were forced to end services to this very vulnerable group. Individuals
from church groups, or acting alone, have voiced their concern that our
State's public policy is disregarding the needs of the at-risk and
struggling youth and families.
Others across Minnesota are
baffled that the inexpensive and highly-effective programs that allow
frail seniors to live in their own homes are again being threatened by
State budget cutting.
Long term, I believe that
Minnesota and the nation will invent and support better ways of watching
out for those less fortunate than we. Stories in this publication give you
some snapshots of social service programs that end with personal success
and victory over adversity. Meanwhile, we will be relying on the goodness
of our friends and the kindness of strangers to assure that programming
stays intact, through their advocacy and personal support.
Individual philanthropy,
always important to charities such as LSS, is becoming more and more
important to those we help. Gifts from individuals, businesses and
churches allow us to retain our high-quality reputation for helping
people, and giving them the opportunity to live and work in community with
dignity, safety and hope. I will be asking you for your help again, and I
thank you in advance for your generous response.
Watch our website,
www.lssmn.org - and your mail this year
for news about our 140th Anniversary
Blessings to you in this
holiday season.
Mark A. Peterson
President/CEO
