News

March 2024 News

Friday
Mar 15

The Greater Pine Island Alliance, a nonprofit organization focused on Hurricane Ian recovery efforts, hosted a free spring break camp in March designed to support elementary school-aged children from Greater Pine Island and Matlacha who have been affected by disaster.  

Tuesday
Mar 12

About half of all credit card users are not sure what the interest rates are on their credit cards, according to CreditCards.com. Shannon Doyle, financial educator with LSS Financial Counseling, shared that the Annual Percentage Rate on your credit card is an important number to know because it can significantly impact your financial wellbeing, especially over time. She appeared on WATW Radio in Ashland, Wisconsin to inform listeners on strategies to avoid the high cost of credit. 

Monday
Mar 11
Currently, the average interest on a bank credit card rate is 21.5 percent, according to the Federal Reserve — the highest interest rate ever recorded by this organization. That means, if you are carrying a $6,000 balance on a credit card from month to month, you are paying about $107 in interest each month, which totals about $1,284 per year, depending how your credit card company handles compound interest. Learn how you can avoid the high cost of credit.

February 2024 News

Friday
Feb 23

In the February 23 Star Tribune online story on increasing consumer debt, Dan Park with LSS Financial Counseling said that fewer people were making appointments for financial counseling during the pandemic due to the pause in federal student loan payments, banks implementing temporary forbearance plans and stimulus checks. Now that those programs have ended, LSS financial counselors are busy.

Tuesday
Feb 13

Rosa cares for her three children while juggling a full-time job.  “Hundred percent struggling, to be completely honest,” she said.  The single mom turned to the Mankato Area Crisis Nursery. It’s a free emergency childcare program through Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota offering support in Blue Earth, Le Sueur, Nicollet and Waseca counties.  Read the story here. 

January 2024 News

Thursday
Jan 18

Kate LePage, a Safe Harbor regional navigator and program manager with LSS, shared with listeners on WJON Radio in St. Cloud what Lutheran Social Service is doing to prevent sex trafficking and support survivors during National Human Trafficking Prevention Month in January. 

Tuesday
Jan 16
Cherish All Children, a service of Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota, will host a virtual event designed to equip community members to keep children and youth safe from online sextortion. Protecting Youth from Online Sextortion will take place from 2:30-3:30 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 21 virtually. The event presenter will share information from the FBI and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and provide tools and resources about how to keep children and youth safe. Parents, grandparents, teachers, faith leaders, youth and others are invited. Event attendees are asked to register if they are planning to attend.
Tuesday
Jan 9
Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota is proud to recognize eight honorees statewide who received the 2023 President’s Leadership Excellence Award. The award recognizes exceptional employees who demonstrate outstanding leadership, inspire colleagues, drive innovation, and build community. They include Alaina Erickson, Jared Griffin, Kathy Sauve, Elizabeth Saevig, Shanon Kalbrener, Kim Prinsen, Melody Raw and Erin Sutton.