If you have sewing skills, your talents are needed. Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota (LSS) is inviting Minnesotans to sew protective face masks to protect against sneezes and coughs to help safeguard people supported by the organization, employees, volunteers and the greater community. Please visit www.lssmn.org/sewmasks for information about patterns to use, where to mail or drop-off masks, and updates.

Minnesota college graduates carry the ninth highest average student loan debt nationwide, at $32,317 per student. For student loan borrowers, including those who have lost jobs or had work hours reduced recently, LSS Financial Counseling can help. The longtime, nonprofit financial counseling provider received a new grant from the Minnesota Office of Higher Education to expand repayment counseling for students who are worried about repaying their student loans.  

Members of Tapestry Interfaith Women, a Plymouth-based organization with a mission to promote religious understanding and friendship through dialogue between women and youth of different faiths and backgrounds, have rallied to bring joy to homeless youth. 

“We all need to feel that we are adding to the solution when a crisis hits us, and it’s hard to know where to begin until someone puts an idea on the table,” said Tapestry co-founder Peggy Fairbourne, who learned of the need from her daughter, who works for Lutheran Social Service.

Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota, one of the state's largest social services nonprofits, has a new CEO.

If you’re looking for meaningful ways to help your neighbors right now, consider getting involved to support Meals on Wheels through Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota (LSS).

Healthy volunteers are needed to help package and deliver meals to older Minnesotans who are unable to leave their homes from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. daily. Pickup locations in Redwood Falls vary based on delivery area. 

As coronavirus spreads both in the U.S. and abroad, it’s affecting adoption agencies.

Children’s Home Society and Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota work together. They have partnerships with adoption agencies around the world.

“Right now, we're seeing visas not being issued in some countries,” said Alexis Oberdorfer, president of Children’s Home Society and associate vice president for Lutheran Social Service.

“Folks that are involved in different places in the process are going to be slowed down or delayed as a result of this.”

With change and uncertainty around COVID-19, you may be feeling greater anxiety, worry and stress – especially around personal finances.

Some of us are facing the possibility of reduced income with hours cutback at work, while parents are scrambling to find child care or cover shifts so they can stay home because their child’s school has closed. Many households are stocking up on food staples and supplies, creating strain on budgets. And, there is turbulence in the stock market.

By Laura Rasmussen, Regional Coordinator with Caregiver Support and Respite Services. This letter was published at www.dl-online.com. 

Weekly visits from one of our volunteer caregivers is a highlight for an older gentleman in the community who needs someone present around the clock.

Credit card debt reached an all-time high in 2019. Last year, Americans amassed a staggering $930 billion on their credit cards, according to the Federal Reserve.

During a time of unprecedented household debt, Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota’s Financial Counseling is working with individuals and families to eliminate their debt and gain control of their finances through debt management plans.