Two new mental health professionals have joined the Behavioral Health team at Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota (LSS) in Mankato. Kaylie Erickson and Jackie Wood bring a wide range of specialization to LSS Behavioral Health including for individuals, children, families and couples.

“Kaylie and Jackie provide a safe, non-judgmental space to receive support on your journey to wellbeing,” said Amanda Luedtke, LSS Behavioral Health Regional Director. “Both counselors offer a calm presence that puts others at ease so they can better process their thoughts and feelings.”

Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota (LSS) moved to a new location in Moorhead that provides increased office space to expand services, greater accessibility with all services on one level and additional parking.

The community is invited to an open house on Thursday, December 12 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. with tours and light refreshments at the new offices, located at 3101 South Frontage Road in Moorhead.

A Mankato fence is providing a helping hand for those who need winter clothing.

The fence in front of the REACH Drop-In Center is decorated with donated scarves, hats and gloves for anyone who may need them.

Staff says they got the idea about three years ago from a Pinterest post, so they decided to utilize their outdoor fence.

Alexis Oberdorfer, a longtime adoption expert and child welfare advocate, became president of Children’s Home Society of Minnesota (Children’s Home) on November 14. She was also named as associate vice president for adoption and foster care at Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota (LSS). The two organizations have been partners in Adoption Services since 2012.

Jesse Stremcha has been named vice president and chief development officer for St. Paul-based Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota, which is among the largest human service organizations in Minnesota. He will provide overall leadership in philanthropy to engage individual donors, congregations and faith communities, and volunteers in the life-changing work of the organization.

When Janelle Nelson was told her foster parents wanted to adopt her and her two sisters, she was surprised.

"I said, 'You guys are crazy, but if you want to do it, go ahead,'" she recalled.

The adoption was finalized last Tuesday, and now Janelle, 17, and her sisters, Dayanara, 15, and Aliha, 14, are the daughters of Mike and Megan Nelson, of Pine Island.

"I've never really had parents in my life," Dayanara said. "I've always wanted parents."

November is National Adoption Month. One family celebrating the Nelson family from Pine Island.

Finding themselves with extra bedrooms as their older children moved out, Mike and Megan Nelson began welcoming foreign exchange students into their home.

After becoming certified as a foster family through LSS Foster Care Services, they brought three sisters from Willmar, Janelle, Dayanara and Aliha, into their lives.

A large trunk sits near Gail Harvey's front door in Coon Rapids. It's reserved for deliveries — mostly boxes of dolls and bears — and neatly folded handmade outfits. Each day, she empties the chest, carrying the packages to a three-stall garage in her backyard.

"It does feel like Santa's workshop at times," Harvey said as she walked through the space, past stacks and stacks of dolls, bears, soccer balls and piles of fabric.

You probably know that paying your bills on time is crucial for your credit score. But there are other factors that play into your score, as well.

One factor that you might not know about: how much of your available credit you use. You probably know it’s bad to max out a card, but even modest changes in your spending can have an impact on your score.

The Brainerd Dispatch recently shared this letter:

In a region like ours, it’s not always easy to identify youth who are without a safe place to stay. Most youth experiencing homeless in our area are sleeping on the couches of friends, staying in tents, in their cars or even in primitive shacks and ice houses.