Returning to school can be an exciting time for a child. It brings classmates back together for another year of growth and learning. Back to school time can also be a financial hardship for some families. Children need school supplies, immunizations and health care, new clothes and more. Addressing these needs is what inspired Family…
(Editor’s Note: With the announcement from the White House this week that the United States has accepted 10,000 Syrian refugees this year ahead of schedule, this is the story of the first Syrian refugees resettled in Oregon. This story appeared in our most recent Annual Report.) He’s one of the most patriotic people you will…
The 2016 8 Lakes Leg Aches Bike Ride was cooler than normal this year but still plenty warm. This Eastern Washington event—a fundraiser for LCS Northwest’s programs in Spokane—has become a tradition and drew approximately 600 riders from around the Pacific Northwest. “This is my second year riding 8 Lakes,” commented a rider on the…
(Editor’s Note: Beth Farmer is the Director of Refugee and Asylum Services for LCS Northwest’s North Puget Sound Region. Andrew Kritovich is the Director of International Counseling and Community Services in SeaTac and Kent. They both started new roles with LCS Northwest July 1.) For decades, LCS Northwest has provided mental health and resettlement services…
On May 4, 2015, Holly Ruiz was arrested for possession of methamphetamine in Klamath Falls, OR. She thought her life was over. “Little did I know that my life was just beginning,” Ruiz said. “I was tired of the ball and chain that is methamphetamine.” Ruiz was “seriously freaking out” when she went to Drug…
LCS Northwest partners with people in drug and alcohol addiction recovery. We offer recovery services to people in Central Oregon and Klamath Falls. Mike Bricker works in our Klamath Falls office as the Adult Substance Use Disorder Treatment Team Leader. Bricker is in long-term recovery, as he has been sober for more than 35 years.…
LCS Northwest is always looking for foster parents in the Seattle area who will open their homes and hearts to children and youth. This short video highlights the need for foster parents for refugee and immigrant teenagers. These older youth have been forced to flee their home country and have no adults to care for…
The bright colors of Klamath Falls’ Latino community were on display during our annual Cinco de Mayo Parade and Festival Saturday, May 7. Held during the first Saturday in May, this was the 14th Cinco de Mayo Parade. The parade is sponsored by LCS Northwest’s Hispanic Advisory Committee, which was formed 20 years ago to…
‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ Matthew 25:40 Lutheran Community Services Northwest Strategic Plan 2016-2018 By David Duea, President and CEO We’ve created a vision of growth for Lutheran Community Services Northwest. Our 2016-2018 Strategic Plan focuses on…
Patrick D’Amelio knew what he wanted to be. “At the most basic human level I understood in my heart that I wanted to be a dad,” D’Amelio said. “It was no more complicated than that.” The youngest of 10 kids from a Catholic family, he had a deeply held spiritual belief that he was meant…
With her globetrotting days behind her, 95 year-old Doris Matthews is determined to maintain her independence. She also maintains her annual donation to Lutheran Community Services Northwest. “I just believe in what you believe in,” she says firmly and without hesitation in explaining why she donates. Matthews has been a supporter of Lutheran Community Services…
The role of a caregiver is to provide assistance to elderly clients, but the key to doing the job well is empathy. “As a good caregiver, you have to be patient and understanding and have compassion, but being able to empathize is vital,” says LCS Northwest’s Ninibeth De Castro. She was recently named Caregiver of…
