Lutheran Services in America

07/29/2026

Alesia Frerichs, our president and CEO, has been recognized by The NonProfit Times on its 2026 Power & Influence Top 50 list! Under Alesia’s leadership, Lutheran Services in America has united our members, partners and advocates around the common goal of protecting Medicaid to ensure that communities have access to the services and supports they need. Congratulations, Alesia!

WASHINGTON — Lutheran Services in America president and CEO Alesia Frerichs has been named to The NonProfit Times’ 2026 Power & Influence Top 50 list. This year’s honorees were recognized for demonstrating leadership that strengthens the nonprofit sector and the communities it serves. The NonP...

07/24/2026

As providers face shortages and rising costs, we're standing with our members to protect and access to care for families, older adults, and people with disabilities. Explore our Here We Stand resources:

Lutheran Services in America leads one of the nation's largest and most respected health and human services networks to empower people in America to lead their best lives—so all communities can thrive.

07/22/2026

Nonprofits are standing in the center of some of the hardest realities of our time by responding every day to challenges that are growing more complex while resources remain constrained. Kelli Dobner of our member organization Samaritas makes the case that if policymakers want better outcomes, they must modernize government contracting to reflect the true cost of delivering services. After all, nonprofits are important partners in addressing the most pressing needs of our communities. A thoughtful read:

Nonprofits are vital infrastructure, not a nice-to-have

07/20/2026

Funding uncertainty and rising costs are challenging nonprofits across our sector. Financial resilience has never been more important. With that in mind, Lutheran Services in America engaged Capitalize Good CEO Andrea Levere to lead a specialized workshop for our members that pressed the need for flexible, long-term funding for nonprofits. The masterclass offered executive leaders approaches to leverage enterprise capital to better position their organizations financially for long-term health. Learn more about the learnings from this session.

Lutheran Services in America leads one of the nation's largest and most respected health and human services networks to empower people in America to lead their best lives—so all communities can thrive.

07/13/2026

A new story from Nebraska highlights what happens when Medicaid becomes harder to navigate, namely confusion and uncertainty for people who rely on coverage for their care. As Lutheran Family Services president & CEO Chris Tonniges told NBC News, "It isn't very clear to our folks in regards to what applies to them, what doesn't apply to them. There's a lot of anxiety."

When eligible people face administrative barriers to coverage, the impact is far-reaching. Families can lose access to critical services and providers are left to manage as they work to provide care in their communities. Thank you to the LFS team for shining a light on the real-world experiences of the people in the communities you serve. Read the story.

In the first state to implement the Trump administration mandate, Medicaid participants are anxious for information — and are struggling to get it.

07/07/2026

Amidst funding cuts and new restrictions, Lutheran Social Services of WI & Upper MI is helping refugee families cope with the loss of FoodShare and Medicaid benefits. Their team is providing direct support, connecting families to resources, and working to ensure that people can access the care they need.

Wisconsin will begin enforcing new federal eligibility rules that cut FoodShare and Medicaid for an estimated 7,200 refugees and other legally present immigrants.

07/06/2026

We are happy to recognize our colleagues Doris Warrell and Liz Vetter with this quarter's Cultivator Champion Awards for their contributions to our mission of cultivating caring communities that advance health and opportunity for all. Thank you, Doris and Liz, for all of your hard work and the significant impact you make!

07/04/2026

Today we join in celebrating 250 years of independence. Thank you to all of our members, partners, and countless supporters who help us fulfill the promise of our nation in providing opportunity for all people in America to lead their best lives. Wishing you a fun and safe Fourth of July!

06/30/2026

Access to stable, safe and affordable housing is crucial for ensuring an individual’s health. The bipartisan ROAD to Housing Act represents an important step forward in addressing the nation’s housing affordability crisis by helping to boost supply and lower costs.

Addressing housing insecurity is an especially challenging issue for older adults as millions already struggle to afford housing and often spend a significant portion of their limited incomes on rent, a burden that is expected to grow as the population ages and demand for affordable, service-enriched housing rises. See our case study on housing insecurity among older adults for details on how organizations like EverTrue are responding to this challenge.

Lutheran Services in America leads one of the nation's largest and most respected health and human services networks to empower people in America to lead their best lives—so all communities can thrive.

06/26/2026

"People with disabilities live being told what they can't do and where they can't go . . . We think that's wrong." AbleLight's Keith Jones and Andrea Aldinger recently spoke with a local television station about the organization's work to expand opportunity for people with disabilities. AbleLight, alongside the rest of our Disability Network, are committed to empowering all people to live and work in the community of their choice with dignity and independence. "We see possibilities for people with IDD . . . Our goal: community and integration."

For more than 120 years, this non-profit has been dedicated to empowering people with developmental disabilities and since opening their doors in 1904 in Wisconsin, they’ve grown nationwide. W…