LSS History

The Lutheran Church has been serving and caring for people in need in New England for more than 140 years.  It all began when a faithful Lutheran brewer by the name of Gottlieb Burkhardt took four orphans under his wing and created the Martin Luther Orphans' Home at Brook Farm.  Another children's home followed in Avon., Mass., and eventually, nursing homes were established in Southbury, Connecticut and Worcester, Massachusetts.

The early children's services evolved over the decades into today's programs of adoption, foster care, residential (group) programs for teens at risk, and two ground breaking programs for parenting teenage mothers and their children who are homeless.  LSS also boasts the only program in New England for refugee children who have been separated from their families.

LSS services for refugees and immigrants were launched in the wake of World War II and continue to serve people who are fleeing persecution and war.

LSS disability services serve adults who have developmental disabilities, mental health issues and deafness in three states.

In 1996, LSS founded Good News Garage, the first program in the country to utilize cars donated by generous friends and provide them to low income individuals and family, helping them move from welfare to work.  Good News Garage now has programs in four states.

The fastest growing LSS program is LSS In-Home Services, which at the end of 2008 was providing more than 30,000 hours of care a month in New Hampshire to disabled adults who were able to choose their own caregivers and thus remain in their homes.

LSS' services for older adults encompass nursing and rest homes, assisted living residences, HUD-low income housing, elder care management in three New England states.

Lutheran Disaster Response-New England taps into the church's national resources for disaster relief to help families in New England who have been displaced or otherwise touched by disasters.

Lutheran Social Services is a member of Lutheran Services in America (LSA), the national umbrella network of Lutheran social ministries that together comprise one of the nation's largest charities.  One in 50 Americans is served by a Lutheran agency. 

LSS of New England is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).