When Lwe Paw traveled from a refugee camp in Thailand to Iowa in 2012, she knew the path ahead would be rocky. Arriving in a foreign land as a senior, Lwe did not know English, the U.S. customs or culture, or how to navigate her community. Soon she made a friend who told her about...
Every Iowan deserves access to quality services within their community. Thanks to LSI’s Services for People with Disabilities, Iowans with disabilities are empowered to thrive, have a voice, and lead independent, fulfilling lives. LSI's Direct Service Professionals (DSPs) play a crucial role in supporting individuals with disabilities and mental/behavioral conditions, allowing them to live independently...
The Lutheran Services in Iowa (LSI) Board of Directors has tapped Renee Hardman, City Councilwoman of West Des Moines, as its next leader. Hardman begins her work as President and Chief Executive Officer with LSI, one of the state’s largest human services agencies, serving all 99 Iowa counties, on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024. Regarded as...
Pictures of Kahamu Rashidi's children hang on Dan Bean's fridge next to snapshots of his grandchildren. It symbolizes a father-son bond formed during a chance meeting in an African refugee camp in 2018 and eventually led to the family's resettlement near Dan's home in Marshalltown. Three years after first meeting, in 2021, Kahamu’s family was...
As Kellie Collins, Early Childhood Family Support Worker, reflects on her over two decades of successes in her position, one fact remains true: Kellie was called to service. Kellie has been with LSI for over 26 years, serving the Sioux City area. In her role, among many other services, Kellie holds groups in LSI’s Teen...
“Thinking back to where I was a few years ago, barely able to pay my bills, compared to where I am now, I feel blessed,” said Teta, a client of LSI. LSI’s Child Care Business Development program helps individuals like Teta, a single mother of three, start her own in-home child care business and support...
Zac Couture is celebrating 10 years with Lutheran Services in Iowa’s Immigrant and Refugee Community Services! He started volunteering with LSI to teach English to immigrants and refugees before helping start and grow what is now known as LSI Global Greens. Inspired by his experience in college when he spent time in El Salvador...
After fleeing the Congolese Civil War, LSI resettled the Kaamu family in Marshalltown thanks to a local man and family friend. Pictures of Rashidi and Salima Kaamu's children hang on Dan Bean's fridge next to snapshots of his grandchildren. It symbolizes a father-son bond formed during a chance meeting in an African refugee camp in...