FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 13, 2025
Contact: Leah Nelson | Leah.Nelson@lsiowa.org

Waterloo, IA – Lutheran Services in Iowa (LSI) is excited to announce that a $10,000 challenge grant has been made by the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa and Marv and Helen Schumacher. This challenge will exclusively match dollar-for-dollar gifts up to $10,000 made in the Cedar Valley. Contributions made will help LSI reach our overall goal of $60,000 to support families in the Cedar Valley.   

LSI continues to serve refugee families in Waterloo, Sioux City, and Des Moines. Private support is needed now more than ever in each of these communities, as a result of federal policies that have left hundreds of people just recently welcomed to Iowa, without the resources and services needed.  

On Friday, January 24th, LSI received notice that the Department of State was asking all of its resettlement agency partners to stop providing services to recently arrived refugee families under its contract. Federal funds for these services will no longer be available after that date and traditionally help resettlement agencies like LSI cover the security deposit, first month’s rent, and food expenses until the family is working and self-sufficient. The federal grant also covers staff time to provide case management that helps families get children enrolled in school, attend initial health screenings, learn to navigate the new community, and find employment.  

As a result of these actions, 191 individuals, including 108 minors, are now at risk across LSI’s three resettlement locations. 127 of these individuals have just arrived within the last 30 days. This action will have profound negative impacts on the children and families throughout our communities. 

For years LSI has worked alongside volunteers, donors, and community partners to welcome and support over 4,000 refugees, Special Immigrant Visa holders, and Afghan allies across Iowa. Refugees have also made a lasting economic impact here in the state of Iowa and nationwide, contributing a net $123.8 billion to the U.S. economy between 2005 and 2019. 

“We are so grateful to the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa and the Schumacher family for offering this challenge grant to inspire others to join us,” said LSI’s President & CEO Renee Hardman. “LSI is committed to providing the services these families need to thrive, but we can’t do it without our communities’ support.” 

“We were thrilled that Marv and Helen Schumacher have joined the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa to help us create this $10,000 matching gift opportunity that we know will inspire others to support LSI here in the Cedar Valley and around the state,” said the Foundation President & CEO Kaye Englin. “We applaud LSI for standing with these new members of our community despite the sudden stop on federal resettlement support.” 

Now more than ever, the collective support of Iowans is needed to uphold our humanitarian values and continue to be a beacon of hope and opportunity for the world’s most vulnerable. Your financial support and advocacy is critical. Your generosity will also help families maintain housing and cover basic living expenses until they achieve financial stability. Donations will help LSI provide essential services to children and families, including school enrollment, health appointments, cultural orientation, English classes, and employment support. Financial donations can be made at LSIowa.org/give

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About us :

LSI is one of Iowa’s largest human services agencies and impacts thousands of Iowans annually through child abuse prevention, services for children and families, services for people with disabilities, and immigrant and refugee services. LSI is nationally accredited and proudly serves people of all ages, abilities, religions, sexes, gender identities, national origins, ethnicities, races, and sexual orientations. To learn more, visit LSIowa.org. Join us on Facebook at Facebook.com/LSI.iowa and on Instagram at @lsi_iowa.