Stories of Empowerment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 13, 2025 Contact: Leah Nelson | Leah.Nelson@lsiowa.org Waterloo, IA – Lutheran Services in Iowa

LSI Celebrates Historic Milestone in Refugee Admissions  Des Moines, IA – LSI (Lutheran Services in Iowa) celebrates a

Each year, LSI commemorates National Direct Support Professional Recognition Week (DSP) to honor and celebrate the essential roles

“There are so many people who struggle with their mental health and feel like they are alone,” said

After raising their four children, Jeff and Mindy Schechinger felt compelled through their strong faith to open their

Accomplishing a goal is often not a sprint, but a marathon. Such is the case for Katie* who

“I love it when a whole classroom of middle schoolers run down the auditorium hallway for an LSI

“Without Amy’s support, I would still be an addict, and I wouldn’t be where I am today,” said

Firmin Ntakimazi was born in Burundi, where he grew up, received his education, and made a living teaching

When she heard about the news of the war in Ukraine, Zoya Staroselsky felt compelled to support her

From dreaming of big cities, tall buildings and lots of cars, Pree, a former refugee, is now making

In 1996 Congolese civil war broke out in the present-day countries of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

After working in social services for over 15 years, becoming a Host Homes mentor was a no brainer.

When Lwe Paw traveled from a refugee camp in Thailand to Iowa in 2012, she knew the path

  Every Iowan deserves access to quality services within their community. Thanks to LSI’s Services for People with

  The Lutheran Services in Iowa (LSI) Board of Directors has tapped Renee Hardman, City Councilwoman of West

Pictures of Kahamu Rashidi‘s children hang on Dan Bean’s fridge next to snapshots of his grandchildren. It symbolizes

As Kellie Collins, Early Childhood Family Support Worker, reflects on her over two decades of successes in her

“Thinking back to where I was a few years ago, barely able to pay my bills, compared to

Zac Couture is celebrating 10 years with Lutheran Services in Iowa’s Immigrant and Refugee Community Services! He started

After fleeing the Congolese Civil War, LSI resettled the Kaamu family in Marshalltown thanks to a local man