Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest is collecting $20 gift cards for Walmart and Fry’s to pass out at their food pantries this month and help provide a Thanksgiving meal for those in need. The goals is to collect 250 gift cards by Friday, 11/12/2021.
You can drop off physical gift cards at the Phoenix or Tucson LSS offices or donate funds using this link and the LSS staff will purchase the cards: lss-sw.org/thanksgiving-2021.
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This holiday season, Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest (LSS-SW) is collecting 1,300 new queen size bedsheets for older adults and people with disabilities. Learn more about this program here.
Donations delivered before December 13, 2021, will be distributed as gifts to clients in time for Christmas. Your gift of bedsheets delivers comfort and love to neighbors who truly deserve it. Thank you.
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With a surge of interest in how we can help Afghan allies and refugees, we offer two resources: Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest (LSS-SW) and Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS).
Afghan Allies need food, housing assistance, clothing, and other basic needs. You can give to the LIRS Afghan Allies Fund and help allies as they await official services available to them.
LSS-SW has an Afghanistan Interest Form for those interested in helping. You’ll receive updates as the situation changes. They provide FAQs on their site, which we reprint in this post.
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With the Afghan crisis shining light on the refugee resettlement program’s inadequacies, Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest gathered 675 letters for Senators and Representatives in support of the refugee resettlement program.
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Amid the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan, local nonprofits expect large numbers of Afghan refugees to be coming to the U.S. and to Phoenix. Read and watch the story on AZfamily.com featuring Connie Phillips, president and CEO of Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest.
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We have great news! Refugee families are arriving again. This means we need to find safe housing for larger refugee families, which is a challenge in the current market.
LSS-SW is seeking information about rental opportunities in the Phoenix and/or Tucson areas. Let us know about possible options as www.lss-sw.org/refugee-housing.
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Each year, Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest recognizes congregations in the Grand Canyon Synod of the ELCA as recipients of the Servant of Christ Award.
We are celebrating Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Tucson and First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Mesa for winning the LSS-SW Servant of Christ award for 2021.
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Unaccompanied minors are coming to the United States alone, fleeing dangerous situations, in search of asylum. You can provide a loving welcome to these asylum-seekers with the gift of a Comfort Bag.
Comfort Bags include hygiene supplies, school supplies, a comforting item, and a backpack or duffle bag. Find out how to donate here: www.lss-sw.org/comfort-bags.
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Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest (LSS-SW) is soliciting items for recently released asylum-seekers. They travel for up to 3 days to their destination in the U.S. All items (see the full list in this post) are non-perishable and can be collected over time, individually/as a group.
Drop items off at their office: 2502 E. University Drive, Suite 125, Phoenix, AZ 85034. If interested, email cshurtz@lss-sw.org.
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Older adults are experiencing more isolation than ever this year. Brighten this Christmas for over 1,300 older adults with donations of new towels and soap from local small businesses.
Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest asks that donations are dropped off at any of their offices by December 10th for timely delivery to those in need. Visit lss-sw.org/christmas-2020 to learn more, buy soap, and see locations.
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Arizona Interfaith Power & Light presents “The Dignity Series: A Voting Guide for Faith Communities.”
Register here for the final presentation from Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest, “Loving Our Immigrant Neighbors,” on Tuesday, 10/27/2020 at 6 pm MST.
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Visit the Arizona World Refugee Day Facebook page on June 20 from 10-11 AM for the celebration.
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As COVID-19 spreads around the world, refugee communities in Arizona and worldwide are among the most vulnerable. Many refugees that you serve at LSS-SW work in industries especially devastated by the crisis. Families with multiple children, still learning English, are thrust into homeschooling. Linguistic and cultural differences can heighten confusion and fear.
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As COVID-19 spreads around the world, refugee communities in Arizona and worldwide are among the most vulnerable. Many refugees that you serve at LSS-SW work in industries especially devastated by the crisis and have high rates of unemployment, hunger, and poverty.
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Pastor Dana Reardon writes, “First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Mesa has partnered with Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest for years in feeding our hungry neighbors. Many of our volunteers are elderly and high-risk, so we are getting help from Robert Sanders, regional director of LSS-SW and the National Guard.”
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As COVID-19 continues to spread and cause alarm worldwide, we here at Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest want to take a moment to step back and consider the work that still needs to be done.
It is our belief that, though times like these can cause panic and disinformation, it also has the tendency to bring out the best in people. We ask only that you consider sharing or donating what you can, and know that we are thankful for having you as part of our community.
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Tanque Verde Lutheran Church and Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest got a mention in this Tucson.com article. “Refugees and community resource groups in Tucson celebrated the day with live music, food and children’s games and activities. Community groups also provided information for refugees as they integrate into the Tucson community.”
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Congrats to New Spirit Lutheran Church, Tucson, and All Saints Lutheran Church, Phoenix!
Recipients of the Servant of Christ Award from Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest, they have truly shown the love of our Savior and embodied the mission of Lutheran Social Services—showing kindness, doing justice, and serving those in need.
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Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest had to bring in the big truck to haul the roomful of donations for families seeking asylum. The pile of clothes, towels, backpacks and food was a testament to your generosity and our concern for asylum seekers.
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Connie Phillips of LSS-SW was interviewed by Jeff Pegues in a CBS News story headlined “Trump tweets about removing migrants. President Trump tweeted that ‘millions’ of undocumented immigrants will be removed. But he offered no specifics about mass arrests or deportations.”
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