Give a Gift - Make a Contribution to LSSI Now!

There are numerous opportunities to contribute to Lutheran Social Services of Illinois (LSSI) and support LSSI’s mission of bringing healing, justice and wholeness to people and communities.

Make a planned gift. LSSI is funded by individual contributions and planned gifts, the Illinois synods and churches of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), government grants, fees for services, community funds, foundations and corporations. Your gift can make a difference. And for information on planned giving, contact Susan Gilpin at 847/390-1464 or at Susan.Gilpin@LSSI.org.

Contribute to a special appeal for prisoners and their families. On February 8, LSSI launched an appeal that includes the opportunity for your gift to be matched dollar per dollar up to a total of $50,000. The appeal will raise funds for LSSI’s Storybook Project and Visits to Mom programs that serve children of incarcerated parents. Storybook volunteers helping incarcerated mothers and fathers read books on tape to their children. Visits to Mom transports Chicago children to see their incarcerated mothers at every prison that houses women in Illinois. To make a gift to this appeal, contact Mara McClellan, at 847/635-4617 or mara.mcclellan@LSSI.org. For more information on Prisoner and Family Ministry, click here.

Make an in-kind donation. For example, by donating new children’s clothing, toys, books or school supplies, you can brighten the life of a foster child. You can multiply your efforts by inviting friends, family members, your church group or your company to join you in collecting these and other items. Watch for updates on what items are needed for specific LSSI programs, or call 847/390-1488 for more information.

Give your time and skills. Volunteer at a local LSSI program site. There are all kinds of opportunities to help people in need. You can befriend a teenage parent, assist an older adult or help out at a Head Start site. We value your skills and welcome your help. For more information on volunteering, call 847/390-1488.

Share your voice . . . be an advocate. Sign up to be a part of the grassroots advocacy network that LSSI created, along with the three ELCA synods in Illinois and the ELCA’s Advocacy Department. By being a part of the “e-advocacy” network, you will be able to follow and participate in the movement for a human care agenda in Illinois (e.g., by advocating for adequate funding for human services). Join Lutheran Advocacy–Illinois or call Dan Schwick at 847/390-1418.

Learn more about LSSI. Invite a speaker to visit your church or group. LSSI representatives are happy to provide information on the agency’s programs at “LSSI Sundays” for congregations. In addition, LSSI has experts in a wide range of fields who can speak knowledgeably on subjects as varied as dealing with troubled teens, caring for an aging parent, understanding mental illness or adopting a child. For more information, call 847/635-4653.

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