Mission Statement

Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area (LSS/NCA) walks with those in need and mobilizes community partners to provide services that offer hope and rebuild lives.

Vision Statement

Proclaiming God’s grace, we compassionately work to create a society where the most vulnerable among us find wholeness, justice and self-sufficiency.

History of the Organization

Compassion. Community. Collaboration. For nearly a century, LSS/NCA has embraced these principles as an organization. Founded in 1917 when a number of local Lutheran congregations joined together to provide food, clothing, and shelter to families in need, LSS/NCA continually evolves while remaining focused on our commitment to protecting our most vulnerable neighbors.

From the beginning, we have tailored our programs to respond to emerging challenges in our neighborhoods. Whether sheltering a family during the Great Depression, welcoming a displaced Vietnamese refugee to America in the 1970s, or most recently providing a safe space for a child with HIV to connect with other affected children at our Youth Haven Camps, our services stem directly from the needs of the community.

LSS/NCA Timeline

1917: Founded as the Lutheran Inner Mission Society (LIMS) by several Lutheran congregations seeing a need to serve their neighbors who lacked daily essentials in the wake of World War I

1927: LIMS incorporated to “render services of mercy and Christian love. . .and aid wherever its charity and benevolence can be applied”

1956: Began our Foster Care and Adoption program to advocate for children and families across the region

1959: Recognized by the IRS as a public non-profit

1967: Name changed from Lutheran Inner Mission Society to Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area (LSS/NCA)

1975: Started the Refugee and Immigrant Services program in response to refugees fleeing Vietnam

1998: Camp Safe Haven for children living with HIV/AIDS began out of a call from congregations to better serve children in need

2005: Katrina Family Advocacy program assisted more than 400 families affected by Hurricane Katrina. These families either returned to the New Orleans-area or resettled in the DC-metro region

2007: LSS/NCA became the Lutheran Disaster Response affiliate for the DC-region and started the Disaster Preparedness and Response program to train volunteers and assist organizations with disaster preparedness plans

2008: Camp Safe Haven celebrated its 10th anniversary by expanding into a Teen Retreat program and changing its name to the Youth Haven Camps (Camp Kids Haven and Teen Haven Retreats)