Give Hope A Home Campaign
c/o Lutheran Child
& Family Services
1525 N. Ritter Avenue
Indianapolis, IN 46219
317-359-5467

Click to E-Mail
the LCFS Development
Team

"The need is tremendous, and it's growing at a startling rate. Much of the need is going unmet because of budget constraints at the state and county levels."
-Bruce Polizotto, J.D.
Advocate for children


THE GROWING CHALLENGE - COMMITTING TO THE FUTURE
"to enhance the dignity and quality of life"

Always seeking to aid those in need, Lutheran Child & Family Services continues to evolve in an increasingly troubled world.

There is a pressing social challenge to meet the mounting and constantly changing needs of today's troubled children and their families. Despite limited resources and steadily increasing costs, we are called to create innovative, specialized programs to supplement our traditional programs.

Lutheran Child & Family Services has historically risen to meet community challenges, often taxing its existing resources. For example, Lutheran Child & Family Services is committed to expanding the current Family Preservation and Independent Living programs at Lutherwood. Although both programs target the increasing numbers of youth and families in crisis, funding is diverse and unreliable.

While residential treatment for emotionally troubled youth continues to be a core service, all ministries must evolve to appropriately meet the compelling, changing and growing community needs of the future, specifically:

  • Safe, therapeutic environments and effective, "best practices" treatment approaches for abused and neglected youth
  • New initiatives to prevent child abuse and neglect
  • Additional programs to strengthen families
  • Increased opportunities for spiritual growth

The need to enhance and expand services is immediate, critical, and escalating.

The need is a challenge.

The challenge is a directive for opportunity and action.

While services to children and their families are the heart of Lutheran Child & Family Services, the Lutherwood campus is its body. This is the physical environment where those in need receive help in the spirit of Christian love.

Despite more than 50 years of careful stewardship, our current facilities hamper our ability to serve because:

  • The dormitories do not support modern therapeutic techniques
  • Poorly designed classrooms, scattered among several buildings, are a challenge for teachers and students alike
  • Buildings are not accessible to people with disabilities
  • Dark hallways and steep stairs are dangerous
  • Administrative offices, workrooms and storage areas are overcrowded and not centralized
  • Regular, extensive and costly repairs are required

A year-long process of evaluation, planning and reflection determined that all the buildings on our campus must be replaced or renovated. The plan includes demolition of two structures built in 1956.


ENDOWING HOPE

The counseling, nurturing and education that Lutheran Child & Family Services delivers require resources that go beyond physical facilities. Salaries, supplies, insurance and many other costs are continuing - and increasing. Although careful stewardship keeps expenses to a minimum, prudent planning calls for strengthening Lutheran Child & Family Services' endowment.

The endowment will provide funds to:

  • Create new programs and exciting initiatives
  • Ensure a stable funding base for the future
  • Provide security in times of economic downturn
  • Fund long-term maintenance of new and renovated facilities
  • Allow donors the opportunity to make an impact on generations to come