About Us

More than a half a Million People Cared for in 27 Years

27

About Lutheran Social Services of Nevada

 

35 years ago, a dedicated group of Lutheran church volunteers began serving meals and providing food and clothing to people in need out of some of the local churches. They started food and clothing closets and then began to grow and get organized. They became incorporated on December 20, 1996 and Lutheran Social Services was born. Since then LSSN has grown and served more and more people as it became a trusted grassroots organization known for its diverse services for individuals of many demographics, including: low-income, at-risk of homelessness, homeless, families with or without children, youth, veterans, people with disabilities, and senior citizens. In the last 25 years over a half a million individuals have been cared for by the agency. LSSN’s comprehensive social services include DigiMart, an online food pantry; mobile food distribution events called Open Air Markets; nutrition education classes and live cooking demonstrations; the Heart of the City Senior Meal Program and senior supportive services; mainstream benefits applications; and other safety net services. Our mission is to:

 

Express the Love of Christ by Serving and Caring for People in Need.

A Season of Gratitude

 

A Season of Gratitude started at Lutheran Social Services of Nevada in late 2023 with 85 LSSN clients, volunteers, staff,  community partners and friends share testimonials of gratitude. Check out a few gratitude nuggets below and a video compilation at the bottom. Thank you so much for giving, donating, advocating, partnering, and getting more involved with LSSN!

 

  • Jessie: LSS is amazing and I’m proud my teen decided to spend vacation volunteering with you all. She took away so much from the experience and said the moments when they saw the kids faces light up and the parents relief, made them feel so confident in the task at hand. Thank you for being such a blessing to our community and to all the amazing volunteers; Merry Christmas!
  • Kristen: I just want to cry right now… you have no idea [after receiving a gaming desktop and monitor for her 16 year old son for Angel Tree]… this will help him make something of himself.
  • Daniella: My name is Daniella and my kids were blessed with gifts through the Angel Tree Christmas program this year and I wanted to send a huge thank you for the blessing. It’s been a very rough few months since we moved here in August and seeing the smiles on my kids face gave me so much joy.
  • Tiger (Community Partner from HERO School): What I am grateful for is that Lutheran Social Services has been on the front lines of getting struggling people over their hurdles since we first worked together in 1995 – and they continue to go beyond the call.
  • Jill (Holy Spirit Lutheran Church): Having the ability to assist others who have food insecurities by doing the Open Air Market.
  • Michelle: My children and I are very grateful and thankful for Lutheran social services of Nevada 🙏 for helping us to have a home and no longer being homeless. You have helped when others shut the door. You have given us support and continue to care when no one else would. We are beyond blessed to have found you in a time of great need. It’s been a dark storm and you have been our umbrella. Being a single mother and victim of crime we had no family or support & you provided shelter and stability and we pray for you daily and are forever grateful God put you in our path. When I am able to give back to others you’re the first place I will go. Thank you and all that support you. Sincerely Michelle and kids 🙏
  • Jocelyn: I am very grateful for Lutheran social services for keeping a roof over my families and my heads. We are able to have stability and a safe home. We were homeless 6 months ago and by the grace of God they helped us. I am thankful for your help through this time God bless you all.
  • Jack: Being a single parent I received help from lutheran social.services.Me & my special needs child are so grateful for all the groceries that you provide us monthly..We are so deeply humble &appreciate all the help.Thank you &God bless
  • Immer (volunteer): I am grateful to volunteer every Wednesday because LSSN is close to where I live and it gives me a chance to give back!
  • John: It’s great to have a place to go to in a time of need.
  • Robin (volunteer): once every couple of weeks there is a lady that really we are able to help and she gives me a really great hug. I love it here.
  • Tony: I’m grateful to be alive, I have a healthy body, and the Lutheran group is here in my time of need. I was able to get food without a lot of effort and I appreciate that so much.
  • Nelly (volunteer): I have been volunteering for 5 years and I brought one my good friends here… and we have the opportunity to put together food bags, homeless bags, hygiene bags to help people in the community. I am grateful for the people here who are so cheerful and helpful.
  • Kathy (Community Lutheran Church): We are so thankful for those that donate yarn in our knitting and crochet ministry so we can make hats, scarves, hospice blankets, baby items, and we love to do it and it keeps our time in God’s hands. Thanks for distributing those items to those who need it.
  • Sheril I moved here to take care of my 85 year old mother… otherwise we wouldn’t have enough food and enough to drink. What you give me.. I am blessed that it is her dietary needs and I am very grateful for that.

1985

It all started in 1985 when a small team of Lutherans from local churches here in Las Vegas began collecting food and giving it to those who needed it most. They started a small pantry and clothing closet to help people out during the holidays.

1996

The food pantry and clothing drive gained momentum until this group of Lutherans decided to become official. They registered with the state of Nevada and on December 20, 1996 Lutheran Social Services of Nevada was born.

2008

LSSN, under the leadership of the new CEO Armena Mkhitaryan, moved to a larger facility in order to open an innovative new food pantry featuring a grocery style layout offering greater choices for people who needed help.

2012

Pioneered the Open Air Mobile Market to provide fresh produce and other food in ‘food deserts’ around Southern Nevada.

2013

Introduced a Nutrition Education Kitchen to provide clients with healthy cooking demonstrations.

2014

Established the Heart of the City Senior Meal Program, which was the first congregate senior meal program funded from the State of Nevada Aging and Disability Division in the last 12 years.

2016

Awarded the Partner Agency of the Year by Three Square Food Bank out of their 1,300 partners. Launched the first online digital food pantry system – DigiMart. Received the Las Vegas High Tech Exec Award for that system.

2017-2018

Partnered with Nevada Hand and the Boys and Girls Club of Southern Nevada to build the Boulder Collaborative Campus, a “one-stop-shop” social services center.

2019

Named Nevada Women’s Philanthropy’s 2019 Impact Grant Recipient, enabling LSSN to expand our current DigiMart Food Pantry.

2020-2021

Increased services by 300% during the pandemic while simultaneously expanding programs.

2021

Celebrated our 25th Anniversary on December 24, 2021 having served nearly a half a million people.

 

2022-current

Lutheran Social Services of Nevada serves 3500 people per month at three locations with grocery assistance, employment services, housing, ID recovery, senior services, and other programs for the most vulnerable among us. 

People served last year.

Pounds of food distributed last year.

Families housed last year.

LSSN News and Blog

Angel Tree Finale

Angel Tree Finale

I hope you are having a blessed holiday season, Last year we were able to serve 322 children and, of course, we wanted to help way more this year! We got some last minute donations from HELP of Southern Nevada and New Song Lutheran Church that injected some additional...

A Grand New Opening

A Grand New Opening

Thanks for being an advocate of Lutheran Social Services! This week we served refugees from Venezuela, a few families camped out by Lake Mead, single moms, veterans, individuals at risk of being homeless, people with disabilities, senior citizens, and low-income...

Get Back to School!

Get Back to School!

I hope you are staying cool out in the Vegas heat! Thanks to our volunteers, board members, friends, and partners that helped us serve 338 children at our back to school event! Additionally, we served 202 kids at the Pearson Center and Hall Smith Elementary for a...

272 Days of Winter

272 Days of Winter

It has been 272 days since our last 100-degree day here in Las Vegas-a veritable winter here in Las Vegas especially with the Vegas Golden Knights winning the Stanley Cup in ice hockey. But here at Lutheran Social Services, things are heating up! Here are a few...

Finding the Mission is the Mission

Finding the Mission is the Mission

As I am writing, we have a production team at our headquarters doing a documentary on homelessness. The team has interviewed hundreds of people to identify root causes. Even though there are overarching societal issues at play, such as housing prices, every person has...

I’ve got Three Words for You

I’ve got Three Words for You

When I (Martin from LSSN) was about 15 my parents informed that henceforth, my brothers and I would have to purchase our own clothing. At the time during the summer I was a little league baseball umpire and earned $20 per game. I always had money and nice clothes at...

Martin Luther King Jr and Volunteerism

Martin Luther King Jr and Volunteerism

Happy Martin Luther King Day! Did you know that this is the only American holiday that specifically encourages people to get involved and do good in their communities? MLK day was officially dedicated to volunteerism in 1994 under the King Holiday and Service Act. In...

A Season of Gratitude

A Season of Gratitude

We appreciate you as a client, volunteer, community partner, supporter, staff member, board meember, or friend. Thank you for all that you do to make our community better and thank you for doing it together with us! We are entering into a season of gratitude....

Four Stories

Four Stories

I hope you and your loved ones have been having a fantastic fall! We here at LSSN have been extremely productive as we jump into every opportunity to serve people in need. We recently served 520 children during our Back to School Drive, collected TONS of peanut butter...

2023 Peanut Wars

2023 Peanut Wars

Let us spread the love and get ready for the 2023 Peanut Butter Wars to begin! This protein packed treat is loved by the whole family including kids, parents, grandparents... even some pets enjoy a little skippy! We will also utilize donated peanut butter at our...

Easter Egg Hunt and Resource Fair

Easter Egg Hunt and Resource Fair

Several school administrators nearby our Boulder Highway location have reached out to us to ask what services we can provide to some of their families in distress. There are five elementary schools within a one mile radius. We normally do an Easter basket drive for...

Employment Navigation

Employment Navigation

We are so excited to be a part of the employment journey for so many; our Employment Navigators just helped a young man from Venezuela get a great IT job! We also recently had our first hiring event with Amazon and 13 job seekers came to this instant hiring event. It...

Executive Team

Tim Bedwell

Tim Bedwell

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Cherry Richardson

Cherry Richardson

CHIEF PROGRAMS OFFICER

Linda Downing

Linda Downing

CHIEF FUNDING OFFICER

Directors

Jesus Martinez

Jesus Martinez

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

Martin Malmberg

Martin Malmberg

DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS

Tye Brock

Tye Brock

DIRECTOR OF GRANTS

Executive Board

Chad Kaercher

Chad Kaercher

BOARD PRESIDENT

Kelly Peterson

Kelly Peterson

VICE PRESIDENT

Shawn Davis

Shawn Davis

SECRETARY

Adam Kent

Adam Kent

TREASURER

Board of Directors

Charles Paelinck

Charles Paelinck

Steve Orrico

Steve Orrico

Robert Newman

Robert Newman

Jodi Friedman

Jodi Friedman

Michele Bedwell

Michele Bedwell

Pastor Don Lorfin

Pastor Don Lorfin

Financial Records

Our Audited Financial Statements from our 2022 to 2023 fiscal year are here. We have a Guidestar  gold star for transparency which you can see on our non-profit profile here. You can see a copy of our W-9 here. Previous 990s are below. LSSN’s tax identification number is 86-0845241.

2022    2021    2020     2019