Why Give to Lutheran Social Services of Nevada?

Lutheran Social Services of Nevada (LSSN) is made possible by investors like you. Your donation is not only generous but generative! It leaves an immediate impact and changes the lives of people that are most in need.

LSSN is a locally born, grassroots organization that emerged in the 1980’s to serve people in need in Las Vegas. LSSN is 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. Comprehensive social services include DigiMart, an online food pantry; mobile food distribution events called Open Air Markets; nutrition education classes and live cooking demonstrations; senior supportive services including the Senior Meal Program; employment services; women’s health resources; 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. In the last two years we have served about 3500 people per month and over the last 25 years we have served over a half a million individuals.

By giving $100, you can help us to care for and serve 9 people like Don and Judy (see their story below). Many families will be blessed because of your generosity. Thank you for being a stakeholder in this mission!

Corporate Giving

Why should your organization consider giving to LSSN? Lutheran Social Services of Nevada works with companies, governments, nonprofits and other organizations to address issues such as food and housing insecurity. Our partners contribute more than money. Their ideas, volunteer power, in-kind support and more are helping build stronger, more resilient communities.

Founded by a dedicated group of local pastors and volunteers to provide food and clothing to individuals in need, Lutheran Social Services of Nevada has been serving our Southern Nevada community for over 25 years. Current services provided by LSSN include:

Community Nutrition Services, such as the DigiMart Food Pantry; Open Air Market food distributions, which travel to provide food in food desert areas; and Nutrition Education classes for low-income families and seniors.

Family Empowerment Services, such as rental assistance and rapid rehousing assistance to help families and individuals who are homeless or at risk of homelessness; identification recovery services; and employment navigation assistance, which works to connect individuals with improved or new employment.

Senior Supportive Services, such as the Heart of the City Senior Meal Program, which provides seniors with free, hot meals and socialization opportunities at two locations every week day.

In the past fiscal year (2021-2022), LSSN’s services provided the following impact:

• Over 18,000 individuals were fed through the DigiMart Food Pantry and Open Air Markets
• Over 600,000 pounds of food were distributed, equating to 503,000 meals for those in need
• Nearly 10,000 free hot meals were provided to seniors through the Heart of the City Senior Meal Program
• Nearly 850 individuals were provided with holiday assistance, including Christmas gifts, Easter Baskets, and Thanksgiving meal boxes
• 1,500 children were provided with back-to-school assistance
• 143 households received housing assistance, enabling them to avoid homelessness or become rehoused after short-term homelessness

Philanthropic and corporate gifts provide invaluable support for Lutheran Social Services of Nevada and the community we serve. If you would like to give a gift to Lutheran Social Services of Nevada or learn more about current corporate sponsorship opportunities, please email martin@lssnv.org or fill out the quick form below.

Corporate Giving FAQ

Is Lutheran Social Services audited every year?

Yes. You can see our Audited Financial Statements from our 2021 fiscal year 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.

Does Lutheran Social Services of Nevada only serve Lutherans?

No. LSSN is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that serves anyone in need, regardless of race or ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status or household makeup, disability, or any other factor.

Although LSSN was founded by Lutheran pastors and volunteers and maintains a strong relationship with many Lutheran churches in our community, we do not require any religious affiliation for our clients or staff. As our CEO often says, we do not know if we have even one Lutheran client!

Is Lutheran Social Services of Nevada a local nonprofit?

Yes. While LSSN is affiliated with Lutheran Services in America (LSA), we are an independent nonprofit organization that was founded by Nevadans to serve Southern Nevada. That means that any funds you donate to LSSN will remain in our community to improve the lives of Southern Nevadans.

What forms of giving does LSSN accept?

LSSN can accept gifts via credit card, ACH, and wire transfer. LSSN can also accept in-kind gifts of goods, space, or services. For more information on ways to give, contact Martin at martin@lssnv.org or click above on Corporate Giving Opportunities.

What is Lutheran Social Services of Nevada’s tax ID number?

LSSN’s tax identification number is 86-0845241.

Does LSSN accept restricted gifts?

Lutheran Social Services of Nevada can accept both restricted and unrestricted gifts.

Planned and Deferred Giving

Why should you contact us about planned giving?  Some planned gifts provide a life-long income to you, others use estate and tax planning techniques to provide for LSSN and your children in ways that maximize the gift and/or minimize its impact on your estate. The main three types of planning giving are the outright gifts that use appreciated assets as a substitute for cash, the gifts that return income or other financial benefits to you in return for the contribution; and gifts payable upon the donor’s death.

Which giving methods return income to you? Charitable gift annuities make fixed payments, starting either when the gift is made (an immediate-payment gift annuity) or at a later date (a deferred or flexible gift annuity). Some organizations maintain pooled income funds, which commingle donations, pay beneficiaries variable depending on the earnings of the fund, and generally operate like a charitable mutual fund. Charitable remainder unitrusts and annuity trusts are individually managed trusts that pay the beneficiaries either a fixed percentage of trust income or a fixed dollar amount.

What are the tax benefits of planned gifts? You can contribute appreciated property, like securities or real estate, receive a charitable deduction for the full market value of the asset, and pay no capital gains tax on the transfer. If you wish to establish a life-income gift receive a tax deduction for the full, fair market value of the assets contributed, minus the present value of the income interest retained; if you fund your gift with appreciated property, you pay no upfront capital gains tax on the transfer. Gifts payable to charity upon the donor’s death, like a bequest or a beneficiary designation in a life insurance policy or retirement account, do not generate a lifetime income tax deduction for the donor, but they are exempt from estate tax.