LUTHERAN SOCIAL SERVICES OF NORTHEAST FLORIDA INC . 2 0 1 5 Offering Opportunities for New Beginnings LSS 2015 ANNUAL REPORT | 3 Message from our President & CEO Mary Strickland, LSS President & CEO I joined Lutheran Social Services service – whether it is driving a client homes, children well-fed and doing of NE Florida as President/CEO on to a doctor’s appointment, delivering well in school, and pregnant women March 7, 2016. While I am brand new food to a senior citizen or picking up an receiving prenatal care and healthy to LSS and Jacksonville, I have many HIV-positive client from jail. LSS serves food for their unborn children. These years of experience serving clients and people who may be marginalized or are the people we are privileged to managing operations. My employment misunderstood in our society: refugees serve here at LSS. It is truly a mission. experience ranges from bedside health from war-torn countries, formerly 2016 is a challenging year for care (I am a licensed registered nurse), homeless people, recently jailed people Lutheran Social Services of NE Florida. to academia, government, non-profit with HIV/AIDS, low-income men, women Our agency is still evolving away from CEO and several senior roles in pharma- and children worried about their next being a large food bank to being a social ceutical companies. My most recent meal, and HIV-positive clients trying services agency with a more targeted role was based in Washington, DC to stay on their medication regimen. mission. Our thrift store, opened many where I headed up the government Whoever the client, LSS staff is years ago, closed this spring to make affairs department for a multi-national focused on a comprehensive and flexible room for new service partners. LSS is pharmaceutical company working approach to create opportunities for new starting up a Medicaid mental health on health care legislation, educating beginnings. Hunger, mental illness, program to provide counselling to members of Congress, and running a substance abuse, terminal illness and some of our current clients, many of team of state-based lobbyists. Working in the nation’s capital was very exciting. “My new role here as President and CEO As a political “junkie,” I really enjoyed it. But my new role here at LSS of of LSS of Northeast Florida is my most NE Florida is my most challenging and diverse yet! Leading LSS and our challenging and diverse yet!” team of dedicated employees draws on all of my experiences, from lobbying physical displacement are challenging whom have mental health disorders. for legislation to teaching health care enough for those of us who have financial At LSS, we continue to look for ways policy to nursing AIDS patients in resources; for the poor and disenfran- to provide seamless services to our New York City. I thought I had seen chised, they are overwhelming. Our clients and to help them in accessing it all, but when I joined the staff here mission at LSS is to bring people out of new opportunities. It is a mission I am I found there were many novel things the shadows, help them become more proud to lead and I thank each and to learn and a cadre of devoted people self-sufficient and manage their lives every one of our donors, supporters, to learn from! In my first weeks here better. Our staff and volunteers know staff and volunteers. Without your I have been incredibly impressed we’ve done our part when we see families support we could not do this crucial with our staff’s intense devotion to staying together, people living in safe work. Thank you for your generosity. 4 | LSS 2015 ANNUAL REPORT “Lutheran Social Services reached into a very dark place and pulled me into the light.” Actual quote, photo changed for privacy AIDS Care & Education Windi didn’t know where to turn when she got a surprise AIDS diagnosis. You helped her find comfort, acceptance and support. Windi is a married mother of three, a nurse -- and a welcomed with a smile and a handshake,” says Windi. person living with AIDS. She does not fall into any of “She was not scared to touch me.” the standard risk groups, and her husband is negative; Windi contracted HIV from an infected patient years The ACE staff serves more than 1,900 people each ago. year, people from every walk of life. Funding comes from federal programs like Ryan White and HOPWA After her diagnosis, she faced discrimination and (Housing for People with AIDS) and Medicaid Waiver indifference. “I was forcing myself to take medicine Case Management, as well as from supporters like you that made me feel more sick than better, and living who understand the importance of this work and the with shame,” she says. “It was difficult to force myself tremendous impact it has on our community. to go on.” More than 350 people a year receive a new HIV or AIDS diagnosis in Jacksonville. In fact, Jacksonville has the third highest HIV/AIDS infection rate in the Employees: 20 country. That’s why our AIDS Care & Education (ACE) program is so critical. ACE provides case management, peer support groups, counselling, financial help, Volunteers: 4 assistance with housing, a designated food pantry, and more. But perhaps the most valuable services the People Served in 2015: 1,531 ACE staff provide are acceptance and respect. Windi recognized that right away when she first met with Heather Vaughan, director of human services. “I was LSS 2015 ANNUAL REPORT | 5 Shannon’s young son has a disability, making her work and day care arrangements a big challenge. Sometimes, there’s too much month and not enough money. You provide the extra food she needs to take care of her family when the budget gets tight. Food is a basic human need. And when you’re not sure where your next meal is coming from -- or even worse, your child’s next meal -- it can be terrifying. Employees: 2 Thanks to you, thousands of people were relieved Volunteers: 36 of that fear last year. Sure, there are lots of hunger- relief programs out there. But we’ve strategically looked for the gaps and worked to fill them with People Served in 2015: 11,708 solutions like: • Our Community Food Pantry which serves as many as 200 families a week. • Our Serving Our Seniors (SOS) program, • Our Backpack program, which delivers weekend which delivers food directly to low-income food to low-income children who receive free or seniors who can’t stand in pantry lines and reduced meals at school during the week. carry heavy bags on the bus. • Our Health Begins Before Birth (HB3) program, Together, these programs make up the Nourishment which provides food, nutritional education and Network ministry of LSS. Together, we’re providing for coaching to needy expectant mothers at high our neighbors in need. risk for a pre-term, low-birth weight delivery. Nourishment Network “Sometimes it’s hard for me to keep food on the table like I need to. I’m just grateful for the help I get at LSS.” 6 | LSS 2015 ANNUAL REPORT “LSS helped us have a better life and a better future.” Refugee Services Wolf, Vanossa and their two young daughters fled their home country in fear for their lives. You provided a safe, welcoming new place for them in Jacksonville. Imagine having to leave your home, your family, your volunteers help them get around the city, practice English friends and your possessions behind to escape violence, and feel at home. And our community welcomes them, persecution and potential death. Then imagine being valuing the richness and diversity their presence brings sent to a foreign country, where you don’t speak the to the region. Refugees go on to become patriotic U.S. language, don’t know the customs and have no relatives citizens, home and business owners, and parents of or friends. generations of successful Americans. Thanks to you, Jacksonville has provided a safe, welcoming home to This was Wolf and Vanossa’s experience, when they refugees for more than 35 years. fled their home country of Haiti to seek asylum in the U.S. Through our refugee employment program, Wolf found work on a convenience food production line, and Vanossa landed a job in quality control at a clothing manufacturer. The girls are enrolled in school and learning English. “Now we can have a better life, Employees: 25 and our children can have a better future,” says Vanossa. Volunteers: 21 Each year, LSS-Jax welcomes hundreds of refugee men, women and children to the Jacksonville area. People Served in 2015: 2,506 Our wonderful staff, many of them former refugees themselves, walk side by side with them, helping them find housing, services and employment. Dedicated LSS 2015 ANNUAL REPORT | 7 As an arts producer in New York City, Gary used to attend benefits to help the homeless. He never expected to be homeless himself. You helped put a roof back over his head. When circumstances beyond his control left him for shelter, utilities and food. Once the basic needs are without a home, Gary turned to Representative Payee met, the remaining funds are held in individual client Services to help him get back on his feet. His LSS fiscal accounts to be distributed for necessary purchases as coordinator, Maxine, helped him to properly budget requested by the client. his finances, and she has advocated for him when he needed it. A year later, Gary now lives in his own Because of your support, LSS is able to be an active apartment at Village on Wiley.