Lutheran Service Society's mission statement is:With Christ's guidance, we offer programs that empower our neighbors to lead independent, dignified, and secure lives.   To accomplish this mission, we provide activities and programs for older adults, adoption and permanency services, food and nutritional programs, Meals On Wheels services, after school care, affordable housing properties, and job training and educational opportunities in western Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

Impact Summary from the Nonprofit Last year Lutheran Service Society expanded its adoption and permanency program. The program now includes post-permanency services for families requesting assistance, no matter how long after finalization. We also added after school programming to our array of services, and we completely restructured our Meals On Wheels program to limit risk and increase funding for the agency and to allow the service volunteers in the program to focus entirely on mission delivery. In spring 2009, Lutheran Service Society launched Springboard Kitchens as a way to diversify revenue for the agency while bringing the agency back to its roots in offering job training programs for adults with barriers to employment. In preparing to launch Springboard Kitchens, the agency underwent a thorough review of its fiscal policies and procedures using outside consultants. This review resulted in several changes, including how the department is staffed. While the expenses related to this review negatively impacted the agency�s financial statements for fiscal year 2008, with some carryover in fiscal year 2009, the agency is better prepared to take on new business lines and better positioned to manage our existing programs and contracts. In the coming year, we plan to grow Springboard Kitchens to generate more revenue for the agency while assisting more individuals in need of a new start in life. We also expect to enhance service to our consumers through Meals On Wheels, Senior Centers, Affordable Housing, and St. Afterschool programs.