The latest news and insights about hot topics, collaborations, events and resources for our national network.
Lutheran Services in America brings together the strength of our network and cross-sector partners to respond to pressing community needs and tackle challenges no organization can solve alone. Through Health Through Housing, we are connecting community need, housing expertise and capital to build a national pipeline of investment-ready projects that expand service-enriched affordable housing and improve health and opportunity. At the same time, we are harnessing the collective voice and expertise of our network—advocating for Medicaid, strengthening collaboration through our Disability Network, and sharing solutions that can travel across communities.
This is the power of our network: bringing together leaders, partners and resources to turn shared challenges into solutions that can achieve greater impact. Read on to see what we are advancing together—and how you can engage, contribute and help shape what comes next.
— Alesia Frerichs, President & CEO
LEADING TOGETHER
Health Through Housing: Bringing Partnerships, Services and Capital Together to Expand Affordable Housing
Lutheran Services in America is taking a significant step in moving service-enriched affordable housing from concept to construction. Our Health Through Housing launch webinar on Sept. 8 will demonstrate how this initiative is bringing together partnerships, early-stage capital and technical assistance to expand access to affordable housing with services, with the engagement of California Lutheran Homes and Inspiritus to share how they are already putting this approach into action (view case studies featuring CLH and Inspiritus for more).
John Moeller: How Inspiritus is Building Scale via Health Through Housing
We are excited to launch our new Member Spotlight series featuring interviews with members across our nationwide network. Our inaugural edition spotlights John Moeller, president and CEO of Inspiritus, who began his journey pastoring churches before moving into the nonprofit ecosystem.
Learn how John and the Inspiritus team are increasing scale through their housing and health model and how Lutheran Services in America offers a collaborative environment to uplift network leaders.
The NonProfit Times recognized Lutheran Services in America president and CEO Alesia Frerichs on its 2026 Power & Influence Top 50 list in part for our Here We Stand campaign. Honorees were recognized for demonstrating leadership that strengthens the nonprofit sector and the communities it serves.
Under Alesia’s leadership, Lutheran Services in America is strengthening network capacity and catalyzing innovation and impact through partnerships while changing practices and systems by amplifying a united faith-based voice.
Opioid Settlement Resources to Strengthen Families
In the Results Innovation Lab (RIL), we explore how our network can strengthen families and improve outcomes for children. Our partner Uma Ahluwalia of Leapp Strategies shares her perspective on how opioid settlement funding can be better leveraged to support parents and young children—and where social ministries can help lead the way.
Disability Network Members Renew Commitment to Service at Summer Meeting
Nearly 40 leaders representing more than 22 Lutheran Services in America Disability Network members gathered in Philadelphia for the 2026 LSA-DN Summer Meeting. Hosted by KenCrest, the gathering brought together organizations from across the country to connect, learn, and explore critical issues shaping the future of disability services, including Medicaid, HCBS, long-term care, workforce, innovation, and AI.
United by a shared faith and a deep commitment to serving others, members strengthened relationships, shared ideas and solutions, and renewed their collective commitment to inclusion, advocacy, and high-quality supports for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. We are grateful for the opportunity to learn from one another and continue building stronger communities together.
Want to learn more about LSA-DN? Please contact Bill Kallestad.
Charting a Course Forward: AbleLight Board Retreat and Medicaid
Lutheran Services in America staff, including Bill Kallestad, Director of Public Policy & Advocacy for the Disability Network, and Sue Pechilio Polis, VP of Public Relations and Government Affairs, recently joined a discussion at the AbleLight board retreat to improve understanding of the history of disability services through present day, including a deep-dive on the importance of Medicaid and home- and community-based services (HCBS). The group explored “what is durable now?” amidst a rapidly changing Medicaid landscape. Key themes included the importance of strengthening operations at a time of heightened compliance to data to strengthen return-on-investment, the expanding role of alternate payment approaches, and the importance of strategic alliances and advocacy.
Join Us at our LeadingAge Reception
If you are headed to Philadelphia for the LeadingAge Annual Meeting in October, join us for our special member reception. Bring yourself, your board, and your team!
Raise Your Voice for Medicaid During the August Congressional Recess
With lawmakers back in their states or districts over the August Congressional recess, this is the perfect time to join the conversation in your community and state to strengthen and protect Medicaid.Our Here We Stand resources equip you with the tools, messaging, and insights to advocate with confidence and drive meaningful change with a united faith-based voice. Here are ways to stand with the people we serve as Medicaid changes from H.R. 1 continue to take effect:
Share your impact story. How are Medicaid changes affecting your organization and the people you serve?
Take action in two minutes. Use our turn-key advocacy tool to send a message to your lawmakers urging them not to make further cuts to Medicaid funding.
Several key races are shaping midterm matchups in November, while redistricting efforts and related legal challenges continue to contribute to uncertainty. We explore the potential for major shake-ups post-election to inform your engagement in key districts and states.
Meet Lutheran Services in America corporate partner BlueOrange Compliance, a CloudWave company in information privacy and security, regulatory compliance, and risk management services. Together with CloudWave, BlueOrange Compliance delivers end-to-end cybersecurity solutions for healthcare organizations facing increasingly complex compliance landscapes, including at many senior living organizations. Interested in learning more? Contact Jonathan Biel.
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