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Who We Are

Since 1917, Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area (LSSNCA), a human services and immigration relief and refugee welcome agency, has accompanied those in need throughout Maryland, Virginia, and the Washington D.C. metro area to foster resiliency, self-sufficiency, and access to opportunities by creating, connecting with, and engaging welcoming communities. 

Motivated daily by our belief in the inherent dignity of all, LSSNCA’s innovative participant-informed programs serve refugees, forced migrants, immigrants, children and youth, and underserved communities by filling in the gaps. Piloting initiatives like the area’s first camp for kids impacted by the HIV/AIDS crisis, originating local pro se asylum workshops for Afghan Allies, launching a Resource Center to serve as a community hub for all recently arrived program participants, and backing an array of ongoing mental health support services, alongside community partners, LSSNCA strives to create an inclusive community of well-being where people thrive.

  • LSSNCA Program Participant from Afghanistan
    LSSNCA Program Participant from Afghanistan

    "When you give me a sweater and I ask you for a coat; when you give me a coat and I ask for food; when you give me food and I ask for a laptop, it’s not because I don’t understand the value of this sweater, it’s because you are family and I know we can ask you and you will help us."

Our Impact

From the Newsroom

Our Transitional Foster Care (TFC) program offers crucial support during the transition to a stable, loving home for children who arrive in the United States without parents or guardians. The Baltimore area is in desperate need of foster families.

Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area (LSSNCA) urges Congress to pass the recently introduced Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of 2023 (H.R. 5856). We invite you to join us in advocating for the passage of H.R. 5856 by reaching out to your local representative. By passing this legislation, we can send a powerful message that the United States is committed to combating human trafficking, supporting survivors, and creating a safer and more just society.

LSSNCA was hopeful to see a bipartisan border bill finally presented - recognizing that the modernization of our immigration system is long overdue. LSSNCA supports the United States’ right to increase security measures at the border, yet, not at the expense of vulnerable individuals fleeing persecution.

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