Leadership since 1917
LSS/NCA was founded in 1917 when a group of Lutheran churches came
together to address the pressing needs in their communities – poor people going
without food, clothing, and shelter. And, they worked together – stronger as a group
than as individual congregations.
Over time, their effort blossomed into an
organization with the sole purpose of reaching out to those who fall through the
cracks of our society.
LSS/NCA demonstrates our best instincts – helping those who
are most vulnerable and with the greatest needs to heal and become
self-sufficient.
Eighty-nine years later, that spirit of caring, compassion,
and putting faith into action is alive and well. And, together, we continue to impact lives and
communities throughout the Washington, DC, and Baltimore metropolitan areas.
LSS/NCA is one of the
leading human service providers in this region. It joins other LSS agencies
across the country under an umbrella organization called
Lutheran Services in America (LSA). LSA
is the largest health and human service network in the United States. Even so,
the real work of each organization is done on a small scale – at the community
level, one-on-one with each client served.
LSS/NCA is a joint effort of and has
been sanctioned by both the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and
the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS). The agency’s mission is to:
