1303 West 33rd Street
272-0643
Happy Thanksgiving! I thought it appropriate to highlight an agency that feeds many in our city year-round who would otherwise go hungry. Thank you, Lutheran Social Services, for loving our city well for more than 40 years!
Practical needs are met here every day…people get rides to / from medical appointments, stranded rural Alaskans are moved from one location to another, bus vouchers are provided, provision is made for those transitioning from homelessness to permanent living situations, a home for those with mental and behavioral problems is operated and maintained, and 25,000 individuals are fed annually via the food pantry and related programs.
Wrap your head around all of that…wonderful things are done here.
This visit was different for me. It changed something in my heart, raised awareness and brought some needed conviction. I learned more than I will be able to convey in this blog in my short time with Alan Budahl, Executive Director for Lutheran Social Services (LSSAA).
Mother Teresa said: “Each one of them is Jesus in disguise.” LSSA is a place where people are treated that way.
We have all heard staggering statistics about hunger and other needs in our community. Alan shared many of those numbers with me, but each statistic was tied to a family’s story…including the names of each mother, father, child…and the circumstances that led them to their current state of need. In other words – he, and the staff and volunteers at LSSA, know these people, they take time to get to know their stories.
Alan taught me about the changing face of the hungry and homeless in our city – including the men who come to the pantry alone, after hours in their high end cars and very nice clothes…struggling to face the reality that they can’t afford to keep up, and can’t find a way out on their own. He is very familiar with the statistics behind the stories. He is currently teaching at a different Lutheran church each Sunday - sharing the results of the End Hunger Anchorage study (including information gathered last year).
I heard story after story about the lack of affordable housing in Anchorage – and the fact that MANY who visit food pantries around town are making a choice between paying rent or feeding their families. This day was the first of many that I heard a statement that I have since repeated myself: “food provision is homeless prevention.”
This is not intended to be a 'downer'. It is intended to shed a little light on the reality that many of our neighbors face every day, and to point out how easy it is for each of us to help and make a HUGE difference in someone’s life.
In the midst of the tough situations, there is great joy. For every tough story, there was an even greater ‘God story’ where the provision for the need was nothing short of miraculous. There is the story of the woman who came to LSSA for help and five years later became a monthly financial supporter of the ministry. There are the ‘at just the right time’ stories that we all love to tell – and to hear.
Here is a BRIEF overview of some of the programs / services offered through LSSA:
Food Pantry
I was able to spend a little time in the food pantry while guests were being served. LSSA is one of few locations in Alaska where food from The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) is provided. I learned what the needs are – more donations, upgraded space, and freezer space. The paperwork and tracking that is involved surprised me. No one trip to a food pantry will sustain a family for a month. Most food pantries are only open (at most) one day a week (LSSA is open 4 days a week). This means that people make multiple trips through out the month to various locations. LSSA has between 15-20 NEW, FIRST-TIME visitors to their pantry each day. (Wow.)
Note:
Many who visit food pantries and other locations where food is provided have to take multiple busses. Did you know that the Anchorage People Mover no longer has transfers? Each bus is a separate fare…some pay $12 in bus fare round trip to/from a food pantry. LSSA has the ability to provide some bus passes, but not enough to keep up with the need.
Association for Stranded Rural Alaskan Program
The Association for Stranded Rural Alaskans has been in existence for over 30 years. ASRAA provides emergency assistance to rural Alaskans who are in Anchorage temporarily receiving medical treatment. This program provides emergency transportation, housing, food, and orientation to city living. The course provides information on the public transportation system, shopping, as well as basic safety precautions that many of us take for granted.
Direct Assistance Program
This program assists individuals in obtaining their state id, driver’s license, social security card, etc. This program also provides assistance for those who need specialized training for a job (sanitation course, CPR, etc.) They also provide bus and gas vouchers for the first month of employment to help people get ahead.
Transitional Living Program
LSSA has provided transitional housing for homeless men for more than a decade. Case managers help men establish new lives and develop plans that lead to self-sufficiency. The goal of the program is to provide each resident with permanent, sustainable housing and employment. Clients pay rent while they are in the program and work with a resident and case manager to who help each individual navigate through this time.
Roosevelt House
Roosevelt House is fro people with behavioral issues. They receive care from outside mental health service providers while living in a safe, supportive environment.
Medical Transportation
LSSA contracts with a local cab company to provide rides to/from medical appointments. They have offered a reduced rate for up to 110 rides per month. LSSA limits the number of these allotted rides each guest may use in order to maximize the resource for all those in need.
Listening Post
The Listening Post, located downtown at the Bus Accommodation Center, provides individuals an opportunity to sit in a quiet location (Meditation Room), enjoy a light snack, and tell their story. Volunteers (not counselors) listen to individuals share. Forty volunteers took time to hear over 1,700 life stories last year.
There is much to be done, and it is so easy to help:
- Volunteer at a Food Pantry
- Contact Alan Budahl at LSSA and invite him to present the “End Hunger Anchorage” study at your church, Elders meeting, staff meeting, or other venue
- Get training and spend an hour or two every month at the Listening Post
- Grab food & drop it off at the next food drive your church / grocery store, etc sponsors – or at LSSA any time
- Call LSSA (272-0643) and ask how you can pray specifically
- Sponsor a bus pass or gas voucher & pray for that person in his/her new job for that first month
- Mark your calendar! September is Hunger Awareness Month – watch for events, get involved
- Visit www.LSSAalaska.org and LEARN MORE
Happy Thanksgiving, friends! Wherever this finds you I pray you are inspired to give to a local ministry. I encourage you to give of your time along with whatever physical provision (canned food, money, bus pass, etc) you may be able to provide. I can’t put into words how much it has impacted my heart to see how much a smile can encourage someone in need.
Be Jesus to someone...anyone...TODAY! Imagine what would happen if we really did treat people as if “each one of them is Jesus in disguise."
NOTE: Read LSSA's full story online.
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