Lutheran Services Florida

CENTRAL SERVICES

3627A West Waters Ave.

Tampa, FL 33614

800.651.1853 or 813.875.1408

Fax 813.875.1302

e-Newsletter

March 2008

Thomas L Weitzel, editor

LSF Names David Yarborough as

Vice President of Operations

Lutheran Services Florida (LSF) has announced that David Yarborough of Austin, TX has accepted the position of Vice President of Operations for the organization. He took up his post at LSF Central Services in Tampa in early March. Mr. Yarborough comes to LSF after serving 11 years as the Senior Vice President of Operations at Lutheran Social Services of the South (LSSS), based in Austin. That agency provides children's services, elderly services, services to the poor and disaster response in Texas, Louisiana and southern Mississippi. Click here to read the story.

LDR Evaluating Needs, Preparing

Response to Mar. 7 Tornadoes

Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR) is in the process of evaluating needs and preparing a response for those victims of the tornadoes that ripped through Florida on Friday, March 7, 2008. The National Weather Service reported that up to 12 tornadoes had affected areas of northern Florida and southeast Georgia, damaging and destroying homes and leaving large areas without power for extended periods. Click here to read more.

Renovation and Expansion at

HOPE House Youth Shelter

HOPE House Youth Shelter in Crestview, FL has been undergoing renovation for several months now, including some expansion that will give the shelter a great deal more space. The first phase of renovation took place last summer with what started out as a simple plastering project to replace aging and loose stucco on the two story building, but soon expanded to a much greater project. Phase two, which will be completed in March, involves creating a new dayroom and offices out of a former porch. Click here to read about the project.

Alvita Hill: An Outreach Team of One

Going It Alone after Budget Cuts

Alvita Hill had joined the Outreach Team of LSF's Southwest Region of Non-Residential Youth Services expecting that team was more than just her. But after fall budget cuts, she carried the full responsibility by herself. Click here to read Alvita's story.

LSF Initiates New Career Laddering Web Page

Employment Assistance for Skilled Professionals from Other Countries

Lutheran Services Florida has developed a new web page for its Career Laddering Program in the Employment section of the website. Begun in 2003, the program assists refugees, asylees, victims of human trafficking, and parolees/entrants from Haiti and Cuba who were skilled professionals in their former country to find similar employment in this country. Read more about the program and see the new web page by clicking here.

Lutheran Services Florida Honors 15 at
Good Samaritan Dinner in Orlando

The second annual Good Samaritan Dinner in Orlando was held at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church on Sun., Feb. 24. At the dinner, Lutheran Services Florida (LSF) CEO and President Sam Sipes bestowed the Good Samaritan Award upon 15 individuals. Click here to read the story.

Second Chance Program Marks

Success Since 2006 Inception

LSF's Second Chance Program in Miami Dade has published highlights of their program success since beginning in 2006. The program provides assistance for foster youth ages 18-23 as they transition to independence. Click here to read the program highlights. See also the new web page describing the Second Chance Program by clicking here.

LSF Celebrates March 16-22 as

National Safe Place Week

Lutheran Services Florida's Southwest, Southeast and Northwest Regions will join more than 1,100 communities nationwide to celebrate its commitment to keeping youth safe March 16-22 during “National Safe Place Week.” Safe Place provides access to immediate help and safety for all young people in crisis. More than 105,000 youth nationally have received help through a business or community location displaying the Safe Place sign since the program’s inception 25 years ago in Louisville, Ky. Click here to read the full story.

Contributions from Donors Like You...

... make it possible for LSF to provide healing, hope and help to people in need through programs like you have just read about in this e-Newsletter. CLICK HERE TO DONATE NOW!

Did You Like the e-Newsletter?

Tell us about it by emailing editor Thomas Weitzel at tweitzel@lsfnet.org. We'd like to hear from you! Send us your ideas for future articles about LSF's ministries and tell us how we can make the e-Newsletter better.

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