Who We Are

Our CEO, Sam Sipes, Shares About our Lutheran Heritage.

Over 40 years ago, Lutheran Churches and Ministries across Florida joined together to serve the most vulnerable Floridians in the name of Jesus Christ. Today, LSF is a faith-based, nationally accredited nonprofit organization that touches the lives of 1 in 50 Floridians each year. This sacred partnership is rooted in a shared mission of bringing God’s healing, hope, and help to those in need, in the name of Jesus Christ. Together, we exemplify the power of faith in action by making a significant difference in the lives of Florida’s most vulnerable citizens.

Together, we are the Lutherans.

Resources for The Church

We created some media to share with your church. Please feel free to watch, download, and share this with your congregation. For any questions or speaking requests, please contact tina.villanueva@lsfnet.org.

We are the Lutherans: Guides and Collateral

Here are some useful guides and videos designed to share with your congregation about Lutheran Services Florida.

Watch Our New Video: ‘We Are Lutherans’ Youtube Link

Download Our New Video: ‘We Are Lutherans’ mp4 (zip) Download

Download Our Bulletin Insert: 2-Up ‘We Are Lutheran’ Handout

Download Talking Points for Pastors: Who We Really Are

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We Are the Lutherans, 2025
We Are Lutherans: How We Serve Together
  • Case Management

    We provide dependency case management and related services for abused and neglected children and their families.

  • Adoption

    We provide adoption and related services for children in the child welfare system who cannot be safely reunited with family.

  • Keeping Children Safe

    We provide diversion services to keep children safe from abuse and neglect while keeping families together and out of foster care system.

  • Teen Residential Care

    We provide residential care for children in the foster care system with particular focus on highrisk teens, who have experienced extensive trauma and have significant behavioral health challenges limiting suitable placement options.

    We also provide care to at-risk girls, pregnant teens and teen mothers in the child welfare system.

  • Mental Health Treatment

    We ensure the provision of substance abuse and mental health treatment services through a network of 98 provider organizations in 23 Florida counties that serve as safety net services for uninsured children, adults, and families who lack the financial resources to receive treatment and care.

  • Adult Guardianship

    We provide guardianship services (advocacy & financial case management) to the elderly and disabled adults who are at risk of exploitation due to age, disabilities or other life altering issues.

  • Sexual and Physical Abuse Treatment

    We provide comprehensive treatment programs for child sexual and physical abuse victims aged 3 through 17 and their families.

  • Juvenile Delinquency Prevention

    We provide juvenile delinquency prevention services to homeless and truant youth, including temporary residential services and community-based counseling interventions to help resolve conflict and strengthen families.

  • Community Resource Centers

    We operate, in partnership with the Children’s Board of Hillsborough County, 7 community resource centers located in high-need zip codes that provide health and wellness screenings, educational programs, and an array of services referrals, giving children and adults opportunities to learn, receive medical care, network with community members and access tools and resources otherwise unavailable to them.

  • Head Start: Early Learning

    We provide comprehensive early learning services through our Head Start programs to more than 6,000 children in Duval, Hillsborough, Pinellas, Okaloosa and Palm Beach which facilitate school readiness, family engagement, child well-being and healthy growth.

  • Childcare Food Program

    We provide childcare food program services to ensure children receive healthy, well-balanced food every day, improving their diets and helping them build good eating habits.

  • SNAP® Services

    We provide evidence-based, family-focused SNAP® services in schools and within communities that teaches children ages 6-11 struggling with behavioral issues to make better choices in the moment.

  • Healthy Start: Childhood and Maternal Health

    We provide Healthy Start services through the Healthy Start Coalition of Hillsborough County, strengthening and supporting families at every stage of life by addressing critical early childhood and maternal health needs.

HOW OUR MONEY IS SPENT
Lutheran Services Florida (LSF) nonprofit funding breakdown chart, showcasing allocations for Head Start programs, refugee and immigrant support, substance abuse and mental health services, and other community programs, countering false claims of illegal money laundering from viral tweets involving Elon Musk and General Flynn.
For more information, please contact Tina.Villanueva@lsfnet.org.