Since 1892, Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska has served children and families. What began as orphanages in Fremont and Omaha has become a statewide outpouring of God´s love through dozens of programs, hundreds of staff members and thousands of volunteers. As the needs of individuals, families and communities have changed over the years, so have our programs.
Roots in Two Orphanages: Pastor Peter Graef begins caring for orphans in 1892, dedicating a separate building (Lutheran Children’s Home) in Fremont in 1893. At nearly the same time, Pastor Erik Fogelstrom of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Omaha began caring for orphans and eventually starts Immanuel Children’s Home (right).
First orphan festival held in Fremont. (Photo is actually from the Fremont orphan festival in 1929.)
The Immanuel Children’s Home opened on the campus of the Immanuel Deaconess Institute in Omaha.
Immanuel Children’s Home constructed a second home.
(Photo from the collections of the Omaha Public Library. “This is the entire Immanuel Deaconess Institute along Meredith Avenue. The deaconess living quarters are in the middle, the Bethlehem Children’s Home is on the right, and the first hospital is on the left.” – Adam Fletcher Sasse)
The Orphan Home Park dedicated in Fremont.
Adoption and foster care services began in Fremont.
The Immanuel Deaconess Hospital in Omaha began child placement services.
The Immanuel Children’s Home in Omaha launched a foster parent program.
Social casework services instituted in Fremont.
Original institutions became Lutheran Family Service & Immanuel Social Service.
Celebrated 75th anniversary.
Offered marriage and family counseling, family life education & domestic violence programs.
Immanuel Social Service and Lutheran Family Service merge to become Lutheran Family and Social Service of Nebraska (now known as Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska). Thomas Irwin appointed Executive Director.
Louis Heider appointed Interim Executive Director.
Rev. Eugene Jobst appointed Executive Director.
Refugee Resettlement Program begins.
Willard Richardson (pictured) appointed Interim Executive Director following the death of Executive Director Rev. Eugene Jobst and his wife in the Big Thompson Canyon flood in Colorado. Later that year, Curtis Anderson and Rev. Robert Greene are appointed Co-Executive Directors. Offices added, including in Norfolk, Columbus, Grand Island and Ogallala.
Began coordinating chaplaincy services and volunteer hospital visitation program.
Initiated programs for substance abuse treatment, outpatient mental health, and home-based services.
Curtis Anderson appointed Executive Director.
Counseling services begin in North Omaha. Ruth Henrichs (Rexin) appointed Interim Director.
Adopted the name Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska, Inc. LFS is structurally reorganized, moving from six area offices to four regional offices. Identified Adoption Program begins. Ruth Henrichs (Rexin) appointed Executive Director.
Installed first computer system.
The RSafe® incest treatment program begins. Maternal and Infant Health Care Project begins in North Platte.
Began gambling addiction treatment and respite care.
Purchased Omaha Church Center as corporate headquarters and downtown Omaha counseling center and renamed it “The Dunklau Building” after Rupert & Ruth Dunklau of Fremont, NE. Maternal and Infant Health Care Project expanded to Lexington; Began AIDS counseling.
Celebrated organization’s centennial across Nebraska. Lutheran Family Services Foundation, Inc. is established.
Conducted first major statewide appeal, Share the Hope, raising over $5 million.
Restitution Treatment Alternative (RTA) incest treatment program begins.
Intensive Family Preservation, Family Support Services, and the Specialized Treatment Foster Care programs begin.
Received accreditation from the Council on Accreditation. Restructured regions to better respond to community needs and serve entire state. Began the Partners in Caring program to serve professional church workers and their families, congregations and LFS staff.
Expanded adoption and pregnancy counseling in locations statewide. First statewide computer network. Parents United sexual abuse support groups program joined LFS.
Launched LFSneb.org. Began Strong Urban Neighborhoods (SUN) program, which was the start of today’s Community Services programs.
Received the $1 million Omaha Award for Strong Urban Neighborhoods (SUN). Sex offender treatment in Omaha is expanded to serve children and youth ages 5–18.
Became Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service’s Nebraska affiliate. Opened Children Services Center in downtown Omaha. Heartland Refugee Resettlement Services, Inc. merged into Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska, Inc.
Named Lutheran Disaster Response’s Nebraska affiliate. Expanded immigration legal services to Omaha and Grand Island. Purchased North Platte office.
Transfer completed to direct The BRIDGE ex-offender re-entry program in Lincoln. Began federal grant to provide post-adoption services in Kansas and Nebraska. Invested over $750,000 in technological upgrades to better serve clients and and stakeholders.
Launched TeleHealth network to provide interactive behavioral health services across Nebraska. Began offering international adoption services. Redesigned LFSneb.org.
Transitioned Building Families Boutique program from Lutheran Services in Iowa to LFS of Nebraska and expanded it to include early childhood behavioral health services. Finalized first international adoptions for children from China and Russia.
Implemented Essential Learning online training for staff. Groundbreaking for Josiah Place HUD project (housing for the severely & persistently mentally ill) in North Platte (building pictured above). Chartered LFS Board Governance Committee. Completed reorganization of The BRIDGE Prison Aftercare Program.
Celebrated 115th anniversary of LFS. United Way of the Midlands named LFS lead organization in establishment of the International Center of the Heartland in Omaha. Completed Josiah Place. Expanded Building Families Boutique to Fremont and initiated $2 million Light The Way endowment campaign (pictured above). Named Nonprofit of the Year at Nebraska Nonprofit Summit – organized by the Nonprofit Association of the Midlands (NAM), the Human Services Federation of Lancaster County and EndowNebraska.
Started “Well Mothers. Welcome Babies.” program with focus on Lexington, NE area. Began In-Home Services.
Started Right Turn® program in partnership with Nebraska Children’s Home Society. Started LFS At Ease program.
Started crisis response program in Douglas, Dodge and Washington Counties. Adoption Links Worldwide became an affiliate of LFS. Hired Director of Behavioral Health to oversee realigned Behavioral Health core competency. Opened North Omaha Center for Healthy Families® (pictured) and combined two Fremont offices into the Rupert Dunklau Center for Healthy Families®.
LFS became a Trauma-Informed Care organization. Expanded LFS At Ease program to Grand Island. Added Family Liaison program (a collaboration with the Learning Community of Douglas and Sarpy Counties). Reorganized refugee and immigration services.
Celebrated organization’s 120th anniversary. Began helping victims of human trafficking. Children Services reorganized into three focus areas: Early Intervention and Prevention, Permanency and Well-Being, and Childhood Behavioral Health. Moved RSafe® offices to Project Harmony building in Omaha. Merger completed with Adoption Links Worldwide.
Expanded LFS At Ease program to North Platte. Assumed management of four core behavioral health services from Lancaster County ’s Community Mental Health Center. Added Home Visitation Program, in collaboration with the Douglas County Health Department. To the crisis response program LFS added a peer support specialist who offices at the Omaha Police Department. Received Integrity Award from Better Business Bureau (pictured above).
Started Health 360, an integrated health care partnership with Bluestem Health (then known as People’s Health Center) of Lincoln. Received “Greater Omaha Business Excellence Award” from the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce. Right Turn® contract renewed for five years by State of Nebraska, including program expansion to serve all adoptive families in Nebraska, not just families who adopted children from the child welfare system.
Began remodeling a former OfficeMax building into the Lutheran Family Services / Health 360 headquarters in Lincoln. Received accreditation from Better Business Bureau. Received “Best Practices Partnership” designation from Nonprofit Association of the Midlands.
Opened new LFS / Health 360 facility at 2301 “O” Street in Lincoln. Consolidated Bellevue and Papillion offices into one Sarpy County office. Redesigned LFSneb.org.
Opened new office at Kountze Commons (pictured above) in Omaha. Awarded the Better Business Bureau’s 2017 Integrity Award. Longtime President & CEO Ruth Henrichs announced her retirement.
Stacy L. Martin appointed as President & CEO, starting April 3; LFS provides disaster response to 100-year historical floods.
LFS is designated as a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC). Received $3,000,000 to establish the Coyner and Donna Smith Diversity Scholarship Fund to provide a college education for graduating high school seniors from low-income, minority Nebraska families. In response to COVID-19, LFS swiftly made secure online services available, holding over 45,000 virtual appointments.
