One of Lutheran Family Services' group homes is located in a small neighborhood in northeast Columbia. The company's website says that they provide a homes for individuals in a safe community. Yet it is the people in this home that are making this particular neighborhood NOT SAFE. Police are constantly called to this location. Residents roam the neighborhood verbally attacking anyone out in their own yards just trying to enjoy their homes and families. On more than one occasion the subjects of these verbal assaults were children. The staff at the residence do not care that their charges are causing problems and emotional trauma to these young kids. Whenever the neighborhood has tried to alert Lutheran Family Services, they have only made excuses and never proposed a safe solution or offered an apology.
Review from Guidestar
I am writing this letter to highly recommend Lutheran Family Services. When others wouldn't get involved LFS did.The Per Diem for Veterans is so low that most organizations just passed over the opportunity to help Veterans, especially female Veterans. LFS stepped up and filled the gap. Not only did they step up but, they have succeeded beyond expectations. Angels House has an 85% success Rate in the first 12 months of operation. There are previously homeless female veterans who now have a second chance at life. They live on their own LFS also continues to help Children,Refugees and the Community. I cannot express enough my support and high regard for LFS. Sincerely, Ara Adams
Review from Guidestar
Lutheran Family Services in the Carolinas receives five starts from me because of the stellar service they provide to all of God's children! I am so proud to be a part of an organization that takes seriously God's call to walk with the most vulnerable. It is difficult work but by God's grace, children, young people, families, veterans, refugees and others enjoy a new start in life. Decisions at the board level are surrounded by prayer as we strive to be good stewards and caretakers of all that we have been given. I am so grateful to serve such an amazing, life-changing organization.
Review from Guidestar
LFS provides a wonderful, broad range of services to many of the most vulnerable people in NC & SC each day. As a board member I've been impressed with our incredible staff who are devoted, professional and caring. Surveys and reports from our clients show a high degree of satisfaction with their care. The management staff are constantly finding methods to improve our services in a difficult financial environment with reductions from state and federal entities.
Review from Guidestar
To the supporters of LFS Carolinas, we would like to provide you with information about steps taken to minimize costs over the last two years to make sure we continue to provide quality programs for those less fortunate in our community. In order to reduce administrative costs and ensure the continuation of programs that provide critical support to our vulnerable neighbors, LFS has: - Allowed no salary increases for staff on any level in the last two years - Reduced all salaries across the board by three percent - Decreased car allowances across the board by thirty percent - Eliminated gas cards and company cars for staff - Eliminated a pension match benefiting the most highly compensated staff members LFS has also, under a grant given to us by The Duke Endowment (TDE), undergone a decentralization process through which corporate leadership has been dispersed to the four geographic hubs where LFS is headquartered- Charlotte, Greensboro and Raleigh, NC and Columbia, SC. With funding provided by TDE, LFS was able to create an Executive Director position in each of our hubs to help us most effectively reach out to and meet the needs of these communities. LFS is an agency of nearly 250 staff members, serving more than 14,000 individuals each year across two states. Administrative functions such as fundraising, finance and management are critical to keeping our programs running and maintaining the highest quality of services to people in need. We continually evaluate the operations of our agency and we strive always to make improvements that will benefit our clients and our communities. We invite you to submit any questions or concerns you may have about our agency and the work we do at 1-800-HELPING or info@lfscarolinas.org. Thank you for your support!
Flush your money down the commode, or give it to the first Vice President or "Executive Director" from LFS you meet, because either way it will end up in their pockets anyway. Those horror stories you hear about Non-profit faith-based agencies are not myths. This organization is a perfect example! Every year they "re-organize" the agency structure to keep everyone confused and hide the raises they give themselves, (I think the CEO has ADHD). Every year their budget gets smaller, they sell off assets, cut services to the needy, lay off direct care staff,hire more management, operate with a $1,000,000.00 deficit in the last five years -- Yet the CEO and "Executive Directors" get 10-15% salary increases on a yearly basis. Where else in the business world can you run a business, lose over $250,000.00 in one year, and give yourself a $15,000.00 raise - a new SUV for yourself and 10 other "Vice Presidents" - new office furniture - Blackberries for everyone, and refuse to fund everyone else's retirement until you feel like it. The shame is the CEO thinks she is doing a wonderful job and all her VPs, "Executive Directors of Hubs", won't tell the Empress she has on no clothes. Any one there who spoke the truth to Her Highness was shown the door, or was smart enough to get out before she had the chance. I would send family members to the kennel before I would send them to an LFS program - Not because of the direct care staff, who work extremely hard, but because of the lack of program funding due to a 28% administrative cut that is hidden in a maze of tax code prestidigitation. What a shame. Padding your own nests at the expense of the most vulnerable and needy, under the guise of doing God's work.