Bringewatt Social Justice Legacy
Lutheran Family and Children's Services’ dedication to social justice and advocacy began in the early 1900’s with Rev. Dr. Arnold H. Bringewatt (1919 – 1990). Rev. Bringewatt served as President of Lutheran Family and Children’s Services from 1964-1976. He was an outspoken advocate for peace and justice and began the long-standing LFCS tradition of advocating for society’s most vulnerable by working locally and statewide to effect legislative and systemic change. He and his wife Mildred continually charged the church and the social service community to be as intentional about working for justice as they were about doing acts of charity.
During his tenure at LFCS, Rev. Bringewatt firmly established the agency’s commitment to provide quality social services and to be involved with social action, a legacy that continues to shape the agency today. The agency continues to advocate for positive change and improvement in social institutions, systems, legislation and practices.
In 1989, Lutheran Family and Children's Service's established the Arnold and Mildred Bringewatt Dinner and Advocacy Education Fund to ensure that the Bringewatts' legacy of justice ministry lives.
The Bringewatt Social Justice Dinner is held each year to honor individuals from across the state that have made a commitment to social justice and have a heart for serving. The dinner is typically accompanied by a workshop designed to raise awareness about various social issues.