mid-missouri office - Lutheran Family and Children's Services of Missouri

A Path To Progress: LFCS’ 2023 Accomplishments

beanstalk — Fri, 08 Dec 2023 21:54:15 +0000

This year was an exceptionally successful year for Lutheran Family and Children’s Services. From regional expansion to new offices, grants to graduations, LFCS has been blessed to increase our impact throughout Missouri. As we close this year out, we wanted to reflect on the memorable moments that took place; as well as look ahead to what’s in store for 2024.

Each region experienced a momentous occasion this year. First and foremost, we were proud to open our brand new office in Kansas City! We have been expanding our K.C. staff throughout the year and will continue to plant our roots in the communities of Northwest Missouri. In Southwest Missouri, we moved our Joplin staff into a much larger, more accessible space. Clients can now be seen in house and we can respond to the increased demand for services. Not to be outdone, our Columbia office is also moving into a new space. Both Springfield and Cape received grants to improve their current locations. These renovations have allowed us to see more clients, provide more programs, and hire more staff to answer the call for help.

Hilltop had an exceptional year this year. They were awarded the Light of St. Louis award from Pathfinder Church for their exceptional program model. Thanks to the Cornelsen Charitable Foundation, They were able to renovate their outdoor playground for kids to enjoy for years to come. Twenty-six preschoolers graduated this past May, with parents and staff cheering them onto kindergarten. We are so proud of the Hilltop staff and their dedication. Thank you to everyone who supports their mission to provide community-changing services through child and family development.

Celebrations were everywhere in 2023. Our Cape Girardeau office celebrated it’s 50th anniversary. The donor wall will stand as a grateful homage to everyone who helped make out services a staple in Southeast Missouri. This year marked the 40th annual LFCS dinner and auction in St. Louis. Friends of LFCS, dressed to impress, dined and danced the night away; all while generously donating to help our services continue to expand. Our Columbia office received the Pacesetter Ward from the Heart of Missouri United Way. This award highlighted their commitment to improving their community through program impact and innovative ideas.

Finally, LFCS was able to honor the Lutheran churches that have supported our mission throughout the years. Through implementing the Caring Congregation award program, we were able to thank 45 different congregations for their advocacy, donations, and support of our services.

We are so thankful for everyone who helped make this year such a success. More importantly, we are not staying complacent in our achievements. Next year, we have more big changes coming: expanding mental health services, upgrading our website, a larger presence in the media and the community and much more. LFCS has heard the outcry for more services from churches, families, schools, and community leaders. We plan to continue to provide our proven services to all families in need, but we can’t do it without your help. If you are fortunate enough, please consider donating to LFCS this holiday season at www.lfcsmo.org/christmas. Thank you for supporting our mission and may God bless you in the new year!

2023 LFCS Highlights

Opening of new office in Kansas City
Cape Girardeau 50^th Anniversary
40^th Annual LFCS Dinner & Auction
New Columbia Office
New Joplin Office
New Hilltop Playground (Thanks to the Cornelsen Charitable Foundation)
Expanding Behavioral Health services in Mid-Missouri
Springfield receives $10,000 grant for adoption/parenting services
Columbia office received the Pacesetter Award from the Heart of Missouri United Way
Published a new Adoption Resource for our clients “Road Map : Through Your Loved One’s Adoption Journey” (available for purchase on Amazon)
Highlighted 45 Lutheran congregations through our Caring Congregation awards
26 kids graduated from Hilltop in 2023
Began offering free pregnancy testing at any LFCS office
Hilltop received the Light of St. Louis award from Pathfinder Church

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LFCS Historical Highlight: Regional Expansion

beanstalk — Fri, 11 Aug 2023 04:33:38 +0000

For the first 100 years of our existence, LFCS experienced a mix of struggles and successes. From multiple fires demolishing our buildings to adding multiple services to support families, it was an unforgettable journey. In fact, it wasn’t until 1968 (exactly 100 years since Rev. Buenger made that initial promise) that we took on the name Lutheran Family and Children’s Services of Missouri. This name change was important because it marked the beginning of our next big endeavor: providing our life-changing services throughout the state of Missouri.

Local church leaders discuss opening of new LFCS office in Cape Girardeau

Prior to 1968, LFCS only provides services for those in the St. Louis area. It was during this name change that our agency expanded our care for children and families across this great state. After five years of planning, fund-raising, and partnering, LFCS opened its first satellite office in Cape Girardeau in 1973. This September makes the 50^th anniversary of providing parenting services & parenting education, youth prevention, and counseling services for Southeast Missouri. Since its opening, LFCS has become a pillar of the community in Cape Girardeau. We have had unwavering support from the Lutheran churches, community leaders, and clients who have experienced sustainable change in their lives.

Since the opening of the Southeast Missouri office in 1973, LFCS has been on a mission to truly be a statewide agency. After seeing the resounding success of our services in Cape, we began our 50-year journey to provide our services in every geographical area across the state. Thanks to your faithful support, we have been able to open offices in Columbia (1995), Springfield (1998), Franklin County (2010), Joplin (2011), St. Charles County (2012) and Kansas City (2023). We are proud to support every area of Missouri with services that save lives, strengthen families and enrich communities.

Our ability to expand is a direct reflection of the support we received from these communities. Lutheran churches, local advocacy & fundraisers, partnerships and individual donors worked together to address the issues plaguing their communities. Their dedication, hard work and generosity are the reason why LFCS is able to care for children and families throughout Missouri. On behalf of Lutheran Family and Children’s Service, thank you for allowing us the privilege to serve within your community!

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A Promise to Care – Maternal Mental Health Services

beanstalk — Mon, 05 Mar 2018 19:52:30 +0000

Caring for children is often instinctual. But what happens when a mother struggles with post-partum depression…when she can barely get out of bed, much less meet the needs of her child? Does that mother care for her child any less? Having access to mental health services at such a critical moment can be life saving for both mom and child. LFCS fulfills this need with our Maternal Mental Health program in Boone County.

Terra was not new to motherhood. She had a nine year old daughter, Hadley, and delivered a healthy baby boy three years ago. Tragically, at just 7-weeks the infant died of SIDS. She, her husband, and daughter were devastated and did what they could to address their grief.

A year after their loss, Terra was pregnant again. Every day was filled with worry. The family feared the unknown because of the heartbreak they felt not so long ago. As the signs of winter faded and the green leaves of daffodils peaked through the ground, Terra delivered her second baby boy. The new life she held in her arms was difficult to celebrate in the wake of her first son’s death. One life, she thought, could not replace another.

Months past and although Terra was providing for her children, she was disconnected from their care. Hadley was withdrawing too. After the third note home from school about Hadley’s behavior, Terra took action. She had heard about the Maternal Mental Health services offered by LFCS on the news. She looked the contact information up online and submitted a request for more information.

Fortunately, LFCS was able to support this mother and daughter in their time of need. Terra was able to address the causes of her anxiety and depression and find better ways to cope. Hadley felt secure enough to open up about her feelings and learned communication techniques. Within a month of enrolling in the Maternal Mental Health program, Terra and Hadley both had a better outlook on their present and future.

Click here to learn more about Maternal Mental Health and the services LFCS cares for Boone County residents.

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A Promise to Serve – Family Services

beanstalk — Mon, 22 Jan 2018 20:51:21 +0000

In 2018, Lutheran Family and Children’s Services (LFCS) is celebrating its 150th anniversary with the theme “Promise.” One-hundred fifty years ago, Rev. Johann Buenger made a promise to help one young boy. Today, more than 46,000 children and families in Missouri receive services each year as our promise continues. To show our continued commitment to those we serve, we wanted to highlight a few people who make it possible for you to receive the support you need. Help us celebrate these shining examples of our mission brought to life.

Janeene Johnston, MSW, LCSW

Social Worker, Foster Care and Family Services

Q: How long have you worked for LFCS?
A: I came to work for LFCS in 2003.

Q: What services do you provide to our clients?
A: I’m the adoption social worker and do home studies, inquiry calls plus adoption education. I provide post placement services for adoptive families of all types this includes domestic, international, relative, independent adoptions. I also work with our region’s foster families who provide temporary care for infants awaiting adoption or help in crisis situations.

Q: In what way do you feel like you are fulfilling a promise to those you serve?
A: I love being able to educate families and community partners about adoption; not just how to adopt and the process, but also the sacrifice a birthparent makes when making the decision to choose adoption.

Being able to help a couple fulfill their desire to build their family through adoption is a wonderful experience. So many of the adoptive parents I work with have struggled with infertility. Often I help them process their grief and loss related to those struggles. I also provide education on various types of adoption and help couples decide what type is best for them. By the time adoptive parents have received a placement, we have spent so much time together and it’s truly a blessing to see them become a family.

Q: What is a typical day like for you at LFCS?
A: I’m not sure there is such a thing. I may have several days in the office doing paperwork and then have several days where I’m traveling out of town, doing home visits or post-placement visits with families. I really enjoy traveling to visit my families.

Q: What is your favorite part of working at LFCS?
A: I love that I have the privilege of building relationships with families and kids. I enjoy seeing families over the years and watching their kids grow up, travelling to various parts of Mid-MO and building new connections with community resources. We have such an amazing group of co-workers in our Mid-MO office. Our entire Foster Care and Family Services staff is amazing and I’m lucky to be part of it.

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Lost – Battling Postpartum Depression

beanstalk — Mon, 31 Jul 2017 14:59:15 +0000

A new mother knew something didn’t feel right, but didn’t know it was postpartum depression.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to be a mom,” says Missy Nichols of Columbia, MO. When she and her husband, Spencer, learned they were expecting their first baby in 2014, they were overjoyed.

But on a routine checkup, Melissa was diagnosed with severe pre-eclampsia. She was rushed to Boone Hospital Center and put on bed rest. Her daughter, Scarlett, was born a few days shy of 35 weeks’ gestation.

“I was able to touch her long enough for one photograph, then she was rushed to the NICU,” Missy recalls. “So many emotions flooded over me then – instant love for this beautiful little girl, overwhelming fear about what having a preemie would mean for our family long-term, and somewhere, the strength to keep myself together for her.”

While Scarlett was in the NICU, Missy was visited by a social worker who explained that postpartum depression, or PPD, was common in mothers of premature babies. But Missy didn’t think that applied to her.

“I thought I was too strong to be affected by depression,” she says. “To be honest, before I had depression, I never understood it was a real medical condition. I did not understand how overwhelming and crippling it is.”

Missy was no stranger to adversity; she’d grown up in foster homes and overcome many obstacles, but relied upon her drive, resolve and resourcefulness. She also drew strength from her faith; she and Spencer are active members of their Assemblies of God church.

“Life has not necessarily been kind to me, but I’ve never been one to sit and wallow in a situation,” she says.

When Scarlett came home, after three weeks in the NICU, Missy says, “I thought I was home free.”

But the relief and happiness Missy had expected to feel didn’t come. She worried constantly about Scarlett’s health and woke up frequently at night to check on the child. She felt guilty and blamed herself for the premature birth, even though her doctor told her she hadn’t caused the pre-eclampsia.

Missy was also sad that Scarlett’s birth did not go as she had wanted – she missed out on pictures and visits from friends – and mourned the time when she’d been separated from her baby.

“Going home and leaving Scarlett in the hospital that first night was so hard,” Missy says. Over the next year, she would wake up with vivid, painful memories of that event.

“The experience of having your baby in the NICU is emotional, and it does take a toll.”

Patti Blanchard, MSW, a social worker with Boone Family Birthplace, has one thing she wants everyone to know about postpartum depression: “It can affect anyone.”

Parents of premature babies are at higher risk. New mothers at Boone Family Birthplace are provided with information about perinatal mood disorders, which include PPD, and resources for follow-up. Social workers also check in regularly with parents of NICU babies.

“When you have a baby who has to stay in the NICU or has a specific diagnosis, the stress of that situation increases the risk of depression in both parents. Dads can get it, too,” Patti says. About 1 in 7 fathers in the United States experiences post-natal depression in the year after a baby is born.

Perinatal mood disorders can start during pregnancy and up to a year after the baby is born. The most common is called the “baby blues.” Up to 80% of mothers experience mood swings or crying spells the first week after childbirth, but they fade within 2 or 3 weeks.

PPD, however, lasts more than 2 weeks and symptoms may include loss of energy and motivation, feelings of guilt or worthlessness, changes in appetite and sleep, loss of pleasure in activities you enjoy, lack of interest or negative feelings towards your baby, and recurring thoughts of death or suicide.

When Missy tried talking about her feelings of fear, guilt, and sadness, her friends assured her. It was just the baby blues – and totally normal. As a first-time mother, Missy didn’t know what she felt wasn’t normal.

“Over the months, there were definitely changes that I see now were not normal, but clear signs of postpartum depression,” Missy says.

Her anxieties about Scarlett’s health and safety intensified. Her emotions felt hard to control. She was prone to sudden crying or angry outbursts. She also felt guilty about how bad she felt, knowing she had much to be thankful for.

Missy experienced physical symptoms, including loss of appetite, weight gain, insomnia, fatigue and physical pain. She found it hard to do simple things like showering. Her motivation was gone.

And Missy found it hard to enjoy the experience she had looked forward to all her life:

“I had difficulty adjusting to my role as a mom. Many days I felt like I was just an empty machine changing diapers and churning out nourishment for my child. It was difficult to even enjoy holding my baby.”

Missy knew something wasn’t right, but had difficulty expressing her feelings to her husband or friends.

By Scarlett’s first birthday, Missy’s depression had become unbearable. She felt like she was losing her will to live.

One Sunday evening at church, while leading worship, she couldn’t hold back anymore and broke down. Before everyone, she shared the painful feelings she’d struggled with. Her church family immediately responded with a show of support and love.

“They reminded me there was hope. If nothing else, I knew I wanted to live for my daughter and my husband. I was reminded that God had a purpose for me and that alone was worth fighting for.”

Missy made small, gradual goals towards self-care, trying to accomplish one or two things each day at first. She then focused on getting more nutrition and regular rest, taking walks, and letting her husband know when she wasn’t feeling well.

Missy also attended counseling sessions through Lutheran Family and Children’s Services in Columbia. Being able to talk about her experience to someone who understood made a difference. Still, it took several months before Missy felt like herself again.

Missy experienced PPD again recently, following the birth of her 5-month-old son, Thatcher, but having a support system in place, knowing the symptoms, and taking time for self-care made it easier to manage. She says, “I’ve felt really good the last few weeks.”

“If you’ve had PPD before, your risk is higher,” social worker Patti Blanchard explains. “But every pregnancy is different so not having a history doesn’t mean you’re not at risk. Again, it can happen to anyone.”

“Postpartum depression was the worst experience of my life,” Missy says. “I have always been so strong but this thing completely broke me into pieces. I felt like I’d lost myself.”

But as Missy’s drive and strength returned, she saw an opportunity to help other mothers. She has shared her story with several local groups and has made informing more people about PPD – health care providers and parents alike – part of her life’s work. She also praises the support she and others have received from Lutheran Family & Children’s Services.

Missy says, “I want the world to know PPD is a real and legitimate medical problem that can be treated. I want us all to collectively understand the intense impact that pregnancy and motherhood has on a woman’s mind, body and spirit…We can all make sure that no one suffers through depression alone.”

By Jessica Park, My Boone Health, Summer 2017 Issue

Click here to see the original article

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Join Our Advocacy Network

beanstalk — Fri, 19 Aug 2016 16:00:45 +0000

“Why don’t you pick on someone your own size?” In Hollywood playgrounds, it’s easy to spot the villain, because they’ll be bullying someone who can’t defend themselves. The hero immediately steps in to deliver justice, saying their good guy catchphrase. The hero’s actions ensure that the victim is given the right to eat their lunch, play sandlot baseball, or not have a wedgie, just like everyone else. Advocacy. It’s simple, right?

In real life, things simply aren’t that black and white, and problems are rarely fixed by a good guy swooping in to save the day. Instead, it is on every person’s shoulders to protect those who are unable to protect themselves, to step up, to do the right thing. Advocacy doesn’t get glorified quite the way that you may have thought it did when you were a child, but that doesn’t make it any less important. There are so many people that need help.

When you advocate, first you identify something as unfair or wrong, then you recognize that the people it impacts cannot fix it by themselves. Lastly, you make a commitment to helping them. When some people hear that, they respond “That sounds like a lot of work.” I’ll be honest with you, it is a big job, but here’s the thing: the more people who commit to advocacy, the easier making change gets.

A great way to advocate is through contacting your policymakers. Joining Lutheran’s Online Advocacy Network makes it easy! Notifications will allow you respond to Action Alerts when your voice can make a difference for children and families. Doing so will protect and grow programs that make such an impact in the lives of vulnerable children and families.

Want to share the opportunity to get involved? Try a post like one below on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

Do you want to be an advocate for foster children, at-risk families, pregnant women, individuals with mental health concerns, or those impacted by natural disasters? I am, and Lutheran Family and Children’s Services’ Online Advocacy Network makes it easy. I get Action Alerts when my voice can make a difference. Join at http://bit.ly/advocateonline

#Iadvocate for kids & families, and you can too! Join Lutheran Family & Children’s Services’ Online Advocacy Network at http://bit.ly/advocateonline

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Celebrating Foster Parents

beanstalk — Tue, 24 May 2016 21:58:56 +0000

To celebrate foster parents this final week of National Foster Care Month, we dedicate this poem to you – the families who graciously open their homes and hearts to children during a time of urgent need. Thank you for giving your love and kindness whenever and wherever it is needed!

To learn more about LFCS Foster Care Services or to become a Foster Parent, click here!

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Portraits of Grace: Older Children Needing Forever Homes

beanstalk — Wed, 19 Aug 2015 19:33:43 +0000

Portraits of Grace is a movable tower that showcases the older children who are available for adoption. These kids really need a forever home. If you are in the neighborhood, please come to our lobby on the 4th floor to check them out!! If your church would like to have this tower in their lobby or any open space, we would be happy to bring and set up the tower and then remove the tower in 2 weeks. Click to email Debbie Wolf or call 314-787-5100 for more information.

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Cammie’s Story: Homeless, Unemployed, Parenting and Pregnant

beanstalk — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 20:52:14 +0000

Let’s be honest. Being pregnant it not always the happiest time of your life. It can be scary, especially when the pregnancy is unplanned or you are experiencing a crisis like not having a home, a job, or support from family or friends. You know you need help, but where can you turn for that help? Read Cammie’s story below to find out how LFCS helped when she found herself homeless, unemployed, parenting two young children, and expecting her third.

“I remember the first time I heard about LFCS. I was literally homeless. It was me and my 5 year old son at the time and my daughter whom at the time was still in a carseat. I didn’t have a place to live. I was living from hotel to hotel. I came into LFCS and met my social worker. She was so sweet, kind, caring and understanding of my situation.

She began helping us by reaching out to shelters and finally got us a room at the Salvation Army. Then it didn’t stop there. She provided us with bus passes, transportation, and hope that we would soon find a place of our own. She not only helped me get a 3 bedroom apartment but she provided clothes, diapers, bus passes, and eventually things I needed for our apartment.

Without my worker and the help of LFCS, I don’t think I would be where I am today. Thank God for such a wonderful person and a great establishment. I love this place and I hope that more families can be helped and experience the joy and help I have experienced.

Sincerely, Cammie”

Are you pregnant and in a tough spot? LFCS’ Pregnancy, Parenting, and Adoption Services are here to help you! LFCS is available to offer case management services to you whether you are planning to parent or make an adoption plan. Either way, we will be by your side to help you prepare and make decisions for you and your family. Pregnancy can be scary, but you are not alone!

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Challenge Your Views About Adopting from Foster Care

beanstalk — Thu, 06 Aug 2015 01:52:58 +0000

The Today Show “Parents” segment shared ’18 photos and 6 facts that could challenge views about adopting from foster care.’

CLICK HERE to read the article.

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