Thank You…Lutheran Family and Children’s Services (LFCS) thanks to individuals and businesses for support and sponsorship of our agency through volunteerism and fundraising events over the years.

God’s love inJesusChristempowers Lutheran Family & Children’s Services of Missouri to help families, children and individuals experience greater hope and wholeness of life.

Statewide Programs

SouthwestOffice

Mid-Missouri

Office

St. Louis

Office

Southeast Office

Elm Point Child Development Center,

St. Charles County

2,608 Clients Served Statewide

Helping families, children and

individuals

WINGS: Women in Need Growing Stronger

• Current program for women facing crisis pregnancy

• Provides education, referrals, support and counseling to mothers and other family members

• Services are free for women who choose parenting or adoption

Get Real with Yourself

GRWY website has information on both

parenting a child and making an adoption plan

when dealing with an unplanned pregnancy.

Positives of Infant Adoption

Adoption

• in 2008– Services were provided to 1,457 • individuals statewide

Providing education and support families need to adopt a child:

• Domestically• Interncountry—LFCS is Hague Accredited• Through an independent adoption • Guardianship • Alternative custody arrangement

We provide a bi-monthly ADOPTION POWER HOUR –3rd Tues. at 6:00—Call 334-5866 for more information.

We provide ongoing, lifelong services.

November is

National Adoption Month

Mayor Jay Knudsen signing a Proclamation declaring November National Adoption Month

National Adoption Month November 2009Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1 Begin National Adoption Month by celebrating your family’s story! Write it down and add it to your scrapbook.

2Light a candle as a family for children in foster care who are still waiting for adoptive families.

3Tuck a note in your child’s lunch bag telling him or her what makes them special to you.

4Write out a family mission statement. Ask each family member to write down ideas, goals, and dreams for the family.

5Listen to 960 KZIM on Faune Riggin’s Coffee Break at 8:30am for adoption-related stories

6Make a special dinner that is common in your child’s native country.

7Adoption Celebration 9am-12pmThe Porch at LaCroix3102 Lexington, Cape

8Read adoption-themed poems as a family. Consider writing your own!

9Donate books about adoption to your local school or library.

10Contact a children’s organization or foster care agency and ask how you can volunteer.

11 Choose a country and discuss how as a family you may be able to help a child in that country who waits in an orphanage.

12Create your family tree. Include information about your child’s birth family (if known) as well as your adoptive family.

13Pass along an adoption article to another adoptive parent or friend.

14Rent a movie with an adoption theme to watch as a family. Pop some popcorn and make root beer floats!

15If you have one, ask your place of worship to offer a special prayer for families touched by adoption

16Subscribe to an adoption-themed magazine or one dealing with a specific culture

17Adoption Informational Meeting, 6pmLFCS 334-5866

18If your child was adopted internationally, display the map of his or her homeland in a prominent place in your home.

19Call your local adoption agency and ask if there is a family who needs mentoring as they wait for a child to be placed in their home.

20Join an adoptive parent support group in your area. If there isn’t one, consider starting your own.

21Adoption Storytime Barnes & Noble 10amNational Adoption Day

22As you plan for Thanksgiving, choose one dish from your child’s heritage to include in the meal.

23Search for music with an adoption theme on the internet.

24Find an adult adoptee who would be willing to mentor your child.

25Send a tax-deductible donation to your favorite adoption organization.

26ThanksgivingCelebrate with family and friends! Take turns sharing something that you are thankful for.

27As a family, shop for toys and gifts for a toy drive or needy family for Christmas.

28The holidays are coming up! Make a special ornament for your child’s heritage to include in your decorating!

29Take a family photo today. Have a copy framed for each member of the family to be placed in his or her room.

30Donate book bags and/or suitcases to a local foster care agency so kids don’t have to use trash bags when moving from home to home.

Foster Care

39 children were in voluntary foster care 18 were placed for adoption 21 were returned to birth family Trained and supported 24 foster families

Federal grant to provide free training to health care professionals on presenting adoption as an option

Infant Adoption Training Initiative (IATI)

Older Adult ServicesCounseling: Through In-Office and In-Home

Counseling a counselor will:• Help address concerns of sadness and loneliness,

depression, anxiety and worries• Help identify concerns you can’t seem to identify

yourself. • The counselor meeting with you is a licensed

professional counselor. Everything discussed is kept confidential and provided to anyone who is a resident of Cape Girardeau county, 60 years and older.

• *Services are provided regardless of church affiliation, race or ethnic background

• “Memory Matters”• A group for older adults with early memory loss

• · Hear about causes of memory loss• · Share coping strategies, feelings, talents• · Learn memory building techniques

• Thursdays 10 AM—2 PM

• *An individual assessment is required.• *Weekly sessions cost $15 per week.

 

Care Giver’s Alzheimer’s Support GroupThis support group provides emotional support for family members caring for a loved one in their home. Free of charge. In our support group we:· Share activities to do with those who suffer from Alzheimer’s· Help coping with difficult behaviors· Help deal with gradual declines and losses 

WHEN: Second Monday of each monthWHERE: Lutheran Family & Children’s Services

3178 Blattner Drive, Cape Girardeau, MO TIME: 6:30-8:00 P.M.

LFCS is a member of the National Alzheimer’s Association.

For more information on any of the above services, call

(573)334-5866Ask for Carol Dippold3178 Blattner Dr.

Cape Girardeau, MO 63703

 

Other LFCS Cape ProgramsOther LFCS-Cape Programs

Family Foundations

Emergency Assistance to Families

Season of Sharing

• Advocacy-2006 assisted with keeping subsidy for Missouri adoptive families adopting children with special

needs

-2008 helped put Alternatives to Abortion funding in MO state budget

2008 helped change adoption law to make the placement of infants easier

• Community Education

Over 50 speaking engagements completed yearly

• Season of Sharing355 families were assisted during the 2008 holiday season in the St. Louis and Southeast Office

Serving the Community

We touched the lives of over 30,000

individuals in 2008

How we support our work• Client Fees

• Donations

• United Way

• Grants

– Cape County Mental Health Board

– Cape County Senior Mil Tax Board

• Contracts

– Department of Health and Senior Services (ATA)

– Children’s Division

• State Tax Credit Programs

• Agency Events

22nd Annual LFCS Holiday Home Tour

Sat. Dec. 5th

10am-4pm

Save the Date- May 10th, 2010

“Hope Fore Families”

Golf Tournament

Save Big-Tax Credits

You are eligible!

You qualify for both state tax credits and state and federal deductions that could lower your out of pocket cost by 75%.

 Example:  If you’re in the 30% tax bracket: If you’re in the 38.6% Tax Bracket:

Donation to LFCS $5,000 Donation to LFCS $5,000

Mo Tax credit (minus) $2,500 Mo Tax credit (minus) $2,500

Federal income tax (minus) $1,500 Federal income tax (minus) $1,930

State Income tax (minus) $300 State Income tax (minus) $300

 

Total cost to you (donor) $700 Total cost to you (donor) $270