Help a child … feel safe, build a future, return to family. Become a part-time STAC foster parent. Southern Thirty Adolescent Center (an emergency shelter for youth in Mt. Vernon, Illinois) needs part-time foster parents to provide temporary overnight care for a child. Questions worth considering … Do you have compassion for innocent children […]

  In the middle of the summer we start planning the LCFS Christmas Drive, with hopes to make Christmas extra special for the more than 1,800 children served statewide in LCFS’ Foster Care program. This weekend was our Northern Illinois Santa’s Toy Store set-up day. Volunteers drove their sleighs (Uhaul trucks) to pick up gifts […]

  In late August 2017, current and former staff, current and former LBK youth, supporters and community members gathered to celebrate and say farewell to Lutherbrook Child and Adolescent Center in Addison, Illinois. Lutheran Child and Family Services of Illinois was founded as an orphanage in 1873 by fourteen Lutheran congregations on a site just […]

  On national friendship day, Lutheran Child and Family Services of Illinois thanks all of our friends, including Tim Perryman (pictured above). Tim and his wife Becca serve on the committee for our new, exciting fall fundraiser – the Harvest Festival. Tim shared why they support LCFS with their time and treasures: “I like the […]

Lutheran Child and Family Services of Illinois recently assisted in helping facilitate a plan to continue food distribution services to community residents in Calhoun County. Under the new plan, once a month the St. Louis Area Foodbank will provide a semi-truck of non-perishable foods, frozen foods, meats, fresh fruits and vegetables to be distributed to […]

The 2016 LCFS Annual Report is now available. To view it click here.

All children deserve the right to a permanent home where they feel safe and loved. Adoption can meet this need while bringing great joy to a family. Going through the adoption process can do the same, but there are also logistical and emotional challenges for which a helping hand and sound, expert advice are needed. […]

LCFS has achieved Hague Accreditation through the Council on Accreditation. This grants LCFS Dual Accreditation from COA, which demonstrates the agency’s commitment to the children and families we serve in Illinois and abroad. Hague Accreditation means that LCFS is in substantial compliance with the Hague Convention Accreditation Standards. LCFS’s Hague Accreditation is valid through November […]

In 2015, Cassandra and Garry’s three children were taken into DCFS care after the couple found themselves facing charges for risk of physical/environmental neglect of their children. “We were associating with the wrong people and allowing the wrong people to be around our kids,” explained Cassandra. So the couple’s three children were placed in the […]

  Lutheran Child and Family Services of Illinois announced program closures and staff cuts that will help the organization to better meet its ongoing mission. As part of a thorough organizational review following several years of financial challenges and changing needs, they have made the difficult decision to restructure to ensure continued viability. “Since assuming […]

“Diamond” is an art show by JB, Lutherbrook youth and artist, whose work is on display on the second floor of the Addison Public Library through April 7. The exhibit includes the following description: “(JB’s) work is inspired by graffiti and different objects he finds interesting, such as diamonds. JB has been making art seriously […]

LCFS volunteers Marilyn and Gary Wenzel (pictured below) represented LCFS at the Allstate Insurance Vounteer Expo at their corporate headquarters in Northbrook. They spoke to Allstate employees about LCFS’ services and volunteer opportunities. LCFS is always looking for volunteers to help in a variety of ways. For more information go to our Volunteer page.  

LCFS’ Shelley Husemann addresses this devastating issue in a news report from WAND-TV.    

Thank you to the energized volunteers of Capital One’s Chicagoland Hispanic Network who came to LCFS’ Little Village Food Pantry today. They helped prepare for the distribution of fresh produce and non-perishable items to community members in need. This morning the line was already a couple of city blocks long, with the first people lining […]

Eastern Social Welfare Society is once again offering its Korean Language and Cultural Program. The program is designed to assist ESWS adoptees to learn the Korean language and gain exposure to Korean culture.   The program runs from June 18 through July 21, 2017 and is held in cooperation with Hallym University’s International School in […]

A beautiful February day provided the framework for the 2017 Lutherbrook Bowl-A-Rama. More than 300 people participated in the event, which raised more than $32,000. The funds raised through Bowl-A-Rama support Lutherbrook Child and Adolescent Center, a program of Lutheran Child and Family Services of Illinois. Lutherbrook youth have experienced multiple complex traumas in their […]

In Illinois and across the nation issues surrounding wealth and income inequality are raising increasing concerns. This year’s Lutheran Child and Family Services of Illinois Annual Gathering of Stakeholders addressed them head on. New LCFS President and CEO Mike Bertrand set the tone by reminding attendees that “We’re called to continue to serve.” He acknowledged […]

The importance of the positive impact of foster parents on families cannot be underestimated. The article, “Report says foster parents helping reunite families,” from the Jacksonville Journal-Courier, addresses this topic and highlights LCFS’ Northern Illinois Director of Child Welfare Jacqueline Herbert-Townsend.

Lutheran Child and Family Services of Illinois (LCFS) a leading social-service provider focused on nurturing and protecting children, strengthening families and enhancing communities, has announced the retirement of Gene Svebakken (pictured above with his wife Carol), MSW, ACSW as chief executive officer effective December 31, 2016. The board of trustees also announced the appointment of […]

A very special person in the life of LCFS passed away on October 13th. Bob Fick was a compassionate man who cared deeply – especially for the youth at Lutherbrook where he was an art instructor. He had a special gift for connecting with Lutherbrook youth. Bob served on the LCFS Board of Trustees for […]

What better way to spend a beautiful October evening than in the company of friends? More than 140 people agreed, gathering recently for the 27th annual Lutheran Child and Family Services of Illinois (LCFS) Harvest Gala. They gathered for a time of fellowship and good food and to support LCFS’ work of nurturing and protecting […]

There’s still time to register to vote. Election day is November 8.   (Printable version of flyer)  

We know that LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning) youth are disproportionately represented in the child-welfare system and that they often experience discrimination and maltreatment in substitute care. So LCFS engaged All Children All Families (a project of the Human Rights Campaign – www.hrc.org) in providing training so that our staff could learn best […]

We are moving our Elmhurst-based adoption and birth-parent services offices to Addison (effective August 30, 2016). This change enables us to operate more efficiently, while still providing all applicant families and birth parents with excellent service, assisting them throughout their journeys. (The offices of our Lifelink International Adoption program (www.lifelinkadoption.org) are also moving to the […]