New Policy Brief on Infants and Toddlers Experiencing Homelessness
The "State-Level Brief Update - A Call for Action: Participation of Young Children Experiencing Homelessness and Young Children in Foster Care in Early Childhood Programs in Pennsylvania" was released by the Pennsylvania Head Start State Collaboration Office (PA HSSCO) and HopePHL in February. The brief update "highlights key state-level
Sites Needed for Summer Meals Program
Although most of us delight in the idea of summer in the midst of winter, those summer months can be a very trying time for families that rely on free or reduced-price meals during the school year. During the school year, many students receive healthy and nutritious school meals for
LAMPa’s Response to Governor Shapiro’s 2024 Budget Address
LAMPa finds much to applaud in Gov. Josh Shapiro’s $48.3 billion budget proposal unveiled yesterday, especially in priority areas of housing, health care, safe communities, household financial stability and education equity. Although nutrition programs would see some significant increases and innovations, hunger advocates fear they do not go far enough
Lutheran Disaster Response Training and Engagement for Winter and Spring 2024
Join trainings and other opportunities for engagement with Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR). From comprehensive disaster preparedness courses to specialized training in recovery, volunteer management, and rebuild operations, the opportunities in this catalog strive to foster a culture of preparedness and strengthen the collective ability of communities to mitigate the
Housing Alliance Releases Interactive Report on Post-Pandemic Evictions
LAMPa's coalition partners, the Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania, released an interactive web report on the rise of eviction filings in Pennsylvania post-pandemic. As people of faith, we grieve the ways in which so many of our neighbors are turned out of their homes and are called to work for policies
Khader El-Yateem appointed Executive Director for ELCA Service and Justice
CHICAGO (Jan. 17, 2024) — The Rev. Khader El-Yateem has been appointed executive director of the Service and Justice home area of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). El-Yateem will begin his service March 18. “I am excited about Pastor El-Yateem bringing his relationship-building skills to the churchwide organization,”
Lutherans and Racial Reconciliation in SWPA
When a historic Black church in the Hill District of Pittsburgh reached an agreement in 2023 with the Pittsburgh Penguins to reclaim land that it had been forced to give up more than 60 years ago, Lutherans were a part of the faith community supporting the effort. Bethel African
ELCA Task Force Releases Draft of Social Statement on Civic Life and Faith
The ELCA is developing a social statement on civic life and faith, the relationship of church and state, and related matters, as called for by the 2019 ELCA Churchwide Assembly. A draft version of the social statement is now available for study and discussion. Social statements are the ELCA’s
Pastor Erin Jones Completes Executive Leadership Certificate
Distinguished program hosted by Princeton Theological Seminary equips dynamic women with resources for innovative, effective leadership. PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY, JANUARY 2, 2024. Iron Sharpening Iron (ISI), a professional development network for women in ministry, is excited to announce that Rev. Erin Jones, Communications and Advocacy Engagement Manager at Lutheran Advocacy Ministry
Lois Griffiths: A Life Lived for Others
“Always remember OP.” That was Lois Griffiths’ mother’s code for “other people.” From a young age growing up in Harrisburg, she has taken her mother’s words to heart, and has lived a life directing not only her actions toward “OP,” but centering the needs and experiences of others in
