Pathways 4 Youth

Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota traces its history to 1865 when Vasa Lutheran Church near Red Wing opened its church to care for children in need. ​​​​​​​Historic Milestones 1865 - Vasa Children's Home, Red Wing 1889 - Children's Home Society of Minnesota (CHS) 1895-1898 - Lake Park Children's Home and Wild Rice Children's Home 1900 - Lutheran Children's Friends Society 1905 - Lutheran Inner Mission Society 1916 - Bethany Children's Home, Duluth 1927 - Lutheran Inner Mission Society becomes Lutheran Welfare Society 1948-1953 - LSS settles 3,000 refugees from Europe 1950s - Children's Home Society of Minnesota begins first international adoptions 1953 - Camp Knutson opens in Crosslake 1954 - Vasa Children's Home begins serving children and youth with developmental disabilities in residential care 1958 - LSS opens new Minneapolis office at 24th and Park Avenue 1960s - LSS established statewide by merger of Lutheran Welfare Society, the Board of Christian Service, and then the Lutheran Children's Friend Society 1973 - Older Americans Act is passed - Senior Nutrition services begin 1975 - Fall of Saigon - LSS and CHS begin serving thousands of Southeast Asian refugees and unaccompanied minors 1976 - First LSS residential home opens in Bloomington to serve adults with developmental disabilities 1980 - Street outreach launches to serve homeless youth in the Twin Cities 1984 - Housing information service opens in Minneapolis to serve newly-emerging homeless families 1987 - LSS launches financial counseling to help Minnesotans struggling with credit card debt 1990 - LSS Advocacy Office opens 1991 - Safe House opens in Saint Paul as an emergency shelter for youth 1997 - Camp Noah is created in response to the Red River Valley Flood 2000 - First LSS transitional housing service opens for homeless youth in Saint Paul 2001 - Second transitional housing service opens for homeless youth in Duluth 2003 - Camp Knutson renovation is completed 2003 - First transitional housing for teen mothers experiencing homelessness opens in Saint Paul 2008 - The Center for Changing Lives in Minneapolis opens 2011 - "My Life, My Choices" published - design of services for people with disabilities 2012 - LSS affiliates with CHS combining adoption operations 2014 - Altair Accountable Care Organization ​​​​​​​2017 - The Center for Changing Lives in Duluth opens

We are an organization which provides services to homeless and at-risk youth. We provide housing, food, clothing, hygiene, and mental health services.