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Dear Team,
One of the things I love about the rich diversity of our team is seeing the many religious holidays celebrated amongst our team members. There are many holidays coinciding with Spring, and I want to extend my heartfelt wishes for a blessed and meaningful season.
For those celebrating Lent (February 14 – March 28, culminating in Easter on March 31), in this season of resurrection and new life, may the symbolism of Easter inspire you with faith, courage, and the promise of brighter days ahead. May you find peace amid celebration and reflection.
For those celebrating Ramadan (March 10 – April 9), may this holy month bring you spiritual reflection, self-improvement, and compassion for others. As you fast and pray, may Allah’s blessings be upon you and your loved ones.
For those who celebrated Nowruz (March 19), let the arrival of spring bring a time of renewal, growth, and new beginnings.
May Passover (April 22 – 30), be a time of remembrance, gratitude, and joy as we commemorate the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. Let the Seder traditions connect us to our shared history and the enduring values of freedom and community.
May the spirit of compassion and renewal that accompanies spring holidays fill your hearts and strengthen our bonds as a diverse and inclusive team.
In unity,
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Victor Akinde, Case Manager - Arbutus
Edrees Hashemi, Case Manager - Frederick
Abdul Saqib, Case Manager - Woodbridge
Dunya Abbasi, Immigration Legal Coordinator - Fairfax
Bashir Agha, HR/Payroll Coordinator - DC
Asma Baburi, Administrative Coordinator - Resource Center
Concepcion Del Pilar Gudiel Carrera, Paralegal - Fairfax
Noor Fatima, Intake Coordinador - Arbutus
Ahmad Jalali, Quality Assurance Coordinator - Fairfax
Mozhda Nezrabi, Program Coordinator - Fairfax
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Colleagues, program participants, and community members attended the Arlington Chorale's performance of "The Stranger." RIS case manager Ahmad Bahir Nasiri recited a moving original poem, and Christine Dunn, director, community engagement emceed the evening. Thanks to in-kind tickets, program participants filled three long pews at the event. | |  |
The Community Engagement team represented LSSNCA at Awesomecon, an annual pop culture convention in D.C. Lots of new faces stopped by to learn more, to donate, and to sign-up for our newsletter. Thanks to those from the Development and Communications teams who also worked the table over the weekend. | | |
We joined George Mason University's (GMU) ARIE Conference to discuss our SOAR initaitive, in partnership with the GMU Business School. Eytan Deener-Agus, director, housing, innovation, and strategic initiatives, and business engagement specialist, Shoiab Jahesh spoke with the engaged crowd. | | |
Our RIS team alongside the Montgomery County Muslim Foundation and Muslim Community Center - Silver Spring put together and distributed more than 120 Ramadan baskets in preparation for the holiday. | | |
It's that time of year again! We're dropping our Spring Appeal next week! This year's theme is Roots of Resilience. Stay tuned for a social media tool kit and more information about how you can help us raise unrestricted funds to better serve all program participants! | |
We hope you can join us for LSSNCA's second edition of Mind the Gap on April 18, 2024, 6:00 p.m. at Busboys and Poets (14th and V). LSSNCA CEO Kristyn Peck will moderate the panel, and colleagues will be joined by others in the field to discuss access to higher education and recertification obstacles for newly arrived neighbors. For more information, reach out to Hirut Gebretsadik. | |
We’ve launched our Refugees Give Back (RGB) program. The program welcomes ORR-eligible individuals (e.g., SIVs, refugees, asylees, etc.) who have lived in the U.S. for at least two years, and are not receiving LSSNCA services, to serve as advocates and peer support alongside newly arrived program participants. Please reach out to Kyle Hughes with questions. | |
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The IT team released a new way to request assistance: Work Requests - Form by Asana. Please use this form for all IT / Apricot / Facilities requests.
In case you missed it, the PQI team delivered an All Hands presentation on Performance Quality Improvement procedures, policies, and roles. Check out the presentation.
LSSNCA joined 193 organizations including medical, academic, human rights, immigration, civil rights, and faith groups to call on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to end the practice of solitary confinement in immigration detention centers. A new report released in February by Physicians for Human Rights details this arbitrary and dangerous practice, which often violates international and domestic legal standards. Read the letter and report here.
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A big thank you to Kate Naboka for volunteering to write our additional Serve Boldly blog this month. Make sure to read her reflections on the latest Frederick cultural orientation.
Beyond Cultural Orientation: A Space for Uplifting One Another
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For Social Work Month, we spoke with dedicated LSSNCA social workers, including those serving our Children, Youth, and Family Services foster care program, and our CEO, Kristyn Peck. They touched on what drew them to social work, how to best fight burnout, and misconceptions about social work they'd like to see change
Frontline Perspectives: Social Work Month
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Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area (LSSNCA) is a human services and immigration relief and refugee welcome agency that has served the Maryland, Virginia, and D.C. metro area since 1917.
Mission
Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area (LSSNCA) accompanies those in need to foster resiliency,
self-sufficiency, and access to opportunities by creating, connecting with, and engaging welcoming communities.
Vision
An inclusive community of well-being where people thrive.
Values
Motivated by our belief in the inherent dignity of all humans.
Collaborating with integrity and accountability.
Advancing equity, inclusion, and social justice.
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