Orange, Calif. (July 20, 2023) – Dr. LaSharnda Beckwith, president and CEO of Lutheran Social Services of Southern California (LSSSC), received Wipfli’s 2023 Innovation Excellence Award in recognition of the organization’s vision to create a holistic, long-term housing solution for homeless men in San Bernardino, California. The planned $38 million project will double their capacity to provide a range of services supporting independent living skills, workforce training, behavioral health and social services.
The award was presented with a $20K donation to Lutheran Social Services at the Stronger to Serve conference in Las Vegas on July 11, 2023. Established in 2018, the Wipfli award honors the late Evelyn Wright Moore, a Head Start leader from Angleton, Texas, who attended 16 Wipfli national training conferences until her passing in 2017.
“We’re so appreciative of this award as it validates and supports our innovative housing solution model in San Bernardino,” said Dr. LaSharnda Beckwith. “We want folks to reach a level of sustainability in their quality of life, and to elevate people while infusing them with a sense of independence.”
Licensed in six counties, Lutheran Social Services’ San Bernardino project is the first of several wellness campuses envisioned for the region incorporating their sustainability model. The campus will provide wrap around services to 150 clients in need of transitional and longer-term supportive housing in individual pet-friendly units referred to as “pods.” The plan will also establish an apartment complex for those ready for permanent supportive housing after up to 12 months of transitional services while continuing to access LSSSC’s programs.
For more information about Lutheran Social Services Southern California visit, www.lsssc.org or call (714) 685-1800. For more information about the Wipfli award, visit www.wipfli.com.
About Lutheran Social Services of Southern California
For 78 years, Lutheran Social Services of Southern California (LSSSC) has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to helping the most vulnerable families and individuals in Southern California. LSSSC is a social ministry organization among Lutheran Services of America, one of the nation’s largest health and human service networks. Partners and funders include the San Bernardino County Department of Behavioral Health, US Departments of Education, Housing and Urban Development and Health and Human Services. The history of LSSSC dates back to 1944 when a handful of congregants from Lutheran churches in San Diego began providing services and resources to veterans returning home. This group joined with like-minded congregants in Los Angeles and formed Lutheran Social Services in 1946. Today, LSSSC employs more than 200 dedicated staff that deliver more than 30 programs across six counties.
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Media Contact:
Barbara Kimler
949.521.4962
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