Lutheran Social Ministries of New Jersey Receives High Honor for Its Work to Revitalize North Camden
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Contact: Heather Kato
Annual Giving & Marketing Manager
(609) 699-4139
Representatives from Lutheran Social Ministries of New Jersey (LSM/NJ) accept the 2008 Award for Excellence, presented by Lutheran Services in America (LSA) for their work to revitalize 89 homes in North Camden. From left to right: Jill Schumann, President and CEO of Lutheran Services in America, Peg Bucci, Vice President of Housing & Community Services, LSM/NJ Jerry Nugent, President & CEO, LSM/NJ, and Suzanne Wise of Lutheran Family Services in the Carolinas] Representatives from Lutheran Social Ministries of New Jersey (LSM/NJ) accept the 2008 Award for Excellence, presented by Lutheran Services in America (LSA) for their work to revitalize 89 homes in North Camden. From left to right: Jill Schumann, President and CEO of Lutheran Services in America, Peg Bucci, Vice President of Housing & Community Services, LSM/NJ Jerry Nugent, President & CEO, LSM/NJ, and Suzanne Wise of Lutheran Family Services in the Carolinas
BURLINGTON – Lutheran Social Ministries of New Jersey (LSM/NJ) was recently awarded the 2008 Award for Excellence by Lutheran Services in America (LSA) at its annual conference. In the category of “Stretch for Mission,” LSM/NJ was honored for taking over and transforming an affordable housing community in the economically depressed area of North Camden, New Jersey.
As a social ministry organization, the scope of LSM/NJ’s services is broad. As one of largest affordable housing providers in the state of New Jersey, it provides affordable and special needs housing to over 1,400 New Jersey residents. This prestigious award was presented to LSM/NJ as the instrumental organization working with state and local government entities as well as homeowners and renters to re-shape the future of nearly 89 scattered home sites currently in default in North Camden. Inspired by its mission to serve those who hurt, who are in need or who have limited choices, LSM/NJ will manage, rebuild and renovate the homes in a community plagued by gangs, drugs and community defragmentation, in order to revitalize an area of North Camden that is rich with history.
LSA’s Awards for Excellence are given annually to celebrate innovation and excellence among Lutheran health and human service organizations. The theme for the 2008 awards – Taking Risks for the Future – recognizes that today’s complex challenges require a certain level of risk in order to touch the lives of those in need and make a difference.
“Year after year we are astounded by the breadth and depth of creativity and commitment that Lutheran Social Service organizations put at the disposal of their communities,” said Jill Schumann, President and CEO of Lutheran Services in America. “This year, especially, we are proud to honor so many organizations that took chances to make their organizations, neighborhoods and communities better places.”
LSA is an alliance of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod, and their related social ministry organizations. Through its coalition of 300 health and human service organizations, LSA creates opportunities with people in thousands of communities throughout the United States and the Caribbean.
In total, eight social ministry organizations were honored for innovative and organization-changing programs. Most importantly, the awards recognized that all of the honorees, including LSM/NJ, have exceeded expectations by stepping out in faith and taking a big leap into the future.
For more information on Lutheran Social Ministries of New Jersey or the work of Lutheran Social Ministries of North Camden call (609) 699-4108 or visit https://www.lsmnj.org.
Lutheran Social Ministries of New Jersey (LSM/NJ) is a faith-based, statewide not-for-profit provider of compassionate, quality senior care services, as well as community programs such as adoption, immigration & refugee resettlement, community residences for developmentally disabled women & affordable housing for seniors and families. For more information, call (609) 699-4108 or visit www.www.lsmnj.org.