Whether it’s a family seeking to adopt or foster a child or a refugee seeking to become part of the community, Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains plays a role offering assistance in these areas and many others.

LFSRM provides nearly a dozen services throughout the Front Range, primarily in Colorado Springs, Denver, Greeley and Fort Collins. Refugee and asylum programs along with immigration legal services are offered in communities in New Mexico and Montana.

In Colorado Springs, services include adoption, foster care, adoption, SafeCare Parent Support, pregnancy options Colorado, refugee and asylum and family respite care through its KPC Family Resource Center.

The latter is unique to Colorado Springs, said Dona Dalton, director of marketing and communications for LFSRM. “It’s the only one of its kind that offers crisis care and prevention to keep families safe through support and guidance whether it’s a temporary crisis situation or helping a parent or guardian who needs help when feeling overwhelmed.”

In 2023, 244 children and 149 families received a total of 8,176 hours of respite care, according to the LFSRM website. Dalton added that there is no cost to families. A 24-hour hotline is available and respite care can be provided for up to 72 hours.

SafeCare Colorado is another family-focused program. It offers in-home, voluntary services to support families by providing health needs and teaching parents and guardians to positively interact with children under 5 years old.

When LFSRM first started in 1948 the organization focused on adoption. Its mission regarding adoption, as noted on the organization’s website is “… to build families through infant, designated, and international adoption by providing support, education, and counseling. As a full service Colorado adoption agency, our adoption and pregnancy counselors work closely with clients as they consider and prepare for adoptive parenthood.”

Foster care is another area of focus for LFSRM. “This means placing children in a safe place so they can move forward,” Dalton said, “whether this is reuniting with their birth family or finding a forever home.” In 2023, 176 children and youth were served for 22,394 nights in Colorado Springs, Denver and Fort Collins.

LFSRM reports 1.23 moves per 1,000 nights of care, which points to the stability of its foster care program for children and youth.

Since the pandemic, LFSRM continues to evolve as it finds ways to meet people where they are. For example, Dalton cited the foster care informational meetings. “We’re able to offer these online to hopefully help those considering fostering pursue their interest and learn more about the program so youth can get into a loving foster home.”

Since 1975 LFSRM has worked to help refugees. Dalton said that typically only 1% of refugees are relocated to a developed country. The organization works with Global Refuge, also a faith-based nonprofit, that helps place refugees following an extensive, often yearslong screening process. “We help to resettle refugees into the community,” Dalton said. This is accomplished through support programs, employment training, understanding the culture, getting children enrolled in schools and much more.

“For more than 75 years we’ve served individuals and families in the Rocky Mountain Region,” Dalton said. “Our mission is that everyone is safe and how we can play a part in that. One way is through the support of the Empty Stocking Fund which helps the resiliency of our communities.”

Of LFSRM’s connection to the Empty Stocking Fund, Dalton said, “It’s amazing to have this organization help El Paso County and the many different service agencies to raise awareness and help strengthen the community. We’re proud to be one of the agencies involved.”