Lutheran Social Services, Inc.

Pastor Arturo Pena, LSS Area Director Angelica Villastrigo, Rev. Paul Ziese and Rev. Julio Flamenco cut the ceremonial dedication ribbon to mark the opening of the newest LSS Adoption and Foster Care offices in Southside San Antonio.
LSS Chief Executive Officer Kurt Senske, Pastor Arturo Pena, Rev. Julio Flamenco and Rev. Paul Ziese were on hand to celebrate the new office, located on Zarzamora Street.
 

San Antonio Southside Office Opens

San Antonio -- Lutheran Social Services of the South, the largest provider of children's residential services in Texas, celebrated a major addition to its award-winning foster care program on May 4 with the dedication of the newest San Antonio foster care and adoption office at 700 S. Zarzamora St., Suite 212.

Pastor Arturo Pena of Abundant Grace Lutheran Church, left, and Rev. Julio Flamenco, right, address the guests at Lutheran Social Services' newest foster care and adoption office in San Antonio.

The Southside office
is staffed with bilingual caseworkers to serve the needs of abused and neglected children in the Spanish-speaking San Antonio community.

The dedication ceremony featured prayers in Spanish and English by Pastor Arturo Peña of Abundant Grace Lutheran Church and Rev. Julio Flamenco of Misión Evangélica Luterana in San Antonio.

"It is an honor and a privilege to be here to support the children who need homes," said Peña."

Angelica Villastrigo, director of the new LSS Southside office, said there is a great need for a bilingual foster care and adoption office in the San Antonio area.

"There are people in the Hispanic community who want to foster or adopt a child in need. By offering both languages when they walk through the door, we can maximize the opportunities for anyone who has ever thought of opening their heart and home to a new family member, whether for a few weeks or for a lifetime," she said.

"It is especially appropriate that we celebrate the expansion of foster care services this month, National Foster Care Month," said LSS Chief Executive Officer Kurt Senske, "We have a long history of serving the people of San Antonio. The first infant adopted out of this program was placed in a loving home in September of 1944. That child would now be 62."

For Senske, the newest LSS office reflects a commitment to respond to the ever-evolving needs of society.

"Our hope and prayer with this office is to recruit, train and support outstanding foster parents in the Hispanic community who will provide loving, safe homes for the children who needed a shelter from the storms of their troubled lives," he said.

The event was attending by several foster families, community members and prospective foster parents who came to find out more about LSS programs.

For more information about about becoming a foster parent in San Antonio, please contact Angelica Villastrigo at (210) 431-3487, or click here.