goins on
By Ted W. Goins, Jr. | LSC president and CEO
Love one another because all are welcome
Lutheran Services Carolinas (LSC) has for years embraced the joy of Christ, and the spirit of welcome, acceptance of all, positivity, and optimism. It is a natural outgrowth of our mission to walk with all and of our vision of abundant life. That philosophy at times is at odds with much of the polarization and even hate in today’s public discourse.
The LSC Way has been successful. Especially in the last few years, I have noted that any day I/we don’t step on a “polarization landmine” is a good day. In the last five years, LSC has not had one major issue, and only about a half-dozen single, unrelated questions or comments, about controversial issues. I’m not encouraging more dissent by writing this, but LSC is always willing to listen.
of LSC corporately, not by whatever identity each of us has individually. We don’t even all agree on what our Lutheran identity is. Theologians, pastors, and various church bodies can’t even agree on many issues, so you can see how hard this is. But we try and we do the best we can.
We do not discriminate. That would be immoral. That would also be illegal, as we are bound by state and/or federal law to not discriminate based on race, color, creed, gender, sexual orientation.
We haven’t been loud, obnoxious, or controversial, but we have relatively quietly gone about fulfilling our Vision, Mission, and Values. In many of these issues we rely on our value of Justice, to be in a right relationship with God and to be in a right relationship with each other.
LSC is humbly and unapologetically Lutheran, thus, a Christian-sponsored nonprofit. We have kept Lutheran in our name and Christ in our mission statement. While we are not legally part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), it birthed and raised us, and we remain closely affiliated.
Organization is different from individual. We strive to live out the Lutheran identity
What happens when there is disagreement? LSC generally receives at least one question or raised eyebrow when we hold a Diversity/Equity/Inclusion event or set up a booth at something like a Pride Day celebration or participate in a non-ELCA Lutheran event. My answer is always the same. Christ said to “love one another.” One of our tag lines is “All Are Welcome.” As an organization, we will love everyone, welcome everyone, and let God sort out the rest.
We won’t make everyone happy. But lifting up one group does not push down another group. I even work with and serve people who, if they weren’t so polite, would tell me I’m going to hell. I’m a Lutheran, so I wasn’t even baptized properly, according to their beliefs. Or a non-Christian might believe I am not going to heaven. After I thought all that through, I made peace with it. Everyone has a right to believe anything they want to believe.
Even the majority feels marginalized
sometimes. White males like me, for example, have been the dominant power in our society. Articles online, and a small group I am a part of, have been discussing another majority group that sometimes feels marginalized: conservative Christians. I’m here to tell you again that All Are Welcome. Each group has the right to believe what they wish.
As the historically dominant culture, Christians, by and large conservative, have had the control, the power, so they haven’t needed a special day, week, or month. LSC grew up in that culture. Now, striving to walk the tightrope between some of the “polarization landmines” that exist not only in society but also in the Church, we continue as best we can to live out our faith in Jesus Christ.
Here are some ways we live our faith as an organization. We put our residents/clients and all the people we serve first. We pray at the start of meetings. We employ chaplains. We celebrate the religious holidays of our Lutheran church. We participate in Faith Night at the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers and have LSC Day at the Columbia Fireflies. We strive to live our Lutheran/Christian identity as an organization, again including having Lutheran in our name and Christ in our mission statement. And we make room at the table for others and their beliefs.
LSC does not force its culture on others. We provide the framework where everyone can hold and honor their personal beliefs. Then, together, we can… Love One Another because All Are Welcome.
Searstone/LSC award $422,150 to Wake-area nonprofits
The Searstone/Lutheran Services Carolinas Community Benefit Committee recently announced $422,150 in grants to 15 organizations in Wake County.
Since 2014, the committee has directed five percent of revenues from the operation of Searstone, an independent living community in Cary, to Wake County nonprofit organizations serving seniors, indigent seniors, or other vulnerable populations.
The following organizations received awards for the last grant cycle: Bridge the Gap Mission; Caring Community Foundation; FIGS of Wake County, Inc.; Inter-Faith Food Shuttle; Jewish Federation of Raleigh-Cary; Kraft Family YMCA; North Raleigh Ministries; Note in the Pocket; PLM Families Together; Resources for Seniors; Rotary Memory Café of Cary; SAFEchild; Sleep in Heavenly Peace; The Carying Place, Inc.; and The Center for Volunteer Caregiving.
left to right: Mae Freeman,
of information services for Resources for Seniors, Inc.; Kristina Isaac, community relations coordinator for Note in the Pocket; Katherine Vance, associate executive director of youth development at Kraft Family YMCA; Ann Thomas, executive director of FIGS of Wake County, Inc.; Kylee McCombs, director of community health and nutrition at Inter-Faith Food Shuttle; Kimberly Burrows, vice president of development at Inter-Faith Food Shuttle; Danielle Pennington, grants and development manager at PLM Families Together; Paige Watts, grant administrator at Inter-Faith Food Shuttle; Zella Bracy, chapter co-president, Sleep in Heavenly Peace Fuquay-Varina; Derrick Moore, Searstone executive director; Angie Field, Branch Executive Director of the Kraft Family YMCA; Bradford Brady, executive director of Caring Community Foundation; Madison Lozano, food pantry programs manager at North Raleigh Ministries; Gordon Carson of Memory Café of Cary; Caroline Sagaon, donor relations and communications coordinator at North Raleigh Ministries; Jim Lovejoy of Memory Café of Cary; Elaine Whitford, executive director of The Center for Volunteer Caregiving; Bob Umstead, board member of Bridge the Gap Mission; Leslie Covington, executive director of The Carying Place, Inc.; and Searstone Grant Committee Members Dave Wolf and Joan DeBruin.
LSC senior living communities receive Commitment to Quality Award
Eight of LSC’s North Carolina senior living communities received the 2024 Bronze — Commitment to Quality Award from the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL). Recipients include Aston Park Health Care Center in Asheville, Trinity Elms in Clemmons, Trinity Glen in Winston-Salem, Trinity Grove in Wilmington, Trinity Oaks in Salisbury, Trinity Place in Albemarle, and Trinity Ridge and Trinity Village, both in Hickory.
“Each of these award-winning communities has been part of LSC’s lifelong commitment to quality,” said LSC President and CEO Ted Goins.
The Bronze is the first of three levels in AHCA/NCAL’s National Quality Award
Program, which recognizes a community’s commitment to improving the lives of seniors and individuals with disabilities through quality care. Applicants assess their organization’s mission, vision, and key factors that lead to success; then, trained examiners review each application to determine whether award criteria have been met. AHCA/NCAL represents more than 14,000 skilled nursing centers, assisted living communities, sub-acute centers, and homes for individuals with intellectual and development disabilities.
All eight LSC Bronze recipients are now eligible to apply for the Silver — Achievement in Quality Award.
From
program director
Ann James leads Trinity Recovery
Ann James joined Trinity Recovery as program director in November 2023. She is a woman on a mission: James and her teammates blanket eight South Carolina counties with information, outreach, tools, and advocacy to battle substance use disorder. You will find them in church fellowship halls, at community events, and inside encampments of unhoused people.
James holds a Master of Social Work degree from the University of South Carolina and previously worked with survivors of domestic violence. Earlier in her career, she conducted annual trainings on substance use disorder for the military.
“Recovery is a topic close to my heart,” James said. “I’ve seen the effects of substance use disorder in so many families and communities. Where there is trauma, substance use disorder often follows — whether you are talking about soldiers and veterans with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) or intergenerational trauma.”
Launched in 2022 with a grant from the South Carolina Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services (DAODAS), Trinity Recovery trains Lutheran congregations in Greenwood, Lexington, Newberry, and Richland counties to help individuals overcome substance use disorder.
“One of our goals is to create ‘recovery-informed’ congregations that meet people where they are,” James noted. “Substance use disorder can happen to anyone.”
In the counties mentioned above — as well as Calhoun, Kershaw, Orangeburg, and Sumter counties — Trinity Recovery also provides peer support and distributes harm reduction kits with naloxone, fentanyl test strips, and xylazine test strips. And it provides ongoing case management for clients in recovery.
“Whenever someone is ready to recover, we will be there to help,” James said.
“God had His hand in this.”
One family’s journey inspires donations for foster teens
Kay Yelle of Wilmington, North Carolina has a soft heart for foster children — and it runs in the family. Her daughter, Leah, a social worker in Florida, has one biological son with her husband. They completed their family by adopting a daughter from foster care.
“We were there the night [my granddaughter] arrived at the front door,” Yelle recalled. “She was only two years old. It was a rough night.”
The family’s foster care and adoption journey has had a broader impact in both communities.
“Leah’s church in Florida decided to do a project to support foster teens, and that impressed me,” noted Yelle. “I told my Bible study group at Lutheran Church of Reconciliation in Wilmington about it, and they asked me to take charge.”
Reaching out to LSC was a logical next
Kay Yelle (right) and members of her Bible study group at Lutheran Church of Reconciliation in Wilmington, N.C.
step. A church presentation by Chief Development Officer Heidi Rixman had inspired Yelle to contribute to LSC’s Be The Light campaign, and she had designated her gift to LSC’s North Carolina Foster Care program.
“I called Pastor Tenny [LSC Development Officer Tennyson Shifley] and he put me in touch with Brita Nicol, an LSC Foster Care case manager in Wilmington,” Yelle added. “Brita told me that sometimes the foster teens don’t know where or when they’ll move next — and they have to carry their belongings in a big trash bag. I told our congregation, ‘That’s not going to happen anymore.’”
Yelle and her Bible study group started a donation drive, advertising on sanctuary projection screens and in church bulletins. The response was powerful.
“The congregation really came through,” said Yelle, contributing gently used suitcases
and travel bags, which Yelle and her friends cleaned up.
The group also assembled hygiene kits with toothbrushes, deodorant, shampoo, lotion, and more. They made special kits for boys and girls and even included socks for a cozy touch. Congregants were so generous that Yelle and her friends filled an entire storage tub with the overflow. They delivered everything to LSC’s Foster Care office in Wilmington.
Nicol was flabbergasted. “I thought suitcases would be useful, but I never expected this response!” she said. “We have already given several suitcases to our teens, and they are so grateful.”
Yelle and her friends are motivated to do more. Working with Nicol, they are already brainstorming new ways to help LSC foster youth.
“God had His hand in this,” Yelle smiled.
Officer Kesha Smith, Monique Hairston of Trinity Elms, LSC Board Chair Greg
Janice Osborne of LSA Pharmacy, Joan Ward of Trinity Village, and Charaya Tyson-Littlejohn of Trinity Place.
LSC celebrates teammates’ loyal service
LSC’s Loyal Service Award recognizes teammates who fulfill its mission by serving clients and residents in a truly extraordinary way. Seven deserving LSC teammates received this peer-nominated award for 2024. Awards were presented at a luncheon held on June 20 at Trinity Oaks senior living community in Salisbury, North Carolina.
Congratulations to the following winners:
NANCY GALSIM
CNA, Aston Park
Galsim has been with LSC since 2000, and she was nominated by Aston Park Executive Director Marsha McClure.
“Nancy truly cares for her residents and
enjoys seeing them make progress each day so they can return home,” said McClure.
“She addresses residents with respect and meets their needs based on their abilities. Her dedication and compassion resonate not only with residents but also with her colleagues.”
Galsim’s kindness and devotion extend beyond Aston Park. For more than 12 years, she and her husband have visited and prepared food for an elderly widow they call “Mother.”
MONIQUE HAIRSTON
CNA & Medication Aide, Trinity Elms
Hairston has been with LSC since 2015. She was nominated by Trinity Elms Direc -
tor of Nursing Murphy Oliver and Director of Independent Living Jessica Swanson.
“Monique demonstrates professionalism, compassion, and attention to detail in all aspects of her work, inspiring her colleagues to do the same,” her nominators said. “She serves joyfully and creates a positive and uplifting environment. She is a treasure to our residents and their families.”
When asked how they feel about Hairston, one resident’s family said, “Monique is beyond wonderful. She can anticipate [residents’] needs and she knows their patterns, their likes and dislikes. We know any day she is here will be a good day. This place would not be the same without her.”
Pictured from left: LSC President and CEO Ted Goins, Nancy Galsim of Aston Park, Corlis “CoCo” Phifer of Trinity Oaks, Chaz Harris of LSC’s Child & Family Services, LSC Chief Operating
Hudgins,
CHAZ HARRIS
Director, Day Services for Youth Program & Emergency Bed Program, Child & Family Services
Harris has been with LSC since 2009. He was nominated by LSC’s South Carolina Child Services Director Julie Hood.
“Chaz worked in LSC’s Adult Services Program for most of his 14 years,” Hood noted. “In July 2023, he accepted a position leading a brand-new LSC program developed in relationship with the South Carolina Department of Social Services (SC DSS). We had a short time to launch, and Chaz exhibited great leadership. He did so well that SC DSS asked us to open an emergency bed program last December. Chaz is respected by his teammates and loved by the youth we serve.”
In addition to his work with LSC’s foster youth, Harris is a devoted father to his own two sons. He assists in coaching their athletic events and travels all around South Carolina to cheer them on.
JANICE OSBORNE
Pharmacy Tech, LSA Pharmacy
Osborne has been with LSC since 2004; she was nominated by Pharmacy Tech Georgia Kendall.
“Once you meet Janice Osborne, you won’t forget her,” said Kendall. “She is a joy to be around. Janice’s teammates love working with her, and we all miss her when she goes on vacation. Everything she does is for
the benefit of others. Janice always goes the extra mile.”
Even outside of work, Osborne is always thinking of others. She crochets afghan blankets for those in need and brings in treats for her teammates.
CORLIS “COCO” PHIFER
Housekeeper, Trinity Oaks
Phifer has been with LSC since 1998. She was nominated by Trinity Oaks Executive Director Bill Johnson.
“Over CoCo’s many years of service, she has been consistently reliable, punctual, loyal to the mission, and positive in her manner,” said Johnson. “She provides the very best service to her beloved residents. Her pleasant kindness, quick wit, and easy laugh put people at ease. She exhibits grace in action every day.”
Phifer displays her Christian faith and her love for her work by singing praise music. Usually she sings quietly, but when bold praises come from her lips, Phifer’s teammates say it turns their whole day around.
CHARAYA TYSON-LITTLEJOHN
CNA Nurse Aide 1, Trinity Place
Tyson-Littlejohn has been with LSC since 2001; she was nominated by Terry Taylor, LPN.
“Charaya exemplifies the attitude and care that all CNAs should strive for when working directly with patients,” said Taylor. “She enjoys the residents that she serves as
well as the teammates she serves with. She is always willing to pick up shifts, stay late, or do anything else that is needed. Every facility could benefit from a teammate like Charaya.”
Tyson-Littlejohn cares deeply about people. When she’s not at Trinity Place, you’ll find her helping out at her mother’s day care center, working with autistic clients at Monarch Services, or making desserts and gift baskets for family, friends, and customers. She also has a degree in substance abuse counseling.
JOAN WARD
CMT, CNA & CMA, Trinity Village Ward has been with LSC since 2002. She was nominated by Registered Nurse Supervisor Colleen Dishman and Staff Development Coordinator Josh Stroup.
“Joan feels that being a caregiver is a calling, not just a job,” said her nominators. “She shows compassion to residents, families, and teammates in all she does. She keeps her faith front and center and cares for everyone without judgment or bias. Joan is the embodiment of Micah 6:8: ‘Act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.’”
Ward is a nurturer in her family and at work; she encourages her children and young relatives to reach for the stars. Since her brother’s death, Ward has financially supported her teenage niece in Jamaica, whom she hopes to adopt.
LSC earns Candid Platinum Seals of Transparency for 2024
For the third year running, LSC has earned two Platinum Seals — the highest possible distinction — from Candid, a nonprofit that provides the most comprehensive social sector data and insights available. LSC received one Platinum Seal for Lutheran Family Services and another for Lutheran Services for the Aging. Nonprofits earn a Bronze Seal by providing basic information about their mission, leadership, and programs. By sharing financial information, they progress to a Silver Seal; by sharing qualitative information on goals, strategies, and vision, they earn Gold. Organizations awarded the Platinum Seal provide all these data points as well as metrics that demonstrate progress toward achieving their mission.
More than 10 million people use the Candid website to find in-depth financial information before making a giving decision.
“From a country of war to a country of peace”
A Syrian refugee builds a new career and meaningful relationships with help from LSC
Mohammed Al Kassar didn’t know what to expect when he arrived at Trinity Oaks for his first day of work on the maintenance team last October — and frankly, he was a little nervous. The Syrian refugee and his family had only arrived in the United States in July, and he was just beginning to learn English.
“I worried about how people might treat me because I’m a foreigner,” explained Al Kassar, a client of LSC’s Salisbury, North Carolina New Americans Program who worked as a plumber back in Syria.
Al Kassar needn’t have worried, because
the LSC Way is in full swing at Trinity Oaks. Teammates embraced him according to our “Welcome All” principle, and they immediately extended compassion, respect, and collaboration — all LSC core values.
Campus Director of Maintenance C.J. Moody led by example — another principle of the LSC Way. “When Mohammed was hired, nobody knew how it was going to work out, so I had to begin with an open mind,” Moody recalled.
Under Moody’s leadership, the entire maintenance team installed a language translation app and began training their newest member.
SHARED VALUES BUILD A TEAM
It quickly became clear to Al Kassar that his teammates share a deep commitment to LSC’s core values. “After a day or two, all my fears turned to happiness,” he recalled. “It was a wonderful surprise.”
The team addresses any confusion with a generous spirit. “Sometimes the app doesn’t work as well as we’d like,” noted Moody. “But when we slow down and take the time to understand each other, we grow stronger.”
In turn, Al Kassar has become a valued member of the Trinity Oaks community. “Once [Al Kassar] began work, you could
Mohammed Al Kassar (right) and C.J. Moody get ready to take a reading in the Trinity Oaks boiler room.
tell he had a servant’s heart and wanted to help however he could,” Moody reflected.
Adding a New American to the maintenance team has also raised awareness. “Getting to know Mohammed and learning about his background has opened my eyes to new things,” said Moody. “I’m even starting to learn a little bit of Arabic.”
PUTTING DOWN ROOTS
Meanwhile, Al Kassar and his wife, daughter, and two sons are settling into American life. “Thanks to LSC’s help, we now rent a beautiful home in Spencer,” Al Kassar reported. “[My wife] Duaa studies English at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College. My daughter Nadia and son Nadeen are 14 and 10 years old, and they attend school. Our youngest son, Taim, is 3 years old and goes to preschool.”
“My advice to readers and especially to potential employers is, don’t stereotype. Instead, stop and think about what you can do to help. New Americans don’t take our freedoms for granted. They want to contribute to this country.”
— C.J. Moody Campus Director of Maintenance, Trinity Oaks
New Americans Program teammates played an integral role in the family’s resettlement. “After we arrived, we worked closely with Breanna [Hagerott], Dawn [Ranes], and Quinn [Rizzo] in the Salisbury New Americans Program office,” Al Kassar recalled. “Dawn helped me apply for my job at Trinity Oaks.”
The family has also received moral and tangible support from members of St. John’s Lutheran Church who formed a Circle of Welcome through the New Ameri -
cans Program. “They are a wonderful group of friends,” Al Kassar noted. “I want to thank Barbara Hattaway, Karen Puckett, Mike and Sharon Agee, and Michael and B.J. Conner, as well as my English tutor, Andy Edwards.”
GRATEFUL FOR THE BASICS
Al Kassar and his family are grateful for the opportunities they have received through LSC’s New Americans Program. “Life in the United States is much easier than in Syria,” he observed. “Everything we need is available — and, most important, we are safe.”
“We have big plans for our future,” he added. “But first we are concentrating on learning English and getting a good education for our children. We want to stay in the Salisbury area, and I want to stick around Trinity Oaks — I love it so much!”
When asked to share his final thoughts on being a New American, Al Kassar said, “I want [Voices] readers to appreciate how beautiful life is in the United States. We came from a country of war to a country of peace.”
Trinity Oaks receives award for pilot program assessing risk of falls
LSC’s Trinity Oaks received a LeadingAge North Carolina Excellence in Innovation Award at the association’s 2024 Annual Conference and Expo held in Asheville on May 9. The award recognizes programs and best practices that address significant needs in the pursuit of expanded possibilities for aging.
Trinity Oaks, located in Salisbury, North Carolina, was the first senior living community to test pilot a smartphone app that assesses seniors’ risk for falls. The AVA app guides participants through timed balance exercises and captures their performance on a smartphone camera. AVA then uses proprietary artificial intelligence technology to analyze the footage and measure participants’ risk of falling. The study not only helped residents understand the level of fitness needed to prevent falls; it also increased participation in Trinity Oaks fitness classes by 50 percent. More than a dozen participants were referred to Trinity Rehab for physical therapy, and teammates developed a physical therapy “Spirit Week” to educate and motivate residents.
“This partnership was a win-win for all involved,” said Trinity Oaks Learning for Life Director Donna Williams Groce. “Residents gained a better understanding of how to enhance and maintain their quality of life and the developers stepped out of the lab to find real world participants, making their product stronger.”
LSC Chief Financial Officer Kirby Nickerson and Trinity Oaks’ Learning for Life Director Donna Williams Groce and Marketing and Sales Director Lorie Aldridge pose with the LeadingAge North Carolina Excellence in Innovation Award.
LSC Day Services for Youth program expands to second South Carolina location
LSC is thrilled to announce the expansion of its Day Services for Youth program to Clinton, South Carolina. The new location is on the campus of Thornwell Home for Children.
Through a partnership with the South Carolina Department of Social Services, the program offers foster youth a safe place to learn and grow during the day. Since LSC launched the program in Columbia in 2023, it has served 96 foster youth. It is open year-round, five days a week, and provides meals for youth, education support, life skills, and space for online learning.
LSC held an open house event to celebrate the expansion of the program in May.
“Today marks a new opportunity to expand child well-being services in the Upstate of South Carolina through the innovative partnership between Lutheran Services Carolinas and the South Carolina Department of Social Services by providing a safe and nurturing environment to support their emotional, mental, and physical needs,” Tim Duncan, LSC’s program director for the Clinton location said. “We are thrilled to be able to serve more youth through this essential program.”
Dawn Barton, director of permanency management with South Carolina Department of Social Services, attended the open house and told the crowd that the program has been incredible for the youth.
Dawn Barton, director of permanency management with South Carolina Department of Social Services, speaks to those in attendance at the event. Also pictured are LSC Executive Director of Community and Rehabilitative Services Bethany Vause and LSC Vice President of Child & Family Services Myra Griffie.
“The kids have a sense of stability. I have a quote on my whiteboard at the office and it says, ‘Every child deserves a no-matterwhat family.’ While this isn’t family, to them it is stability,” Barton said. “It is consistent people in their lives that they can build trust with and hopefully get to that next step. You all are providing that for our kids.”
LSC held an open house and ribbon-cutting event to celebrate the expansion of its program.
B Vine-ripened joy
Trinity Glen resident James Cleo Jones harvests the essence of summertime
ig Boy, German Johnson, grape, and cherry: home-grown tomatoes are a succulent bounty of steamy Carolina summers.
And nobody knows tomatoes like James Cleo Jones. The Cleveland, North Carolina native tends a patio bursting with container-grown tomatoes at LSC’s Trinity Glen, the Winston-Salem senior care community where he now lives.
“It’s too hot right now and they’re getting blossom-end rot,” he says. “With containers, you need to water two times a day.”
Jones waters his plants around 10:30 a.m. and checks them again in the late afternoon.
“Watering at mid-day keeps them cool and alive in this heat, but it doesn’t really nourish them,” he notes. For that, he relies on 10-10-10 fertilizer, followed by an infusion of Miracle-Gro two or three weeks later.
This is Jones’s first summer growing tomatoes in pots, but he has decades of experience working the land. His family raised almost all their own food, including beef, hogs, chicken, rabbits, and vegetables.
In 1966, after six years of military service, Jones moved to Mocksville and started work at Hoechst-Celanese in Salisbury. He took up home gardening a few years later. It proved a fulfilling pastime during his 30-plus-year career at the plant and as a self-employed landscaper.
Only in 2010, after being hit by a car, did Jones stop gardening.
“It was just me at home, so I went to the farmer’s market instead,” he recalls.
Jones’s mobility declined further due to peripheral artery disease, and he has used a wheelchair for the past several years. In 2017, his right leg was amputated below the knee. In late 2023 he moved to Trinity Glen, and early this year he lost his left leg. He seems remarkably sanguine under the circumstances.
“While I was in therapy here at Trinity Glen, I heard there was a garden. I assumed there was a team to do the gardening, but it
“A world without tomatoes is like a string quartet without violins.”
— Laurie Colwin
turns out it was just me,” he smiles.
At first, Jones worried he wouldn’t be able to maneuver his wheelchair to reach the plants from every angle. But the circular pots provide easy access.
“The container garden has been a godsend.
He loves being outside with the plants,” says his granddaughter ShaNicka Brown, Trinity Glen’s director of social services.
Jones hopes to be walking again with prosthetic legs by next summer. In the meantime, tomatoes of all shapes and sizes are already ripening on the vine — “if I can get to them before the ‘hawks,’” Jones jokes, meaning his neighbors.
Most of the harvest will go to Trinity Glen’s kitchen for all the residents to enjoy.
“I’ll be happy if I can get one tomato sandwich,” Jones says. Duke’s is his mayonnaise of choice, but now that he’s watching his diet, mustard will do just fine.
James Cleo Jones waters his tomato plants at Trinity Glen senior care community in WinstonSalem. “I was raised not to waste my time,” he says.
A family, forever
Carla Jones, M.D., named LSC’s 2023 Adoptive Parent of the Year
“Love is patient; love is kind.... It does not insist on its own way.... It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.” — 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
Patience, kindness, hope, endurance: Scripture tells us these are the hallmarks of love. You’ll find them all in abundance in the home of Carla Jones, M.D., LSC’s Adoptive Parent of the Year for 2023.
The mother of two young boys adopted from foster care, Dr. Jones was nominated by Torrie Evans, a coordinator in LSC’s Special Needs Adoption Program. We recently spoke with her about her adoption journey.
“I’ve known I wanted to adopt since I was in elementary school,” she recalled. “One year, in the fall, one of my classmates had a new last name. He had been adopted over the summer. I saw such joy in him, and I knew I wanted to bring that kind of joy to a child someday.”
Dr. Jones has always loved children. She was a sought-after babysitter in her church community, and after graduating from medical school she completed an externship at a small family medicine practice — where she discovered that she also loved delivering babies. For 16 of her 28 years in family medicine, Dr. Jones made obstetrics part of her practice.
“I loved obstetrics and love continuing the care of the family beyond the delivery room,” noted the North Carolina resident. “I gave up obstetrics when I decided to give full attention to extending my family.”
“My adoption journey took six years from the start of the matching process in 2015 to placement in late 2021,” she added. “I knew I wanted to adopt siblings, and it took a while to find the right match. During that time, I read a lot of books and took parenting classes. I also provided weekend respite care for pre-adoptive families and other fos-
ter families. It helped them cope with big life transitions, and it gave me the confidence to parent my own children.”
A NEW FAMILY IS BORN
“I jumped into parenting with both feet,” Dr. Jones recalled. “My boys were four and two years old when they came to me in 2021. Both have had some emotional and behavioral challenges, but with the help of an amazing village of professionals, family, friends, and neighbors, we have come into our own.”
The family went to the courthouse on July 28, 2023 — “my grandmother’s birthday!” — to sign adoption papers. The decree was finalized in August.
Her sons are at the center of her life. She goes above and beyond to provide them with a nurturing environment and to educate them about their heritage as African Americans. She even includes their two siblings,
who live elsewhere, in family activities.
“Too many people have disappeared from my boys’ lives,” she said. “I was not going to let their siblings disappear too.”
RESPECTING CHILDREN’S INDIVIDUALITY AND HISTORY
Dr. Jones appreciates her boys’ individual personalities and needs. “[My older son] is a wonderful helper,” she noted. “He has the most beautiful, dimpled smile and inquisitive nature... and he is a champion builder of LEGO towers.”
“[My younger son] is a kind and compassionate little man,” she said. “[It makes me] so proud to see him comfort others with a smile, a touch on the shoulder, or the gift of a toy or a song.”
“Parenting adopted children is hard work, but it’s so rewarding,” Dr. Jones added. “They come to you with their own histories. If they have been through trauma, they may
Carla Jones, M.D., is LSC’s 2023 Adoptive Parent of the Year.
need a little more control and certainty. I give my boys choices when I can — for instance, what they are going to wear — and I let them know what will happen next. I also try to make it safe for them to talk about the past.”
AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE
Dr. Jones credits her skillful transition into parenting to a broad support network.
“I’ve learned from other adoptive families and colleagues with children,” she noted. “My mom calls every day. My cousins have been a resource. And my friends and neighbors babysit occasionally to give me a break.”
“Torrie [Evans, of LSC] has also been a tremendous help,” Dr. Jones added. “We’ve been together since the very beginning, and she still does home visits every three months
to maintain my foster license.”
At the end of the day, she reflected, “I honestly think my boys have given me more than I have given them. I’m so blessed to be their mom.”
To learn more about LSC’s Special Needs Adoption Program and adopting from foster care, call an LSC case manager at 704-300-4130 or e-mail adoption@ LSCarolinas.net.
Shepherd Society new members
LSC’s Shepherd Society stands as a pillar of support and dedication within the organization, comprising a community of donors and volunteers whose unwavering commitment fuels the advancement of LSC’s vital services.
The Shepherd Society encompasses three categories:
• The Shepherd Giving Society honors donors whose financial contributions total $1,000 or more within a calendar year — as well as lifetime members, now known as Golden Staff members, whose cumulative giving reaches exceptional milestones, such as $50,000 for individuals and $100,000 for organizations. These donors not only sustain but amplify LSC’s ability to provide essential services.
• The Shepherd Legacy Society recognizes individuals who have generously included LSC in their estate planning, ensuring a lasting impact that extends far into the future.
• The Shepherd Volunteer Society is comprised of individuals who epitomize the spirit of service by contributing 100 hours or more per calendar year to LSC ministries. They directly enhance the organization’s capacity to support and uplift neighbors in challenging circumstances.
LSC welcomes the Shepherd Society’s newest members: those who have joined since January 2024. Their support ensures that more individuals and families will receive the care and assistance they urgently need. LSC also extends its heartfelt gratitude to all Shepherd Society members for their commitment to transforming lives across the Carolinas.
Welcome to the following new members:
• Anonymous (4)
• David & Elizabeth Adams
• Randy A. Barnes
• Dolores J. Bechtel+
• Mr. & Mrs. William H. Beilfuss
• Jacqueline W. Bowman
• Alvena Chapman
• Ronald & Salli Cleminson
• Rachel Connelly & Michael Goyne
• Diane Corrick
• Ms. Peggy Curran
• Daughters of the Holy Cross, Columbia, SC
• East Lake Community Church, Irmo, SC
• Emmaus Church, Columbia, SC
• Todd & Nancy Fredin
• The Frontier Growth Foundation, Charlotte, NC
• Steve & Beth Fulmer
• Gardner & Associates LLC, Lakewood, OH
• Mr. & Mrs. Doug Hefner
• Daniel & Rosalind Hines
• The Home Depot Foundation, Atlanta, GA
• John Knox Presbyterian Church, Greenville, SC
• Noelle Johnson
• Wesley & Wanda Lee
• Leigh & Shari Leverenz
• Angela Loos
• Vanessa F. Miles
• Roderick K. Miller
• Mt. Hermon Lutheran Church, Concord, NC
• Mungo Homes Foundation Inc., Irmo, SC
• The Nord Family Foundation, Amherst, OH
• Northside Christian Academy, Lexington, SC
• Robert Pignataro
• Cora Lee Pless
• Paul P. Plishka & Sharon L. Thomas
• David Post Family Foundation, Foundation for the Charlotte Jewish Community, Charlotte, NC
• Resurrection Lutheran Church, Cary, NC
• Joanne C. Ropp+
• Spencer Scarvey
• Second Saturday Inc., Ballentine, SC
• Shandon United Methodist Women in Faith, Columbia, SC
• The Sheldon Family
• South Carolina Opioid Recovery Fund, Columbia, SC
• St. Martin’s-in-the-Fields Foundation, Columbia, SC
• Nellie L. Stuart+
• Laurel M. & Arthur D. Suggs
• Temple Israel, Salisbury, NC
• Amy Lynn Tiller
• Frank Young
• Pauline L. Young+ (A “+” indicates that the donor is deceased).
To all Shepherd Society members: Please be on the lookout for your invitation to a regional thank-you dinner or lunch. LSC is so grateful for your partnership in providing abundant living to all we serve! For more information about the Shepherd Society, contact LSC Director of Development Emily Dubay at edubay@lscarolinas.net.
LSC Marks World Refugee Day 2024
Did you know one in every 69 people on Earth has been forced to flee their homes due to conflict, persecution, or other challenges beyond their control? What’s worse, 40% of refugees are children. The United Nations established World Refugee Day on June 20 to honor and raise awareness of these resilient people. LSC’s seven New Americans Program offices marked the occasion with celebrations throughout the month of June.
Asheville City Soccer Club donated tickets for local New American clients to attend its June 15 home game against the Birmingham Legion. About 25 clients participated, and we spread the good word with an information table and in-game announcement. A great time was had by all, and Asheville won the match.
Salisbury, N.C.’s very first World Refugee Day on June 20 at Bell Tower Green was open to the entire community. It was full of dancing, poetry, and delicious food.
The New Americans Program in Greenville, S.C. partnered with youth and leaders from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on a day of sports, games, and carnival fun at Furman University. About 300 church members and over 330 refugees participated.
New American clients and teammates had a blast at Raleigh, N.C.’s June 8 World Refugee Day event at Moore Square, co-hosted by LSC. It featured kids’ activities, performances, a resource fair, and more.
Columbia, S.C. New American clients and teammates celebrated on June 15 at the Brookland-Lakeview Empowerment Center in West Columbia. They enjoyed international food, crafts, and a visit from Abraham the Camel.
The Charleston, S.C. New Americans Program partnered with the Charleston Battery soccer team for World Refugee Night on June 28. LSC was named the Community Hero, receiving a $1,000 donation from The Ideal Life - and the Battery won its match against North Carolina Football Club.
The Myrtle Beach, S.C. New Americans Program commemorated the day with a cookout for clients at Grand Park.
(Lutheran Services for the Aging, Inc.)
Post Office Box 947
Salisbury, North Carolina 28145
Phone: 704-637-2870
Toll free: 1-800-HELPING www.LSCarolinas.net
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“Empowered by Christ, we walk together with all we serve.”
LSC Chief Development Officer receives ACF President’s Award
LSC Chief Development Officer Heidi Rixman received the Association for Christian Fundraising (ACF) President’s Award for Volunteer Service during the organization’s Annual Meeting on May 1. Rixman’s award recognized her work as Chair of the Faith & Fundraising Conference Hospitality Committee for 2022 and 2023.
“I became involved with ACF over seven years ago and served as the Blue Ridge Chapter President from 2020 to 2023,” said Rixman. The Blue Ridge Chapter covers the Carolinas, Virginia, West Virginia, and Kentucky.
“Leading the Hospitality Committee for the ACF conference in Myrtle Beach made sense to me,” she added. “We were excited to showcase our region.”
During the meeting, Rixman was also appointed to the ACF Board of Directors; her term began July 1.
Voices is a publication of Lutheran Services Carolinas, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit health and human services organization and a social ministry serving children and families in North and South Carolina and older adults in North Carolina. Content for Voices is written by Erin Kidd, director of communications, and Susannah MacNeil, communications manager. Questions or comments should be directed to Erin Kidd at ekidd@lscarolinas.net
LSC Administrative Office 1416 S. Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave. Post Office Box 947 Salisbury, N.C. 28145 704-637-2870
Association for Christian Fundraising (AC) Executive Director Laurie Brill (left) and LSC Chief Development Officer Heidi Rixman with Rixman’s ACF President’s Award.
LSC Columbia Office 1118 Union St. Columbia, S.C. 29201 803-750-9917