Incorporated in 1979, Lutheran Social Services of Northeast Florida was formed by a consortium of Lutheran churches and Jacksonville community leaders who sought to address the gaps in service to poor families. Lutheran Social Services' first program was the Nourishment Network, a small food pantry, which has grown to become the only food bank in this region - Second Harvest North Florida. Second Harvest has been feeding hungry children and adults since 1979.

In addition to its originating program, LSS provides services to the most needy in our community through an impressive array of programs. In the fall of 1980, the Refugee and Immigrant Services Program was created in response to the influx of Southeast Asian Refugees into the Jacksonville area. This program has expanded over the years to include resettlement services, employment assistance, adjustment services, educational assistance, and translation services.

AIDS Care and Education (ACE) was created in 1992. ACE provides assistance to people and families living with AIDS through case management, counseling support, and information dissemination.

The Representative Payee Program was implemented in 1995 after the Social Security Administration and the Florida Department of Children and Families approached us for help with managing the fiscal affairs of people receiving Social Security and disability entitlements.

The Sharing Place Thrift Store in its current format was opened in January 2008.

Lutheran Social Services has grown tremendously during its 30 years of service to the First Coast area and enjoys an excellent reputation for providing innovative, effective and credible programs within the community.