Lutheran Family and Children's Services (LFCS), one of Missouri's longest-serving social service agencies, today launched its urgent "Meet the Moment" campaign. The campaign highlights a critical, growing crisis facing the nonprofit sector across Missouri and nationwide.

As operational costs rise and fixed funding loses purchasing power, organizations like LFCS are being asked to do more with less, even as community needs intensify. The Funding Effectiveness Project recently described this as a "quiet crisis" – a scenario where overall philanthropic dollars may be up, but individual donations are declining, threatening social service agencies’ long-term health.

“When nonprofits cannot meet community needs, real lives are impacted,” said Mike Duggar, President and Chief Executive Officer. “This isn’t about budgets; it’s about ensuring families children are safe, and communities can thrive. We must meet this moment together.”

According to the 2025 State of the Nonprofit Sector Report, the sector faces immense pressure: 77% of nonprofits report increased demand for programs, yet 65% are impeded by staffing shortages, and nearly half lack the funds to meet client demand. Alarmingly, three out of four have cut staff or programs, with 87% seeing increased demand for mental health services despite struggles to find staff.

Compounding these challenges, Congress just passed legislation making deep cuts to Medicaid spending, reducing the program by $625 billion over 10 years. In Missouri alone, one in five residents – over 1.2 million people, including 39% of all children in the state – rely on Medicaid, which also covers two-thirds of nursing home care. These cuts drastically increase demand on already strained social service organizations, like LFCS, making the “quiet crisis” even more urgent and critical.

LFCS is not alone in confronting these challenges. This call to action is amplified by key community partners, including Bringing Families Together, which shares LFCS’s commitment to supporting vulnerable Missourians.

"The challenges facing our communities are immense, and no single organization can solve them alone," said Kim Brown, Executive Director, Bringing Families Together. “We are proud to stand with LFCS in this 'Meet the Moment' campaign, advocating for the critical resources needed to ensure essential services remain accessible for all who depend on them.”

Despite these headwinds, LFCS proactively responded to community needs by expanding in-person capacity, opening new Kansas City offices, and prioritizing essential staff hires to reduce client waiting times and strengthen families.

These vital expansions address the pressing needs of Missouri families, made even more urgent by unprecedented federal funding cuts. Through the "Meet the Moment" campaign, LFCS aims to raise $150,000 by June 30. The funds will support programs tackling Missouri's mental health crisis, preventing child abuse, and helping clients heal from trauma.

For more information about the “Meet the Moment” campaign, please visit https://lfcsmo.org/, call 866-326-LFCS, text “Moment” to 50155 or make a donation.

Lutheran Family and Children's Services (LFCS) is a statewide agency headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, with regional offices in Columbia, Cape Girardeau, Springfield, Joplin, and Kansas City, as well as numerous satellite counseling sites. LFCS serves Missouri families from all walks of life in their greatest times of need. The nonprofit social services organization provides support in six critical areas to help children and families: adoption, behavioral health, parenting education, pregnancy support, foster care, and childcare at the Hilltop Child and Family Development Center. The programs in these areas empower individuals and families to develop healthy, supportive foundations for a lifetime. Services are open to anyone regardless of race, faith, national origin, or gender.

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“When nonprofits cannot meet community needs, real lives are impacted,” said Mike Duggar, President and Chief Executive Officer.