Evangelische Lutherische Waisenhaus Gesellschaft

The Bible societies of St. Paul’s Lutheran and Trinity Lutheran churches founded Lutheran Child and Family Services (LCFS) in 1883. LCFS was originally “an asylum for orphans and aged people.” The first orphanage, incorporated under the name of Evangelische Lutherische Waisenhaus Gesellschaft, was a nine-room residence on East Washington Street, housing three children, foster parents, and staff. In 1893, LCFS moved into a new building, where it remained until after World War II.

Following the end of World War II, LCFS continued to adapt. In 1945, the agency was renamed the Lutheran Child Welfare Association of Indiana to better reflect its broader focus on child welfare services beyond simply providing residential care. By the early 1950s, the need for a more comprehensive campus prompted the purchase of land at 16th Street and Ritter Avenue. Construction began in 1953 on a new complex called Lutherwood, which over the following decades grew into a multi-building site dedicated to a range of residential and therapeutic services for children and families. In 1981, reflecting ongoing growth and an expanding geographic reach, the agency adopted the name Lutheran Child and Family Services of Indiana and Kentucky, Inc.