Lutheran Community Services

Lutheran Community Services is a social services organization in Wilmington, Delaware, located at 2809 Baynard Blvd. Founded in 1959 by a coalition of Lutheran pastors and community members, the organization initially focused on the independent living needs of seniors. In 1970, it completed Luther Towers, a high-rise complex for low-income seniors, a model that was later replicated in Kent and Sussex Counties in Delaware and nearby Pennsylvania. By the 1980s, under the guidance of Ruth Flexman, the agency shifted its core activities to emergency food and housing assistance. Today, it serves low-income families in Wilmington and New Castle County by addressing food, housing, health, and other essential needs with dignity and respect. The organization holds a rating of 4.50 based on 75 reviews.

The agency operates a network of food distribution sites, providing enough food for clients to prepare over a half million meals each year. It is one of the largest partners of the Food Bank of Delaware and also receives donations from community, faith-based, and school drives. Housing stability services include assistance with past-due rent and utility payments, security deposits, and case management to achieve long-term stability. In the health sector, the organization runs the Delaware Quitline, providing outreach and program management for tobacco cessation, and operates the Delaware Food Farmacy, an innovative health equity program based on the principle that healthy food is foundational to health. Staff members include Maryum Lee, Executive Director; Kirk Brockenbrough, Operations Director; Jennifer Williams, Food Program Manager; and Romie Lutz, Tobacco Cessation Program Manager. The organization also maintains a Garden Club, organized by Stephanie Hall, which fosters lasting connections among participants.

The office is situated on Baynard Blvd, about a quarter of a mile from Concord Avenue and Concord Pike. It is located near Haynes Park, which is about two-tenths of a mile away, and the Wilmington Expressway is also within two-tenths of a mile. The organization stands among the strongest in its category locally, maintaining a solid reputation among the customers it has served.

Lutheran Community Services combines a long history of senior housing development with current, high-volume food and housing assistance, making it a central resource for essential needs in Wilmington.