PREAMBLE

As waves of new immigrants struggled to survive during the latter half of the 19th century, the Lutheran Church was among the charitable organizations that stepped forward to create a safety net of much-needed services in New York City. In 1883, a uniquely gifted Norwegian Deaconess Nurse, Sister Elisabeth Fedde, created a health care ministry on the streets of southwest Brooklyn - the Norwegian Relief Society.

That ministry has evolved into a comprehensive, integrated health care system known today as Lutheran HealthCare. Affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and committed to the original mission of the founding Deaconesses, Lutheran now serves a rich diversity of God's people through an entire continuum of community-based health and education services.

Lutheran HealthCare is committed to its moral partnership with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and, in so doing, embraces the ELCA Social Statement, Caring for Health: Our Shared Endeavor.

MISSION

Lutheran HealthCare exists to serve its neighbors. We are dedicated to caring for whole persons throughout whole communities. As a stabilizing foundation for these communities, Lutheran is committed to meeting our neighbors' changing physical, emotional, spiritual, intellectual and social needs.

VISION

Lutheran strives to become the provider of choice for its patients, doctors and staff.