LAS VEGAS – More food insecure residents of Southern Nevada will have access to fruits, vegetables and other groceries as Lutheran Social Services of Nevada (LSSN) expands its DigiMart™ Food Pantry. DigiMart, the first online digital food pantry in the country that enables individuals to order food online from their homes and kiosks at LSSN, will expand from 750-square feet to add an additional 2,308-square feet, totaling 3,058-square feet. LSSN will kick off the construction, which is scheduled to last four to six months, with a groundbreaking ceremony, Thursday, March 5, at noon, 4323 Boulder Highway. The event is open to the public.
Funding for the project came from NWP’s 2019 Impact Grant of $490,000. LSSN was among 25 nonprofit organizations that applied for the grant and the DigiMart expansion project was selected after a rigorous vetting process by NWP members.
“NWP is thrilled to be a part of the DigiMart expansion,” said NWP President Sara Costello. “Innovation and collaboration are imperative to successfully tackling food insecurity in our community and LSSN is at the forefront of these efforts.”
In addition to DigiMart, LSSN hosts farmers market-style traveling food distributions known as Open Air Markets in at-need areas around the city and serves hot, nutritious meals for free to seniors 60+ at two Las Vegas churches every weekday through the Heart of the City Senior Meal Program. Recently, LSSN was awarded nearly $2 million from Clark County for the Rapid Rehousing Program, which seeks to connect homeless families with housing and supportive services to help them become stable and self-sufficient long-term.
“It has been a dream of mine for a long time to build a one-stop-shop where people in our community can come and get the assistance they need all in one place. The expansion of DigiMart was the final piece of the puzzle,” said Armena Mkhitaryan, executive director, LSSN. “We are grateful for the generosity of NWP members and their commitment to creating change in our community.”
LSSN serves over 38,000 clients in need annually and provides them opportunities to break the continuous cycle of poverty, homelessness and hunger. Since opening its doors in 1985 as a small clothing closet run by a dedicated group of volunteers, LSSN has grown into a nationally recognized organization that serves the people of Southern Nevada with a variety of nutritional and empowerment programs.
What: Groundbreaking of DigiMart Expansion
When: Thursday, March 5 at noon
Where: 4323 Boulder Highway
Speakers
Kelly Peterson, LSSN Board President
Armena Mkhitaryan, LSSN Executive Director
Sara Costello, President of NWP
Tick Segerblom, County Commissioner District E
About Lutheran Social Services of Nevada
For over 23 years Lutheran Social Services of Nevada (LSSN) has been providing compassionate human services to low-income seniors, individuals and families in urban-core areas of Southern Nevada. Our mission is to express the love of Christ by serving and caring for people in need.
Although Lutheran-based, LSSN is open and inclusive in the services we offer. We have an extensive nondiscrimination policy, which applies to our employment policies and service delivery.
About NWP
Nevada Women’s Philanthropy (NWP) is a member-driven, pooled-fund, large impact grant-making organization established in 2005 to address the needs of the Las Vegas community. NWP consists of philanthropically motivated women, united by a desire to address emerging issues that face the community in the areas of arts, education, environment, social services, and health. NWP has invested $5.4 million with 25 nonprofit organizations in Southern Nevada to date. To learn more, please visit www.nwpsnv.org.
