ELCA News Blog
September 15, 2009  

Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society tops '2009 AAHSA Ziegler' list

by Melissa Ramirez Cooper, ELCA News Service

The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society ranks first as the largest not-for-profit senior living organization in the United States, according to the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (AAHSA) and Ziegler Senior Living Finance. Based in Sioux Falls, S.D., the society tops the "2009 AAHSA Ziegler 100" report in three categories as the largest not-for-profit multi-site senior living organization in "senior living units," "assisted living units" and "nursing care beds."

"It was never the intent of our founder or our current organization to be the largest of what we do in the country, but we are blessed and privileged to be able to serve a large number of people.  And for us, that's a wonderful thing," said Mark Dickerson, director of communication, Good Samaritan Society. "Our organization strives to provide quality care" and "services to seniors and others in need. That is the mission of our organization." The society operates more than 230 sites in 24 states, Dickerson said. "We care daily for about 27,000 people with 22,000 national staff."

Good Samaritan is one of about 300 members of Lutheran Services in America (LSA), an alliance of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and their 300 social ministry organizations. LSA serves more than 6 million people annually in the United States and Caribbean. More than 10 other Lutheran social ministry organizations made the 2009 AAHSA Ziegler report.