Federal Cooperative Agreement Summary

Lutheran Social Services of the South, Inc., doing business as Lutheran Social Services, received a $6.2 million Cooperative Agreement from the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) under the Refugee and Entrant Assistance State/Replacement Designee Administered Programs (CFDA 93.566) to operate a federally funded residential shelter program for unaccompanied alien children. The award, effective April 1, 2026, through March 31, 2029, supports temporary residential care and services delivered through group homes, shelters, and transitional foster care facilities in Texas. The program provides essential services including housing, medical care, education, and mental health support to unaccompanied minors arriving in the United States without parents or legal guardians.

The primary objective is to safely reunite eligible children with vetted sponsors while maintaining the least restrictive care environment possible. Lutheran Social Services conducts comprehensive background checks and sponsor vetting processes to identify suitable placement options, while providing ongoing case management and support services throughout the reunification process. This award reflects ORR's commitment to supporting vulnerable populations through qualified nonprofit organizations with demonstrated capacity to deliver critical social services to refugee and entrant populations.