Activities

Activities

Youth

We work to engage the interest of young people in the Lithuanian American Community and facilitate their participation. The goal is to empower youth to become active members of LAC, to preserve and strengthen Lithuanian identity, and to create interpersonal relationships and build social support. LAC organize seminars presenting LAC activities and opportunities to become involved in
Lithuanian events and youth organizations. Chapter presidents are encouraged to include a youth representative on their boards. Lithuanian American Community works with US Lithuanian Youth Association in efforts to make LAC activities more accessible and engaging to young Lithuanians.

Education

The Lithuanian Educational Council of the USA mission is to promote Lithuanian cultural and language education. We support Lithuanian language schools by providing educational programs, offering the newest research methods in teaching as well as materials to use in the classroom. We organize conferences to help enrich the educators. We publish and distribute teaching materials. We honor outstanding teachers and long-time educators. We organize competitions in writing and art for all our students. Many of our projects are partially funded by the Lithuanian Foundation. 

https://svietimotaryba.org/

Education

Culture

The Lithuanian Cultural Council fosters Lithuanian culture and traditions through regular sponsorship of specific events, such as folk dance, music and theater festivals as well as concerts, lectures, exhibits, poetry readings and other events.

Publications

LAC publishes monthly magazines in Lithuanian for senior citizens, Pensininkas and, in English, a monthly magazine for a general audience, Bridges, and a quarterly journal of arts and sciences, Lituanus.

Public affairs

LAC, Inc. supported the democratic movement Sajudis and sponsored the first visit to the United States by the former President Vytautas Landsbergis soon after Lithuania declared independence. Members of the Council support the idea of forming a team to start an informative, engaging campaign “Mūsų metas #DABAR” to foster a sense of national identity and patriotism in Lithuanians living in the US (and around the world) and to encourage civic participation in national decision-making. More about the project – here.

Congressional Baltic Caucus
The Baltic Caucus comprises members of the U.S. Senate and of the U.S. House of Representatives who share an interest in the Baltic States of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. View the list of Baltic Caucus members ».

Dual Citizenship
Individuals who wish to acquire Lithuanian citizenship or to reinstate it will have to give up American citizenship, except in very exceptional instances. This decision was handed down by Lithuania’s Constitutional Court on November 13, 2006.

Up until that time, individuals who had been citizens of independent Lithuania prior to June 15, 1940, and their children and grandchildren, could reinstate or acquire their Lithuanian citizenship while retaining their American citizenship. Those who have reinstated/acquired their Lithuanian citizenship prior to November13, 2006 may retain both citizenships.

 

Business

The link to COVID-19 related information for businesses in US.

The Doing Business project provides objective measures of business regulations and their enforcement across 190 economies and selected cities at the subnational and
regional level.

Lithuania’s business environment is primed for investment in a range of sectors. Here are some of the most popular – Global business and ICT, Manufacturing, Technology.

A strong reliable center for your company growth

Lithuania implements a business-friendly taxation policy, and the taxation system is adapted to the legislation of the European Union.

With its fast and reliable physical and IT infrastructure, Lithuania is set up to deliver your business success.

Educated, motivated, and committed, our people have the skills to handle even the most complex of tasks, the attitude to out-deliver, and the loyalty to see the job through whatever the circumstance.

Want to start a business in Lithuania ?

Experience our dynamic culture life, diverse nature and traditions.

Social affairs

Social Council

The council of Social Services organizes and plans dissemination of information that is of social benefit to Lithuanians. The council organizes social services, including opening Lithuanian centers as well as local chapters for the elderly. The council protects and defends social work interests in the forum of public opinion. It oversees the assets belonging to the Lithuanian American Community social services, and implements those projects as mandated by the Board of Directors.

To qualify for benefits, you must first have worked in jobs covered by Social Security. No reference to finances is mentioned.

https://www.icirr.org/

Deportation hotline and list of social services especially for immigrants

https://www.upwardlyglobal.org/

A resource for skilled immigrants

https://www.illinoislegalaid.org/

Government aid eligibility for immigrants

https://www.illinoisfreeclinics.org/

Low-cost and free medical clinics in Illinois

Religious life

Religious Affairs Council
The Religious Affairs Council’s major purpose is seek out the methods and means for fostering religious education through the Lithuanian language and heritage schools. The goals of the Council are:

 

  • To raise the children’s religious consciousness
  • To provide assistance to religion teachers
  • To create awareness and clarify the importance of religion in the education of ourchildren
  • To provide a link between the importance of maintaining the Lithuanian cultureand the religious traditions that are inherent within the culture

Lithuanian Parishes
The first Lithuanian Roman Catholic parish was the St. George parish in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, founded March 30, 1891. In 1941 there were 124 parishes. Most of them had a grammar school headed by Lithuanian priests and nuns and had Lithuanian language classes.
After World War II, refugees from Soviet-occupied Lithuania arrived in the U.S. and rejuvenated Lithuanian parishes. Lithuanian Heritage Schools were established in many parishes. However, the number of priests began to decline and parishioners began to leave for the suburbs. The number of parishes dropped to 98. As Lithuanians left the parishes, their place was taken by parishioners of a different heritage and, when they became the majority they took over the parishes. As such, it is very important that Lithuanians who are arriving from Lithuania today join Lithuanian parishes and become active parishioners. There are some Lithuanian parishes without a Lithuanian-speaking priest. Whenever possible, we try to find a Lithuanian-speaking priest at least for major occasions.

Sports