SOS – Emergency Shelter

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, our SOS Emergency Shelter program maintained 30-35 unrestricted shelter beds. The emergency shelter accepts men, women, and children. Lighthouse is proud to partner with over 60 local congregations. Each week, a congregation takes on the responsibility of hosting SOS’s shelter guests and provides them with overnight accommodations, three daily meals, transportation, and meaningful interactions with caring volunteers. As a housing-first shelter, case managers assist households with exiting into housing. SOS has an onsite clothing closet, showers, and washers and dryers available, allowing clients to look and feel their best as they seek employment and housing. Over 80% of our shelter guests successfully enter into housing.

During the pandemic, the Emergency Shelter program has been moved to a local motel in order to keep our clients, volunteers, and partners safe.

Emergency Food Distribution

Lighthouse has two operating food pantries in Pontiac and Clarkston, as well as a food packing and distribution warehouse in Waterford. Additionally, we partner with multiple locations throughout Oakland County to provide food distribution. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Lighthouse’s emergency food efforts have increased tremendously and we are now providing emergency food to up to 5,000 individuals each week. When available, we also provide personal hygiene and household items.

Housing Assistance Programs

Lighthouse works diligently to keep people in their homes and move individuals and families from homelessness to housing as quickly as possible. We do this through a variety of programs including eviction prevention, utility assistance, transitional housing, rapid re-housing, and permanent supportive housing. Families are assisted with locating safe, affordable housing in the community. Lighthouse also develops and provides wrap-around services for single and multi-family homes and duplexes. We provide assistance and supportive services to tenants of public housing commissions and private landlords.

PATH, our 2-year transitional housing program for domestic violence victims and formerly homeless women with children provides housing, case management, and wrap-around services. The PATH program serves more than 50 women and 100 children annually, with 88% entering successfully into stable housing.

Supportive Services

Regardless of what program clients are seeking assistance through, Lighthouse staff work to provide referrals to outside agencies for additional help and assist families with long-term planning and budgeting to achieve family stabilization.

Follow-Up Care

After people have exited our emergency shelter, Transitional Housing, or Permanent Supportive Housing programs and moved into housing, follow-up care case managers meet with them in their new homes for a full year. This allows people to continue to receive case management and resources needed to maintain their housing and independence. Additionally, any person re-housed outside of our programs is offered the opportunity to enter into our follow-up care program. This program is reflective of Lighthouse’s commitment to offering long term solutions to those who need our help.

HandUp

The crowdfunding platform,HandUp.org is a web-based social enterprise serving more than 100 homeless service agencies and their clients. HandUp’s organizations are working together to raise awareness and lifesaving support for clients, and have collectively raised more than $3.1 million in direct financial assistance. Connect directly with our clients through HandUp and make an impact in their life. Learn how you can contribute to specific client goals and help a neighbor in need.