Our Programs
Our Mission is To empower the vulnerable and displaced by promoting self-sufficiency, encouraging personal growth, fostering healing, and restoring hope so they can become thriving members of our community.
Women’s Development Center
The Women’s Development Center at Lighthouse Charities was specifically designed to focus on critical resources needed to help clients experience hope and equality in this great country.
These programs are specifically tailored to individuals with limited knowledge of the American job culture and the English language.
We focus on teaching and implementing important job skills such as working in a team environment, time management and punctuality, personal responsibility, and improved English proficiency.
Lighthouse Charities proudly provides the following opportunities.
Women’s Development Programs
-
The Rejesha Project
Our linen reclamation program takes rejected linen from hotel properties and repurposes them into cleaning rags for custodial work, creating a brilliant and sustainable introductory job training program for many first time employees.
-
Our Garden
Our beautiful two acre garden and hydroponics program serve as an exciting new training ground for individuals who find hope and healing by spending time outdoors. Many of our participants are experienced farmers, bringing with them a wealth of valuable experience!
-
Frosted Bakery
Our on-site bakery generates earned income for the organization through the sale of baked goods and other popular catering items, while providing job training opportunities for women who are inclined towards the culinary arts.
-
Nafasi Designs
This program helps participants to develop new skills and discover their hidden talents while providing a sense of purpose and contribution. Nafasi Design program participants and volunteers develop wonderful friendships, inspiring one another with creativity and hope.
The Corner Market
Lighthouse Charities operates a full-service client choice market, which provides culturally specific food with religious sensitivity to our underserved segment of society.
Not only does the market provide desperately needed food to clients and families, but also to feed insecure families in our community in a dignified shopping experience.
Fresh produce grown at Lighthouse Charities’ gardens, as well as fresh baked breads and other items produced at Frosted bakery, help to sustain the needs of both the Corner Market and the clients it serves.
In addition, The Corner Market also provides clients at Lighthouse Charities an additional job training program specific to grocery and retail environments.
ESL Classes
Learning to speak English is one of the most critical steps to securing good employment in the United States.
Lighthouse Charities places high value on this important skill, and provides one hour of ESL classes to each full-time employee as part of their paid workday.
This is a requirement for each client in our program, as English acquisition is one of the most critical steps to securing good employment, and progressing towards self-sufficiency.
Because of daily classes, trusted teachers and volunteers, and the continuous focus on learning to communicate in English with our staff and each other, clients find success at speaking and understanding English at a much higher rate than they would on their own.
Life Sustaining Support
While collaborating with new organizations, Lighthouse Charities quickly uses skilled case workers to assess the needs of the refugee client and fills the gaps not met by the federal government.
Individualized to Client Needs
The needs of our clients are as diverse as the countries that they may have journeyed from. Our Life Sustaining Support program recognizes individual needs and responds with quick aid. We commonly assist with the following resources:
Food
Clothing
Hygiene supplies
Furniture
Housing assistance
Immigration Support
Federal, state, or local welfare service assistance
Transportation
Mental health recommendations
Mentorship
Love, trust, hope, and a place of healing
Community Volunteers
Lighthouse involves community volunteers to help provide support in all aspects of their lives. Under the leadership of Lighthouse Charities, our volunteer mentors help refugee clients to develop in the following areas:
Workforce development opportunities
English language training
Job interview training and job placement resources
Improve their well-being
Improve their self-confidence and communication skills
Grow their self-esteem
How to navigate this new culture and thrive
The Hydroponics Healing Garden
The Hydroponics Healing Garden at Lighthouse Charities is the first of its kind! This program provides work experience and training to a population of whom the majority are already experienced farmers, creating a solid pathway for refugees to train and become employed with certifications and small business opportunities.
The produce grown in these gardens directly supports at-risk families by providing fresh fruits and vegetables as supplemental nutrition to those who often cannot afford to acquire such important food sources.
The hydroponics program will also provide multiple streams of revenue for lighthouse charities to aid in organization self-sufficiency.
In addition, and perhaps most importantly, gardening is proven to provide healing from trauma and PTSD. Research shows that hope and happiness are consistent byproducts of working in the Earth. Fostering growth in plants reciprocates to the individuals who care for them.
Because of cultural differences or language acquisition challenges, the pathway to begin healing is not always attainable for refugees. We hope to provide a significant start towards emotional and mental wellness to the individuals who participate in this program.
Get Involved
We stand for the vulnerable and displaced, and are passionate about doing whatever it takes to see them succeed. It takes a village to accomplish this. So whether you can offer financial support or volunteer with Lighthouse Charities, your involvement will help us impact the lives of those we serve.