This is the 18th in a series of columns written by staff from The Lighthouse to help the community better understand people experiencing homelessness and those who support them. This column appears every other Monday.
At the start of a new year, many make resolutions or start new habits. At The Lighthouse, we believe that beyond setting goals, the magic lies in creating a realistic plan that can be implemented in order to breathe life into our aspirations and ensure lasting change.
Just as individuals strive for personal growth, organizations must also be deliberate in their journey. At The Lighthouse, we seek to be intentional about what we do so we can serve, in the best possible way, people who are experiencing homelessness.
In the homelessness sector, it is easy to be reactive, responding to crises that bring people to us during their darkest moments. People may have experienced relationship breakdown, have an illness that has led to the loss of their housing, or be using unhealthy coping mechanisms to deal with trauma in their lives.
Yet, we understand the importance of zooming out, of envisioning a future where homelessness is addressed proactively. What does The Lighthouse want for the homelessness sector and our services in five or 10 years? It’s a question that propels our vision, mission and values into action.
Our vision is ‘a thriving community where everyone has hope, home and a future.’
At The Lighthouse, we’re not just about providing shelter; we’re about nurturing hope, using a strengths-based approach that empowers people to move forward. A home is more than just four walls; it’s about fostering a sense of community, making everything seem more possible for the future.
Our mission is ‘to build a safe community through partnerships, servant leadership and faith.’ We recognize the power of collaboration — working hand in hand with others, be it non-profit agencies, organizations, businesses, education facilities, or political bodies. It’s a collective effort to create positive change.
Our values are compassion, trust, safety, leadership and faith. They are the essence of how we approach our work. We meet the needs of others with compassion, build trust through transparency, prioritize safety within our organization, establish collaborative relationships as servant leaders, and ground ourselves in a faith that recognizes the intrinsic worth and dignity of every individual.
In order to maintain focus on the big picture, we’ve outlined five strategic priorities: organizational excellence, effective partnerships, support for success, affordable housing, and a ministry of hope.
Our vision, mission, values, and strategic priorities aren’t simply ideals — they’re our road map, influencing every decision we make. What does this mean in a practical sense?
In 2023, we launched a mobile outreach program. Although The Lighthouse has long been serving youth, we also opened the youth wing in the emergency shelter to be able to provide unique, youth-specific services. The warming centre operates on cold nights when it is -10 degrees Celsius or a windchill of -10 C. The Lighthouse’s emergency shelter and supportive housing continue to adapt programming to meet specific situations that arise, including increasing mental health supports available on site.
As we look to 2024, what’s next for The Lighthouse?
Our commitment to providing the best possible services is unwavering. As we increase our ability to provide services according to best practices, we will also continue to offer training to staff to ensure excellence. We expect the youth emergency shelter program at The Lighthouse to grow this year as we pour into the program and build further partnerships to expand relevant youth services.
The Lighthouse also continues to look for ways to support our community with affordable housing and youth supportive housing. We know all types of housing on the housing continuum are needed in order to provide appropriate support. Conversations will continue to happen with the City of Orillia,the County of Simcoe and others as we explore options.
The new year brings a promise of hope. The Lighthouse is committed to continuing to provide services for people experiencing homelessness in our community. We know this only happens with the support of community members, and we are grateful for each one who helps make this work possible. If you are interested in contributing financially, reach out to [email protected]. If you are inspired to give your time by volunteering at The Lighthouse, email [email protected].
Linda Goodall is the executive director at The Lighthouse and can be reached at [email protected].
Rosemary Petersen is the assistant director at The Lighthouse.