Spring is a time of growth and renewal. At Lighthouse, it’s also time for building and construction. This season, we will break ground on several critical projects to address the affordable housing crisis in our region for low-income families and children, and expand supportive services to lift future generations out of poverty.

Read more in our Spring Newsletter:

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Nonprofit board members are often titans of industry and community service. They are unsung heroes from diverse industries, bringing a wealth of experience and passion to their roles. They leverage their professional skills and extensive networks to provide strategic direction, secure crucial funding and recruit the right talent. As advocates for their nonprofits’ missions, they inspire, empower and uplift communities.

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Emergency shelter, food and assistance provider Lighthouse is publicly launching a $40 million campaign to support the expansion of its Pontiac campus, affordable housing and homeownership programs and runaway shelter units.

The nonprofit plans to break ground on the first of the new buildings on the campus in the area of Pontiac known as “The Loop” early next year as part of its larger strategy to alleviate the poverty leading to homelessness.

The bulk of the campaign will fund the expansion taking shape on the Lighthouse campus bounded by Woodward Avenue to the west, Cottage Street to the north and Center Street to the east.

Projected costs for the project have risen from $20 million to an estimated $32 million since it was announced in early 2023, with rising material and labor costs and additional space worked into the plan, Lighthouse President and CEO Ryan Hertz said.

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Check out Lighthouse’s fall newsletter – featuring information on our holiday programs, campus redevelopment, and more.

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The Lighthouse team, its supporters, partners and volunteers work tirelessly to help alleviate poverty in our community. On Sept. 24, we held our 2024 Annual Meeting at Kirk in the Hills in Bloomfield Township to roll out major expansion plans and celebrate those who are making a profound impact for the children, families, and individuals we serve.

“Lighthouse is setting bold goals to continue to lift up families and set them up for success with respect and dignity,” said CEO Ryan Hertz. “We ask ourselves ‘what more can we do,’ and there is so much more to be done.”

In 2023, Lighthouse distributed 154,357 boxes of emergency food to local households and helped more than 330 people with emergency housing. While Oakland County is one of the wealthiest counties in the country, every year thousands of residents experience homeless and are faced with hunger. 24% are children.

That’s why Lighthouse is launching the Lighting the Way Campaign and raising $40M to expand our Pontiac campus and implement lasting solutions to build a brighter future for everyone.

Plans include a Housing Opportunity Center, Social Supermarket, Economic Opportunity Center, community event spaces, cafe, Community Development Capital Fund, Runaway and Homeless Youth Programs, and more.

At the annual meeting, MSUFCU Desk Drawer Foundation, the philanthropic arm of MSU Federal Credit Unit, announced it is the latest major donor to make a significant investment in the campus expansion project. The foundation will grant $500,000 over the next four years.

“With this transformational grant, the MSUFCU Desk Drawer Foundation has stood strongly behind the Lighthouse mission to build equitable communities that alleviate poverty and has moved us a big step closer toward realizing our vision of a redeveloped main campus to better serve the evolving needs of our constituents,” Hertz said. “Thank you for believing in our work and for your wonderful partnership.”

The foundation presented Lighthouse with a check during the annual meeting, saying the gift will not only help break ground on the new development, but break the cycle of poverty. To learn more about “Lighting the Way” and how you can help, visit https://lighthousemi.org/lightingtheway/.

Lighthouse also honored a number of people and partners for their extraordinary service this year, including:

• Volunteer of the Year: Mark Goldman
• Outstanding Service Award: Richard Lewnau
• Mission Possible Award: Colleen Ochoa Peters
• Community Partner Award: Alliance for Housing
• Congregation Partner Award: Congregational Church of Birmingham
• Corporate Partner of the Year: Flagstar Bank
• Governmental Partner Award: MDHHS – Housing & Homeless Services Division
• Foundation Partner Award: MSUFCU Desk Drawer Foundation

Past board members Jim Lambrecht, Sonja Lengnick, and Paul Plante, were also recognized.

Congratulations to all of this year’s honorees!

Check out photos on Facebook here.

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In an ever-changing world, the importance of self-defense and situational awareness cannot be overstated. Recognizing this need, Lighthouse partnered with Strike Six, a dedicated self-defense studio, to offer specialized training for our team members and volunteers. 

Susan Deal, a Lighthouse volunteer for more than two years, delivers groceries to clients once a week and was among the class participants.

“I liked being made aware of basic self-defense techniques as well as learning about human trafficking and domestic abuse,” she said. “I know very little about the topics presented and was glad to learn more.”

The workshops featured practical, hands-on self defense training for beginners incorporating interactive exercises for all fitness levels, ages, and stages of life. The training also includes techniques for assessing and responding to different real-life scenarios.

Robert Johncox, another hard working volunteer since 2021, delivers to 64 Lighthouse families on a bi-weekly basis and has made more than 3,800 deliveries to date. A retiree who loves to give back to the community, he picks up and drops off food in Pontiac, Southfield and Oak Park, and also works an afternoon shift at our emergency food warehouse in Pontiac. 

“I liked the focus on situation awareness,” he said. “I was impressed with the instructor’s passion for training others, her martial arts background, and that she is a first responder. As she discussed real-life scenarios, I did reflect on how this applies to my food delivery tasks and thought about ways to do things differently.”

Chloe Lowell is the self defense coach who teaches the classes. As a professional in public safety and emergency management, she has undergone physical agility, situational awareness, and behavioral analysis training. She has also trained in boxing, kickboxing, Tae Kwon Do, Muay Thai, MMA, Tai Chi, and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Lowell is a full-time first responder and a strong advocate for self-defense. 

“I have seen firsthand how important it is for individuals to be able to protect themselves,” she says. “I design my themed workshops to target specific groups. They are not just about physical techniques, but about equipping individuals with knowledge and strategies to navigate challenging situations.”

Two Lighthouse volunteer workshops took place in June and July. An additional workshop will be held in August for Lighthouse team members.

Lowell says Lighthouse’s mission is close to her heart. Inspired by her late grandmother Sheri, who was actively involved in similar charitable work, she understands the importance of giving back and dedicating time to help others. By providing this training, Lighthouse and Strike Six are investing in the safety and well-being of our volunteers and team members, ensuring they can perform their vital work with confidence and peace of mind.

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Check out this podcast with Daily Detroit featuring Lighthouse CEO Ryan Hertz. Ryan joined the podcast to discuss the future of affordable housing, community development, and the important role of teamwork in making lasting changes in southeast Michigan.

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Voices advocating for the most vulnerable among us rang out recently in Washington, D.C. Those voices included Ryan Hertz and Jenny Poma, CEO and COO of Lighthouse. Their mission? To champion affordable housing and ensure the needs of underserved communities in Michigan are heard and addressed.

At the forefront of their recent journey to our nation’s capital were two events organized by NeighborWorks America, a network of nearly 250 community development organizations across the country. The first event was the National NeighborWorks Association (NNA) Legislative Day, where representatives from NeighborWorks America charter organizations, including Lighthouse, convened to advocate for expanding funding for the network.

“Lighthouse is a proud chartered member of NeighborWorks America,” Ryan said in a social media post from Washington, D.C. “A big thank you to Lou Tisler at National NeighborWorks Association for expertly convening and preparing our membership to collectively advocate for the important work we all do to respond to our housing crisis in Michigan and beyond.”

During the Legislative Day, attendees engaged with House and Senate members, pressing for a $185 million appropriation to support NeighborWorks America’s initiatives. The day culminated in a Capitol Hill Reception, where influential figures such as Vice Chairwoman Susan Collins, Senator Jack Reed, and Ranking Member Rosa DeLaura reiterated their commitment to affordable housing.

Ryan and Jenny also participated in an executive symposium organized by NeighborWorks. This provided an invaluable platform for networking with national housing partners and enhancing professional development at the executive level.

“On our 45th anniversary, we’re reflective about the impact we’ve made,” said Marietta Rodriguez, president & CEO of NeighborWorks America, while presenting a state of the union for the network. Doing work in this field “is a personal choice,” she said. “All of you in this room do the work and make that personal choice.”

What did the trip mean for Lighthouse and our ongoing work in metro Detroit?

“This conference highlighted the importance of the NeighborWorks network, helped craft new and stronger relationships and facilitated crucial conversations around affordable housing models nationally,” Jenny explained. “We now know how to effectively leverage NeighborWorks America’s incredible funding to create the biggest impact on Lighthouse’s ability to address affordable housing issues and homeownership opportunities in the Detroit area.”

Now back in Pontiac, the entire Lighthouse team remains committed to our mission of building equitable communities that alleviate poverty and creating a brighter, more inclusive future. Through advocacy, collaboration, and unwavering dedication, we will continue to be champions for equity in the fight against homelessness and food insecurity in our community. To learn more and support our work, visit lighthousemi.org.

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Lighthouse, a Pontiac-based nonprofit dedicated to building equitable communities that alleviate poverty, is pleased to announce it has secured $13M in lead gifts and funding for its campus expansion project. The plan includes redeveloping Lighthouse’s existing headquarters at 46156 Woodward Ave. in Pontiac into the Lighthouse Central Campus – a strong, centralized base of operations, and a “one stop shop” for Oakland County residents in need.

The campus spans two blocks between Woodward Avenue and Center Street, bordered by Cottage Street to the north and Park Place to the south. It incorporates several properties Lighthouse already owns and includes several key elements designed to address the most pressing emergency food, shelter, and community needs.

“This is a once in a generation project. The vision encompassed in this campus could not be more comprehensive, more bold, or more centered around the people it’s there to serve,” said Kate Levin Markel, President of the McGregor Fund. “We think this is going to be transformational for Lighthouse’s clients and partners and it calls for transformational level support. We are grateful for the opportunity to support truly extraordinary work.”

The following funding has been committed to date:

• $8M in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding Oakland County
• $1.5M in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) contingent on completion of the Environmental Review/HUD NEPA
• $1M from each of the following: McGregor Fund, The Carls Foundation, Erica and Jeff Lawson Family Foundation
• $600,000 from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, the Lighthouse Board, staff and others

“We are grateful to the wide variety of funders and supporters who are stepping up to help our community in such an extraordinary and meaningful way,” said Lighthouse CEO Ryan Hertz. “The Lighthouse Campus is a truly game changing opportunity for us to provide a long-term, sustainable response to the poverty and inequity impacting tens of thousands of people in our community. This campus will help us better address the lack of affordable housing, food accessibility, and economic opportunities that threaten the health and vitality of our entire community and local economy. Our partners and supporters are helping to make this vision a reality.”

Lighthouse is also working to secure $8.5M in new market tax credits as part of its ongoing fundraising efforts. Construction for the estimated $32M+ project could begin late this year or early next year.

Affordable Housing Projects to Get Underway in Pontiac

Lack of affordable housing has become an increasingly serious problem nationwide, including in Michigan. According to the Resilient Homes Michigan coalition, Michigan is short 203,000 affordable housing units statewide. As more low-income families compete for a dwindling number of affordable rental units, it’s harder than ever for individuals and families to find housing, and they’re stretched thin paying rent.

In 2024, Lighthouse is helping to develop $75M worth of new affordable housing units in Pontiac alone. The projects include:

• Auburn Place: 454 Auburn, Pontiac, MI 

A brand new 5-story building with 54 units. The $29M project is expected to break ground this fall and will take about 18 months to complete.

• Beacon Square & Townhomes: 101 Mechanic Street, Pontiac

This $14M project is also expected to get underway this fall, resulting in 40 updated units, improving the quality of existing affordable housing. This is a redevelopment of properties currently owned by Lighthouse.

• Lighthouse Central Campus: 46156 Woodward Ave., Pontiac

This $32M project will permanently increase Lighthouse’s short-term shelter capacity from 30 to 150 beds, to serve an estimated 600 people each year in a more dignified way.

The project will also consolidate Lighthouse’s emergency food service program and establish a client-choice social supermarket; create an Economic Opportunity Center focused on income, employment, and educational needs of the community; increase the availability of on-site supportive services and redevelop the current administrative building to include an event space and cafe accessible to the public for social connections, special events, and neighborhood gatherings. The Wellness Plan and Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) will be tenants, providing healthcare and workforce development onsite.

“Lighthouse’s projects contribute to the vision and priorities in the City of Pontiac’s Master Plan by strengthening neighborhoods, eliminating blight and vacant land, and fostering mixed use development along the Woodward corridor,” added Hertz. “The campus project, and our other affordable housing development projects, will benefit residents by providing access to low cost housing, shelter and other needed services within a neighborhood and walkable campus.”

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Everyone deserves some kindness,” said Mary Riegle, chief philanthropy officer for Lighthouse, a Pontiac-based organization that runs a homeless shelter and assists other clients with food and other needs.

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