November and December are very busy months at The Light House, and 2019 was no exception. Here are some of the highlights from the last two months:

Maryland Delegate Alice Cain visited The Light House with some of her staff members. They spent several hours touring The Light House and enjoying lunch prepared by our B.E.S.T. students. In a thank you letter to us she said, “We had a wonderful experience seeing the amazing work that you are doing here in Annapolis, supporting and empowering some of our most vulnerable neighbors. I especially appreciated the meaningful conversations with residents and staff, the delicious lunch, and the insights into issues and potential solutions for this community.”  Read More...

On Monday, November 25th, the Annapolis community came together at The Light House to ring in the season of giving with a special Day of Thanks event. We began the event with a ribbon cutting ceremony for the recent opening of our new Client Choice Pantry, followed by hot meals for community members in need and Thanksgiving baskets for those struggling with food insecurity. Local elected officials and other volunteer supporters came out to help prepare and serve meals and pass out Thanksgiving baskets to over 250 individuals and families. Special guests included Delegate Shaneka Henson, Alderwoman Rhonda Pindell Charles, Councilwoman Amanda Fiedler, Councilwoman Jessica Haire, and Legislative Assistant to Councilwoman Lisa Rodiven, Yanick Parker...  Read More...

HeartSmart, The Cliff R. Roop Cardiac Support and Education Foundation, recently donated a new Medtronic LifePak 500 AED to The Light House Homeless Prevention Support Center in Annapolis. Kenneth Brannan, Chairman of HeartSmart, visited The Light House to meet with Light House staff and give a presentation about the importance of AED placement. 

"We are so grateful to HeartSmart for this donation," stated Light House Executive Director, Jo Ann Mattson. "The Light House building at 10 Hudson Street houses our emergency residential program where 45 individuals, 5 families and up to 20 children call home. In this same building, we also serve an average of 100 non-residential community members each day through hot meals, case management, housing and diversion services, clothing, showers, and laundry. Add our many staff members and volunteers to these numbers and we are averaging well over 300 people walking through our doors each day...  Read More...

The Light House Workforce Development Programs have been awarded a $75,000 grant from Phillips Charitable Foundation, Inc. This much needed support will provide job training and opportunities for individuals struggling with employment barriers, empowering them with the skills they need to support themselves and their families. Grant funds will help pay for the expansion of the Building Employment Success Training (B.E.S.T.) Building Trades program, the Light House Bistro social enterprise training program, and the Career Start soft-skills employment program for Light House residents.  Read More...

A Capital Gazette feature story highlighted our Light House B.E.S.T. Employment Training Program, which provides job training and opportunities for individuals struggling with employment barriers. Our B.E.S.T program empowers graduates with the skills they need to support themselves and their families, and has graduated over 350 students since it began in 2012!

Read the article to learn more about our B.E.S.T. program and recent graduate Diesha's journey.  Read More...

The Light House is excited to announce that it has been awarded a $50,000 grant from the Chaney Impact Fund a Donor Advised Fund at the Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County (CFAAC). This grant will support the cost of an on-site clinical staff member who will manage behavioral health and substance abuse diagnosis, treatment, and referral for Light House clients. This new clinical staff position will enable Light House programs to reduce the harms associated with substance abuse and mental health issues for people impacted by homelessness or poverty.  Read More...

Our Fall 2019 Class of Building Employment Success Training (B.E.S.T.) students graduated after months of hard work and training! These students have inspired us with their determination, teamwork, and passion for learning. We are so proud of their accomplishments and look forward to watching them continue to shine!

A special thank you to First Presbyterian Church of Annapolis for providing a beautiful venue and to Delegate Alice Cain for joining us in celebrating this fantastic group of students. We are continually grateful for all those who volunteer and donate to The Light House. Together we are rebuilding lives!  Read More...

Thank you to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Services for inviting our Light House Executive Director, Jo Ann Mattson to speak at their 50th Anniversary Celebration! Watch Jo Ann's speech to learn about the important work we are accomplishing together!

Photo (L-R): Jo Ann Mattson, Light House Executive Director, Tori Cappiello, Student Ambassador, and Patricia Dombroski, USDA, FNS, Regional Administrator Mid Atlantic Region  Read More...

On Monday, June 17th from 12pm-2pm, The Light House Homeless Prevention Support Center will be holding a Free Community Market event at their 10 Hudson Street, Annapolis location. Supported by volunteers and donors, along with an 8,000-pound donation of perishable and non-perishable foods from the Maryland Food Bank, this event will provide much needed food and other household items to our neighbors struggling to meet their basic needs. The event is open to the public and free to anyone in our community in need. It is first come, first serve, and The Light House asks that visitors be sure to bring their own bags or boxes to carry the food and household items.  Read More...

Recently, I was privileged to visit The Light House, Inc., in Annapolis, Maryland, a local organization using SNAP Employment and Training and other tools to help people in their community break the cycle of homelessness.

Two common causes for homelessness in America today are unemployment and poverty, with one feeding into the other in a continuous cycle. Programs that help the homeless develop employment skills can help break that cycle, allowing them to obtain a good-paying job and move into stable employment. The path to self-sufficiency begins with a stable job.

At the USDA Food and Nutrition Service, we work with our state and local partners to help move SNAP participants beyond the barriers homeless people face toward independence and self-sufficiency.  Read More...

The Light House mourns the loss of Speaker Mike Busch, who was a tireless advocate for our neighbors struggling with homelessness. We are profoundly saddened by his passing and deeply grateful for his decades of support and commitment to serving all of his constituents—including those who are too often overlooked. Speaker Busch’s lasting impact on our organization runs deep. We are humbled by the countless times he provided guidance and support for our programs, whether small or large. He was instrumental in helping us expand our services throughout the years, including the construction of our new facility at 10 Hudson Street in 2010 and the development of our Light House Bistro social enterprise in 2017...  Read More...

The Light House has been awarded a $2,000 grant from the Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation to help fight hunger in Anne Arundel County. This grant will provide much needed support by directly funding The Light House pantry program’s hunger relief efforts. “Providing our neighbors in need with the nutritious food required to support the health and well-being of themselves and their families is a critical part of our Light House mission,” said Light House Executive Director, Jo Ann Mattson...  Read More...

My Girlfriend’s House, a local nonprofit organization that provides aid and basic needs to those in various states of sheltered living, chose The Light House as their next Shelter Room Makeover Party recipient. The Shelter Room Makeover Party is a design competition that empowers women in the community with a flair for design, while also providing much needed support for local homeless shelters. On April 6th, after months of planning, My Girlfriend’s House will visit The Light House...  Read More...

Through the end of March 2019, you can support The Light House and the environment when you shop at Whole Foods Market Annapolis. By bringing your own bag, you’ll save on the five-cent bag fee, which you can donate straight to The Light House. Funds raised will support our mission to break the cycle of homelessness in our community. The Light House serves over 2,000 community members in need each year by providing emergency shelter, transitional and supportive housing, homelessness prevention, and related support services to people who are homeless and at risk of homelessness right here in Anne Arundel County. So now through March 31st, be sure to let your Whole Foods Market cashier know you’d like to donate your nickel to The Light House, because every nickel adds up!  Read More...

Our 20th Class of Building Employment Success Training (B.E.S.T.) students graduated on January 22nd after months of hard work and training! These students have inspired us with their determination, hard work, and passion for learning. We are so proud of their accomplishments and look forward to watching them continue to shine!A special thank you to Kirkland J. Murray, President & CEO of Anne Arundel Workforce Development Corporation for being our keynote speaker...  Read More...

Dear Light House Community, 

Just last week a young couple came through our doors having walked two and a half miles in the cold carrying their five-month-old child and everything they own. They had recently given up their apartment because it was infested with mold and was making their child seriously ill. Unable to find an affordable option and both working full time, they found themselves living out of a motel with money quickly running out. Finally, they reached a point where they couldn’t afford another night.  Read More...

Light House Bistro, a social enterprise developed by The Light House Homeless Prevention Support Center, was one of 18 organizations from across the country chosen to participate in the 2019 REDF Accelerator program. One fellow from each of these 18 employment-focused social enterprises was selected to participate in a 7-month training that advances their learning and deepens their peer connections.

General Manager, Beth Rocca, was chosen as the Accelerator fellow for Light House Bistro. In November, she attended the first Accelerator program training module in Chicago, IL. While at the training, Rocca began building powerful peer networks and participated in a specialized curriculum focused on strengthening social enterprises. “Being a part of REDF is an exciting new step for Light House Bistro,” shared Rocca. “In order for our social enterprise business to continue to change lives in our community, we need to thrive among other for-profit businesses. The Accelerator program will not just give us the opportunity to learn more about how social missions are changing lives across the country, but will also give us valuable insight into the unique best practices and challenges that a social enterprise business like ours must navigate.”  Read More...

What would you do if you were struggling to make ends meet and staring down eviction? That’s exactly the situation Faith and Cody found themselves in last winter: unable to make rent despite both working full time jobs, caring for two small children, and living in a hotel with money quickly running out.

Thankfully, The Light House was there to provide them with food, shelter, case management, and hope. They moved in and quickly began working with a client advocate, workforce development staff, and dedicated volunteers. They were able to apply for healthcare, save money, find better paying jobs, participate in financial management and parenting programs, and find an affordable apartment. We are excited to report that with the help of The Light House, Faith, Cody, and the children are now living happily in their own home.  Read More...

Earlier this year, The Light House Homeless Prevention Support Center in Annapolis was seeing about 200 pickups from its food pantry per month. So far this month, it’s averaging 900.

“There’s a real need,” said Linda Vogler, executive chef and director of culinary arts training at The Light House. “People are hungry.” In Maryland, about 10 percent of households are food insecure, meaning they struggle to afford adequate nutritious food, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Those numbers align with anti-hunger program participation, with about 11 percent of the state’s population, more than 680,000 Marylanders, enrolled in the state’s Food Supplement Program — also part of the national Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program formerly known as food stamps, according to the agriculture department.  Read More...

We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our dear friend, Carol Brantley. Carol was a shining star at The Light House – a vibrant leader who devoted many years of service to our mission. Through her Board leadership, volunteer work, and friendships, Carol had a profound impact on the countless lives at The Light House. Her dedication and energy were instrumental in moving The Light House to 10 Hudson Street, lovingly organizing and filling our library room with books, and making Light House Bistro a success. She leaves a lasting legacy and will be terribly missed. Our entire Light House community holds Carol's family, friends, and loved ones in our hearts.  Read More...

Last year, The Light House provided emergency and transitional housing to 187 individuals and 18 families, including 34 children. Each person or family in our Residential Program is unique and brings individual strengths and challenges with them. During their time at The Light House, residents are provided with food, clothing, a safe space to live, a wide variety of programs, and integrated case management through their Client Advocate. Our Residential Program enables residents to rebuild their lives, address their barriers, and begin a path towards self-sufficiency. But what happens when they leave The Light House? The first year of independence can be extremely challenging, but our hope is that they continue to grow and become more self-reliant each day...  Read More...

Walter has been volunteering at The Light House for over 9 years, and for the last 7 years has been volunteering in our kitchen 5 days a week, every week, helping serve lunch to residents and community clients.

Many of us know Walter as a life-long Annapolitan, retired basketball coach, and dedicated Light House volunteer…but what most may not know is that he was a resident at The Light House many years ago. Walter had been working the same job for 25 years, and was close to retirement when circumstances derailed his plans and he ended up homeless. At The Light House he was given food, shelter, and case management...  Read More...

Our food pantry is low on certain items and we need your help to ensure that we can continue to provide food to those struggling with homelessness and poverty. Please help us by:

Donating online through our Amazon Wish List: http://bit.ly/2KDiVMf

Holding a food drive and downloading the flyer: http://bit.ly/2Ns201x

Purchasing and dropping off the following items: •Cases of Bottled Water (16oz bottles) •Fruit Juice (100% fruit) •Canned Vegetables •Canned Diced Tomatoes •Pancake Mix •Instant Mashed Potatoes •Hamburger Helper.  Read More...

Our staff, volunteers, and clients have been loving these healthy and healing sessions. Thank you to instructor Leslie Gibbons, founder of Root To Rise Yoga, and to Nature Sacred for making this possible by generously sponsoring two yoga sessions per month!

Upcoming Dates: September 12th at 12 PM, September 26th at 7 PM, October 10th at 12 PM, October 24th at 7 PM. 

RSVP to Kait Dawson at kdawson@annapolislighthouse.org, and be sure to bring your own yoga mat and water bottle. All are welcome!  Read More...

"In 2013 I had moved to Maryland with desperation for a much-needed change in my life. Unwilling to fully surrender to my addiction I was lost and hopeless. My husband had just died resulting from a fatal overdose and with devastation in my heart I used drugs to cope. My life had become unmanageable to the point where I felt rock bottom had a basement. After successfully entering and completing treatment, I contacted The Light House and was accepted into the B.E.S.T. Culinary Program. I finally had career goals and my path made sense. Contacting The Light House was one of the best decisions I had made in a long time. I had the opportunity to learn and give back to others in need at the same time. That feeling was priceless…  Read More...

Mayor Gavin Buckley was the keynote speaker at The Light House Homeless Prevention Support Center’s graduation for their 19^th Class of Building Employment Success Training (B.E.S.T.) students. The B.E.S.T. program is a 16-week job-training program for people impacted by homelessness and poverty that provides hands-on training in Culinary Arts or Facilities Maintenance and Landscaping. With this 19^th class, The Light House has graduated a total of 309 students since it began in 2011. 100 percent of these graduates have passed their rigorous exit exams, qualifying them for gainful employment in Anne Arundel County and beyond.  Read More...

Dear Light House Community, 

We are deeply saddened by the tragic event at The Capital newspaper office yesterday where five lives were taken: Gerald Fischman, Rob Hiaasen, John McNamara, Rebecca Smith, and Wendi Winters. Our hearts go out to all the families and to our entire community which is shaken by this loss.The Capital Gazette team works tirelessly to report on stories and issues that impact our organization and community. We honor those we have lost and the entire Capital Gazette team for...  Read More...

"The B.E.S.T. Program was the next step I took after going through treatment. I was determined to do something new and positive. At The Light House I was able to learn, grow, and start on a new path. Now I can build a better life for myself. Thank you to everyone who believed in me and encouraged me when I needed it most." 

- Tim, Graduate of The Light House B.E.S.T. Culinary Program  Read More...

Mayor Gavin Buckley was the keynote speaker at The Light House Homeless Prevention Support Center’s graduation for their 19^th Class of Building Employment Success Training (B.E.S.T.) students. The B.E.S.T. program is a 16-week job-training program for people impacted by homelessness and poverty that provides hands-on training in Culinary Arts or Facilities Maintenance and Landscaping. With this 19^th class, The Light House has graduated a total of 309 students since it began in 2011. 100 percent of these graduates have passed their rigorous exit exams, qualifying them for gainful employment in Anne Arundel County and beyond.  Read More...

The Light House is pleased to announce a grant award of $5,000 from State Farm for their Building Employment Success Training (B.E.S.T.) Program, an entry-level workforce development program for people impacted by homelessness and poverty. To kick off this new partnership, State Farm representatives visited The Light House to meet with Light House staff, toured the facilities, and learned about the programs and services provided by the organization. During their visit, State Farm Agent, Debbie Hart, also dropped off 20 bags of pantry items that had been collected during their recent State Farm food drive, stating that “State Farm is here to help things go right and whatever I can do to further that mission, especially in my community, is my pleasure.”  Read More...

THANK YOU to our incredible community for voting for The Light House! We are truly honored and grateful to everyone who supports us and joins us in our mission to break the cycle of homelessness. Each year, The Light House provides emergency shelter, food, clothing, case management, and many other vital homelessness prevention and support services to over 2,000 community members in need. We could not do all this without the incredible support from our volunteers, donors, and community partners.  Read More...

“Thanks to The Light House, I look forward to waking up each morning and being an active part of the community.”

From an early age, Rick lived in an abusive home. When he was a teenager his mother was killed and his life began down an even darker path. “I lost all hope. For the next 40 years, my life was nothing. I didn’t care about anybody or anything.”

Rick struggled through addiction, incarceration, and homelessness most of his life. After being hospitalized for a near fatal case of pneumonia, he decided it was time to make a positive change. “I moved into The Light House and started the Culinary Program, people were encouraging…for the first time in my life I started to feel better about myself.”  Read More...

Students from The Temple Annapolis: A Paul Mitchell Partner School gave free haircuts to our residents here at The Light House! This fantastic group of stylists gave haircuts to 14 of our residents during their visit, and plan on coming back four more times this year. We so appreciate these stylists for donating their time and talent to help others.  Read More...

The young mother and her 3-year old son unpacked their belongings Jan. 10 at The Light House on Hudson Street in Annapolis. Though hard-working, she was out of a job, out of money, out of luck – and had nowhere to go. Less than a month later, her ebullient son Carter has made several new friends, including a pair of adorable twins, and, with the guidance of her assigned Light House Employment specialist, Codye prepared a resume, fine-tuned her interview skills, and was hired at a local rest...  Read More...

When there's love in the home, there's joy in the heart. The Annapolis Quilt Guild donated another batch of beautiful quilts to The Light House. These quilts bring joy and warmth to our residents, and create a space of belonging during their journey towards a brighter future.  Read More...

"I found myself in a situation I never thought I would be in. When tragedy struck, I had no place to live and no income. I had three small children, and no place for them to call home. I kept telling myself this will be OK, I'll figure something out...but soon enough we were living out of my car. My heart felt broken. When we moved into The Light House it was a new beginning. With their support, I was able to find a job and an apartment. Homelessness can happen to anyone and I'm grateful that The Light House was there for me and my family when we needed it most." - Reenae, Former Light House Resident   Read More...

"Being handicapped isn't easy; I've been struggling my whole adult life. The Light House gave me a hand up." - Bryan, Former Light House Resident, B.E.S.T. Culinary Graduate, and Current Light House Bistro Employee. Bryan's Light House apartment was featured as the Capital Gazette Home of The Week!  Read More...

I've battled drug and alcohol addiction all my life - even during the forty years I worked as a mechanic in Anne Arundel County. On top of that I've suffered multiple health problems: COPD, emphysema, prostate cancer and herniated discs...it finally came to a point my addiction and health problems became unmanageable. I couldn't keep a job, and I couldn't keep up with my medical issues.

One day I was kicked out of my apartment and ended up sleeping in an alleyway on Clay Street. After that I slept in the woods or anywhere I could find. I had no shelter - not even a tent. I drank every day to dull the pain, and picked up small odd jobs to get by. To this day I don't know how I made it through.  Read More...

This just in! The Light House was selected as the recipient of the Anne Arundel County Chamber of Commerce, Inc.'s 2017 Nonprofit of the Year Award!

Each year, the AAC Chamber of Commerce recognizes outstanding business achievement at their Annual Business Hall of Fame and Awards Banquet. Their 2017 Banquet was held on Wednesday, and our Light House Executive Director, Jo Ann Mattson, accepted this award on behalf of our incredible staff, volunteers, donors, clients, and community partners. Thank you to all who help make The Light House a place of healing and hope for our most vulnerable community members!  Read More...

Marsha moved into The Light House with her 16 month old daughter and twelve year old son.

She had been living with her mother while raising her son, and soon after having her daughter almost two years ago, her mother passed away, the father of her daughter developed an aggressive form of cancer, and she lost her job that she had been working at for 12 years. Within this short amount of time her entire support system was no longer there for her. Her mother was gone, her significant other was in the hospital suffering from cancer, and she no longer had employment. This left Marsha feeling very alone and scrambling for options on where to live and how to support herself. She didn’t have any close family, and very few friends in the area.  Read More...

Janis started volunteering at The Light House in October of 2015 and has been a dedicated volunteer ever since. She had recently retired from Anne Arundel County Public Schools as a special educator, and was looking for the right place to get involved and make a difference through volunteering. Janis thinks her experience as an educator and military family member taught her the significant impact that community outreach and family support has on children and families.   Read More...

“What brought me to The Light House? First and foremost, I got sick, I got diagnosed with COPD and couldn’t continue to work at all, I had no income, no place to stay, and I was in so much pain…I was hurting bad”

Mr. Martin grew up in Washington D.C. and Maryland. He worked in construction and maintenance in Annapolis for almost 30 years, and had even managed to set aside a savings account for the future. He was a hard worker and had expected to have many more years of employment and income ahead of him. His life plans came to a halt though when he started to develop Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), a progressive lung disease that gives him severe shortness of breath, chronic cough, asthma, fatigue, and frequent respiratory infections.   Read More...

Photo: Paul Mikulski, Chef Jim, Sue Mikulski and Chef Linda standing in front of The Light House Tower Gardens.“What started out as 24 sandwiches a week for almost ten years, has turned into so much more!”– Sue and Paul MikulskiWhen Sue and Paul Mikulski were preparing to get married, their church suggested they adopt one of the Acts of Mercy. In 2008, as they were standing in their refurbished kitchen, they thought why not use the kitchen to make sandwiches for The Light ...  Read More...

"The Light House Gave Me Hope" - Ellabell, Former Light House Resident and B.E.S.T. Student

Ellabell’s beautiful smile lights up her face. She has a home, a steady job and a sparkling new set of teeth. This small but mighty 58 year-old credits The Light House for giving her the hope and faith she needed to help herself succeed. “I used to go up to 206 West Street every day to get lunch,” she recalls. “When I became homeless, that was the first place I went. I came to The Light House on a Friday, and they had a bed for me on Monday.” The Light House provided Ellabell with food and shelter and something more: hope and faith that she could make a better life for herself and her family.

“I graduated from the B.E.S.T. Program, got a job, paid off my debt and found my own apartment. Before my mother passed away, I was able to tell her that I had a home for myself and my boys.”  Read More...