Group gets help
MIDDLESEX TWP — One year ago, The Lighthouse Foundation faced an uncertain financial future, but businesses and individuals stepped up over the past year to save the charitable organization.
Early last year, the Lighthouse discovered it would not receive $180,000 in two state grants, which meant an unexpected 25 percent revenue decrease.
The Rev. Dan Borchert, executive director, considered a salary and hiring freeze, a cut in the family ministry fund that provides rent and utility assistance to clients and potential cutbacks in all services.
Borchert said that after prayerful consideration, he organized a day of fasting and prayer in February last year.
“We were able to pull massively out of trouble 200 days after Feb. 28, 2011, our day of prayer and fasting,” an inspired Borchert said.
He said immediately after the realization the organization would not receive the state grants, the Lighthouse survived on a line of credit.
“We started (last) year with a balance of $211,000,” Borchert said, “and this year it was zero.”
Borchert said he sent 4,000 letters last year to businesses, churches, organizations and individuals explaining the shortfall, and donations came in.
“The support from the community was just fantastic,” Borchert said.
The Lighthouse provides a food bank and community meals, emergency shelter, transitional housing, Christian counseling, vehicles for underprivileged workers and other programs for the needy from its facility at the intersection of Route 8 and East Cruikshank Road.
It serves 6,000 clients annually.
Borchert said the only area hurt by the past year’s funding gap was the family ministry fund, but that ministry is back up again.
“I am blown away by the generosity of the whole community,” Borchert said. “I am still in awe. I said at the time, ‘I feel like we’re in the middle of a miracle right now.’”
Cindy Cipoletti, assistant director at the foundation, said officials have taken steps to prevent a repeat of the situation.
She said the Lighthouse is focusing on increasing its private donor base by raising awareness of the services it provides.
Cipoletti hopes bringing in new donors will allow the Lighthouse to rely less on grants.
To that end, the first Evening Gala and Silent Auction was held in September. It included a presentation by a young man who described his path to self-sufficiency through the Lighthouse.
Cipoletti said businesses that sponsored the event got to bring their employees.
“That was nice because employees who maybe didn’t know too much about us got to hear something about us,” Cipoletti said.
She said more businesses will be invited to the 2012 gala.
“The idea is to expand the awareness of what we do,” Cipoletti said. “Lots of people see our building and pass us, but might not know the extent of the services we offer people.”
The 2011 gala raised $6,500, and Cipoletti hopes to raise $10,000 this year.
She said the Lighthouse also will look into grants from foundations whose mission aligns with the Lighthouse’s mission. Cipoletti said the Lighthouse has received a few smaller grants and continues to look for more.
“We are going to keep faithful and keep praying and serving the people who need to be served,” Cipoletti said. “As long as we keep doing our job serving people, our donors will continue to respond.”
For information on The Lighthouse Foundation or how to donate, visit www.thelighthouseonline.com.