The Lighthouse - Orillia

Celebrating new home, sobriety and employment!!! 🎉 After nearly four years with The Lighthouse, dating back to the hotel model in 2021, we’re thrilled to celebrate their incredible journey. Not only are they moving into a new home, but they’re also marking one year of sobriety and one year of employment next week! 🙌 Their commitment to healing—physically, mentally, and spiritually—has been inspiring. We’ll continue cheering them on from the sidelines as they move forward into a future filled with community, safety, and health. 💙 #SupportiveHousing #SuccessStory #CommunitySupport

🌟 Did You Know? 🌟 The Lighthouse has a medical clinic that plays a crucial role in our community. 🏥 Last year, we had 799 appointments, helping individuals who might not have sought medical attention otherwise. Our clinic helps meet people where they’re at. For those who would have gone to the ER, our clinic saves the community time and money by offering an alternative option for care. We’re dedicated to ensuring everyone gets the medical and mental care they need in a supportive environment. 💙 #TheLighthouse #DidYouKnow #MedicalClinic #CommunityHealth #CompassionateCare #SupportAndWellness #HealthcareForAll

Data in the homelessness sector is a powerful tool that drives effective policy decisions, determines funding allocations, and influences service delivery decisions that allow us to serve participants in a way that supports their overall well-being and housing success. Read more below.

Katelynn grew up in an unsafe home environment that led to living with addiction and other barriers to accessing housing. When she started staying in The Lighthouse emergency youth shelter, Katelynn also began working with The Lighthouse's staff and her CMHA worker. Her dedication allowed her to secure housing and she moved to a group home in another community. Our Youth Outreach worker Pilar even joined her on the bus to her new home as added support. Katelynn is so excited to have a fresh start with all the right support in place. Lighthouse staff and her fellow participants are thrilled for Katelynn in this new beginning. Photo and story have been shared with permission. #FreshStart #OvercomingObstacles #YouthEmpowerment #SupportMatters #CommunitySupport #NewBeginnings #Inspiration #HopeAndHealing

"Grateful for all the kindness, understanding, and patience she has received as a participant at The Lighthouse.” - Lighthouse participant Celebration Day is a special day each month where we pause to reflect on wins, silver linings, and things we are grateful for. Sometimes it’s hard when you are navigating poverty and experiencing homelessness to find the good, but it’s important to look for it and dig deep to find the wins! Our gratitude jar sits at our welcome desk, and everyone is encouraged to add to it. When we read them out, it’s encouraging to staff, volunteers, and participants alike. Plus, the cake or baked goods served with it is always pretty sweet too! 🎂✨ #Gratitude #CelebrationDay #TheLighthouse #FindingTheGood #CommunitySupport

🌟 Did You Know? 🌟 Did you know that senior homelessness is a growing issue? Currently, in our adult shelter we have 50 individuals. 21 of those are over 55, making up 42% of our shelter population. And over 50 years of age make up 56% of those in shelter. Imagine living with your partner of 40 years. They pass away, and you’re left to pay all the bills on a fixed income. You can’t afford it, and with no family able to take you in, you experience homelessness for the first time at 76 years old. This is just one of many stories of senior homelessness. Senior homelessness is defined as over 55 years of age due to the toll it takes on physical and mental health.🏠 Help us support our community by donating today: https://lnkd.in/e_MnTUz2 #TheLighthouse #DidYouKnow #SeniorHomelessness #CommunitySupport #RaisingAwareness #EndHomelessness

🌟 The Lighthouse in the community! 🌟 Executive Director, Linda Goodall, was invited to speak at the Lakehead - Orillia one year social work program. Annalise Stenekes is teaching a thought-provoking class on human development, focusing on what may lead a youth to homelessness and the barriers they may face. The students were so inquisitive and asked great questions! A big thank you to Annalise for providing an opportunity for discussions and understanding of homelessness in our community.💬❤️ #TheLighthouse #CommunitySupport #SocialWork #HomelessnessAwareness #YouthSupport Annalise Stenekes Linda Goodall Lakehead University

A heartfelt thank you to Orillia Hyundai and their incredible team for their unwavering support and commitment to our community! 🙌 Hyundai’s recent promotion, where a portion of their sales was dedicated to The Lighthouse, truly made a difference. We’re also grateful to our community members who chose to purchase cars and support this initiative. Your generosity is appreciated more than words can express! 🚗💙 #CommunitySupport #LocalImpact #HyundaiCares #GivingBack #CommunityPartnership #SupportLocal #MakeADifference #orilliaontario #orillia Orillia Hyundai

🌟 Did You Know? 🌟 Did you know we served an incredible 84,832 meals in 2023? And so far in 2024, in just the first 6 months, we’re already over 50,000 meals! 🍽️ In this video, our Executive Director, Linda Goodall, takes you on a tour of our kitchen facilities and gives you some insight into our meal program. Every day, we serve three meals and two snacks for our emergency shelter participants. We also run a community bagged lunch program four days a week, offering meals to community members in need. Food insecurity is a huge issue in Orillia, and we would love for you to help contribute to our meal program. Email: kitchen@orillialighthouse.ca to contribute! #TheLighthouse #DidYouKnow #MealProgram #FoodInsecurity #CommunitySupport #RaisingAwareness

A big thank you to RBC for donating 50 reusable water bottles for our participants! 💧✨ Your generosity helps our community stay hydrated and healthy. We also appreciated having Kristen, Brian, and Tara from the RBC team tour our facility to learn more about The Lighthouse and our operations. Thank you for taking the time to understand and support our mission. #CommunitySupport #ThankYou #RBC #TheLighthouse RBC Tara Whipp