Announcement from The Beacon Board President
As the days shorten and the weather cools, and the “Spirit Halloweens” take-over some of our favorite former shopping centers, it becomes apparent that this year, just like every other, the seasons will inevitably change. The annual exercise in not just accepting, but celebrating change is hitting home a bit harder for me this year, as The Beacon Board of Directors considers its own exciting, but bittersweet changes.
It is with that reflective frame in mind that I am coming to you with an important announcement: We are searching for our next Executive Director! After a period of joint succession planning, Melissa Vine will be transitioning out of her position. We are so incredibly grateful for her time with The Beacon; she has truly helped our organization transform into one that is remarkable in its mission and impact. Through the past four years, we have seen The Beacon grow and change, sometimes faster than even we believed it could, into a vibrant and important organization capable of re-evaluating itself, thinking outside of its own walls, and pushing itself to find more effective ways to do this work.
So, while we will no doubt miss the warmth and comfort of the season we shared with Melissa leading the way, we also look forward with anticipation and excitement as we think about all the things that may be next for The Beacon and our community.
Letter From our Executive Director
It has been one of the greatest honors of my lifetime to lead The Beacon as we reached new heights, seeking best practice for both staff and client care. Over the past four years, we doubled staff compensation packages (except my own) and fostered an environment of transparency, multi-directional accountability, and inclusivity. As a result, we have almost no staff turnover and have doubled our housing units, our staff, our client success outcomes, and our revenue.
Last year, we launched jail diversion, so that women in our community can live and heal at The Beacon rather than being isolated from support while incarcerated with untreated mental illness and trauma. We provide housing and programming for $26/night compared to prison, which is $106/night. This year, we added a second property to provide 32 efficiency units of safe, affordable housing for our graduates and community referrals.
I am incredibly grateful for our Board of Directors thoughtfully navigating this growth, our community partners bringing expertise and care to our programming, our volunteers who so passionately share their time, our donors who give so generously, and our highly intelligent and symbiotic staff - like none I've ever experienced. As The Beacon continues to lead the way for years to come, I invite you to join our growing community of supporters.
In this together,
Melissa Vine, JD, MA, LMHC
Shannon Sobek, JD
