Photo credit: Robert Madden bobmadden.com
Light House staff members distributing food to neighbors in need during Light House's drive-through pantry.
ANNAPOLIS, MD — The Light House Homeless Prevention Support Center has received a $20,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County (CFAAC) to support their food insecurity programs. The award comes from the Community Crisis Response Fund, a component fund of CFAAC.
“CFAAC is proud to continue its long history of grantmaking to The Light House. We are extremely gratified to help sustain the valuable work they are doing to support the homeless and food insecure residents of our community whose lives have been disrupted by the virus. Through the Community Crisis Response Fund, CFAAC has supported a variety of vital nonprofits in Anne Arundel County in order to help them remain stable and strong, and shift from the realities of crisis response to resilience and recovery," said Mary Spencer, CFAAC President and CEO.
For over 30 years, The Light House has served individuals and families in our community who are impacted by homelessness and poverty. Their work has become even more vital during the COVID-19 crisis as they provide critical social safety net services, including food for a growing number of food insecure community members, safe housing for people experiencing homelessness, and financial assistance for people who have lost their jobs as a result of the COVID-19 crisis.
“Since the start of this crisis, the number of households served through our Light House pantry programs has increased by an astounding 210 percent,” stated Jo Ann Mattson, Executive Director of The Light House. “Last year alone, we distributed over 305,000 pounds of healthy pantry items to 2,700 food insecure households through our drive-thru, walk-up, and mobile pantries. We also provided over 80,000 meals to residents, community clients, and other food insecure neighbors. Keeping up with this significant increase in demand has been extremely challenging. The much-needed funding generously awarded to us through CFAAC’s Community Crisis Response Fund will help us continue to provide food to our most vulnerable Anne Arundel County residents during this difficult time.”
About The Light House: The Light House, located at 10 Hudson Street in Annapolis, has served the community as a basic needs provider of food, shelter, and clothing for over 30 years. Its mission is to help rebuild lives with compassion by providing shelter and services to prevent homelessness and empower people as they transition toward housing, employment and self-sufficiency. For more information about The Light House, please visit their website at www.annapolislighthouse.org, or on Facebook/Instagram @annapolislighthouse.
About CFAAC: The Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County (CFAAC) is a tax exempt, 501(c)(3), publicly supported philanthropic organization with the long-term goal of building permanent funds that provide support to local nonprofit organizations through grants and special projects. CFAAC’s mission is to inspire and promote giving in Anne Arundel County by connecting people who care with causes that matter. Established in 1998, CFAAC is one of the largest funders of nonprofit organizations in Anne Arundel County. CFAAC distributed nearly $5 million in 2020 to a variety of nonprofit organizations. Learn more at www.cfaac.org.
