This fall, Lighthouse employees from our Seattle office volunteered at the YWCA Angeline's Center for Homeless Women. Volunteers were given a tour of the facility, while they learned about the history of the center and the challenges faced each day serving the community.

What our volunteers learned:

Angeline's Center provides a safe and welcoming place for homeless women to access meals, laundry, showers, activities, and more. They serve up to 250 adult women a day, currently ranging in age from 19 to 93. Their clientele makes up a diverse population of women across all ethnicities, with 78% being women of color. There are women who have never attended school, women with PhDs, LGBT women, and women with a range of disabilities, from mental health issues to being physically disabled. In addition, the center also serves a number of non-English speaking clients.

The center offers a multitude of services to its clients including personal storage, counseling, health care access, and connections to other needed services such as food banks, domestic violence support, housing programs, addiction guidance, and legal services. The center also manages a variety of fun activties and workshops for the women to get involved in such as art classes (project pictured right) and DJ-hosted dance sessions.

"The part that I enjoyed the most was the opportunity to learn about Angeline's mission," said Maggie Anthoney, corporate counsel at Lighthouse. "I had walked by there, but I didn't realize the amount of work they do and the very needed resource they are for the community."

What our volunteers did:

"Working with [Lighthouse's] group was a pleasure," said Jason Hester, kitchen manager and nutrition specialist at YWCA Angeline's Center for Homeless Women. "Everyone was enthusiastic and eager to help anyway they could."

Ten Lighthouse employees worked the two lunch shifts that the center provides to clients. After getting a rundown of the kitchen from Chef Jason, they stepped up to the line and served folks in need of a hot meal.

"Having [Lighthouse] here takes a lot of workload off our kitchen with all the extra cleaning and prep we are able to accomplish," said Hester. "I admire the fact that [Lighthouse] took the time to come down and work with our clients, letting them know they are not forgotten and, in fact, cared for by many."

After the meals were served, Lighthouse volunteers helped staff clean up the kitchen and cafeteria space. Every one of the volunteers walked away with a better understanding of the community around them and an eagerness to give back more.

"I think it's great that Lighthouse provides these opportunities to give back in the community that we are a part of, and to people who may not have had the same opportunities that a lot of us at Lighthouse have had," said Anthoney.

For more information about this event and other ways Lighthouse gives back to the community, please reach out to us at info@lighthouseglobal.com.