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Dear Friends,
Although Thanksgiving is almost a month away, we are increasingly grateful at LHM Foundation – for the reasons you will read in this month’s newsletter… and more!
All of those warm feelings have me thinking about the relationship between gratitude and thankfulness. According to Pennsylvania-born author, educator, diplomat and Presbyterian clergyman, Henry Van Dyke, “Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received. Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling. Thanksgiving is the following of that impulse.” (As an aside, Van Dyke was also a good friend of Helen Keller’s and the officiant at Mark Twain’s funeral!)
Kindness received? ✔! Almost 100 volunteers donated more 400 hours of their time to LHM Foundation in October. As you will read below, business and community partners continue to enthusiastically support our work. And in the past 30 days alone, a dozen new donors have joined the ranks of those who provide the funding necessary for us to deliver the Horizons program.
Thankfulness felt? ✔✔! We are driven each and every day to find new ways to express what it feels like to be the recipient of that kindness – the boost that it gives our spirits and those of our program participants. (Read more about Ashley below!)
Thanksgiving given? ✔✔✔! So, thank you! Thank you for providing the support that allows LHM Foundation the honor of working with individuals and families experiencing homelessness as they pursue brighter futures. And thank you to the 48 people (including 23 children!) in the Horizons program who invite us to walk alongside them on their journeys to housing security.
With thanksgiving,
Amy
| | Amy C. Foerster, CEO LHM Foundation | | | | |
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Three cheers for Ashley! LHM Foundation welcomed Ashley and her two children to the Horizons transitional housing program in January 2026. They were in survival mode at the time, having endured years of housing instability and other trauma. Making the decision to leave familiar surroundings and join the Horizons community was difficult, but Ashley did just that to provide a brighter future for her children and herself.
Ashley works hard every day to make progress toward her long-term goals of financial stability and housing security. Education and employment are important factors in those goals. Over the past month, Ashley earned her high school equivalency degree by taking the brave step of studying for, taking, AND CONQUORING the required examinations! Having earned her GED last week, Ashley is now pursuing her dream of becoming a school bus driver!
In Ashley’s own words, “I always wanted to be this woman. I can’t be more proud, blessed and thankful for all of the wonderful men and women at LHM Foundation that have given me support and healthy love. When I leave here it will be with not only a job but a lifetime career, not just with friends but a family, not just with words of encouragement but a whole new way of looking at life.”
Way to go, Ashley! We’re so grateful to have your bright light in our community!
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From celebrating successes to celebrating spookiness, LHM Foundation recently held a trunk-or-treat event for families in our Horizons program. It was so much Halloween fun, with candy, costumes, pumpkin painting, and even a mini haunted house!
A special thank you to our wonderful staff and volunteers who helped make it such a spooktacular evening!
| | Chris Long, Director of Facilities | | Jasmine Harris & Thomas Smith, Case Managers | | |
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With 23 children currently calling our Horizons program home – and more to come – it is time to make the most of our beautiful outdoor space. On Giving Tuesday (Dec. 1), we will be raising funds for a playset similar to that pictured here and safety-minded rubber mulch. A generous donor will quadruple every dollar donated in connection with Giving Tuesday. Please help us give these kiddos a place to climb and play!
Make your Giving Tuesday gift today! Mail a check to LHM Social Services Foundation at 3251 Butler St., Harrisburg, PA, 17103 with "Giving Tuesday" in the memo.
| | | | | | Thank you Valerie Pritchett and abc27 News for recently featuring us as Hometown Heroes! And thank you to our donors, volunteers, community partners, and team – you are the real heroes! Watch the segment below. | | | | |
Mention LHM Foundation or our partner number (50322) when donating items at any CommunityAid store. LHM Foundation gets credit for every pound donated! | |
USE OUR PARTNER NUMBER WHEN YOU DROP OFF DONATIONS AT THE DOOR:
50322
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DID YOU KNOW?
HOMELESSNESS AND MENTAL HEALTH
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Homelessness and mental health are deeply intertwined, but the relationship is often misunderstood. Many assume that homelessness is caused by mental illness, which overlooks the reality that the trauma of homelessness can contribute to mental health challenges. At LHM Foundation, we strive to connect participants in our Horizons transitional housing program with important community resources, including those supporting mental health.
Dr. Tollefson, director of Catholic Charities of Harrisburg’s Labre Clinic, recently visited LHM Foundation to share information about the important services they provide. The Labre Clinic is a walk-in mental health clinic with a specific focus on serving those experiencing homelessness. It is a welcoming, low-barrier option where people can receive support, discuss their needs, and connect with other resources for ongoing care.
Thank you, Dr. Tollefson, for sharing this valuable community resource with us!
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POWERED BY PARTNERS
THANK YOU, SOUTHERN STEER BUTCHER!
| | LHM Foundation provides Horizons program participants with three meals each day, seven days a week. While everyone has their favorite meals, we have enjoyed hearing dinnertime “oooos” and “ahhhhs” from new additions to our Horizons community over the past couple weeks. | |
LHM Foundation relies on several food acquisition partners in our efforts to keep stomachs happy and full. We recently added an amazing new partner, Southern Steer Butcher in Camp Hill, to our team. Southern Steer has been incredibly generous with donations of premium-quality steaks, chicken, sausages, and more! Its support helps to ensure that participants in the Horizons program have access to nutritious – and downright delicious! – meals prepared by our dedicated dining staff.
| Thank you, Southern Steer! (If you are in the area, stop by Southern Steer to thank them for their support of LHM Foundation… and to pick up your dinner ingredients!) | | | | |
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A lively group from the Human Resource Professionals of Central PA visited LHM Foundation in October for their Fall Networking and Volunteerism Event. The group quickly got busy raking and bagging leaves, trimming bushes, and pulling weeds on the Foundation’s nearly 15-acre campus!
We need YOU to help grow our volunteer Beam Teams, especially helping to serve meals and being the warm, smiling face at our Resource Desk.
| | | | Recently, young professionals from Fulton Bank’s Management Trainee Program did just that! These enthusiastic volunteers joined us to serve dinners for participants in our Horizons transitional housing program. We were grateful for the energy and enthusiasm they brought to mealtime! | | | | |
VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT
PAIGE ICKES
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Paige Ickes is a recent graduate of West Chester University, where she earned Bachelor of Science degrees in Biochemistry, Chemistry, and Forensic Toxicology! Paige plans to apply for medical school and hopes to begin classes next fall.
In her free time, Paige enjoys baking, volunteering and traveling. One of her favorite travel experiences was a trip to Albania, a destination to which she wants to return someday.
We are grateful to have Paige as a regular volunteer serving breakfast in our Horizons transitional housing program – and, recently, as the master pumpkin painter at our Halloween celebration! Paige believes volunteering is a meaningful way to have an impact on the community and in the lives of others. She shared, “LHM Foundation is one of my favorite volunteer roles. The people I have met are some of the most kind-hearted and genuine people I have had the privilege to meet.”
Thank you, Paige, for being a bright light in the Horizons program!
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Spot a lighthouse on your travels? Share it with us!
Although our work is depicted by the beam emanating from a lighthouse’s lamp, the entire lighthouse holds a special place in our hearts.
Send your lighthouse photos to info@lhm-foundation.org. Include the location and any information you wish to share!
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YOUR GIFT CAN TRANSFORM LIVES
Support individuals and families working toward financial stability and housing security in LHM Foundation's Horizons transitional housing program.
A generous donor is matching dollar-for-dollar the first $3 million raised!
| | To learn more about ways to support LHM Foundation's work, please contact: | | | | |
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