SEPTEMBER 2026

Dear Friends,

Welcome to my favorite season, fall! At LHM Foundation, signs of autumn are everywhere on our campus – leaves are starting to change, deer run across our lawn each evening, and the kids in our Horizons transitional housing program are already counting down the days to Halloween.

Recently, I have been reflecting on our societal tendency to focus on the “big wins” – the flashy stories that captivate audiences around office watercoolers, in stadium bleachers, and, of course, on social media. But it is important to not overlook the momentum created by incremental progress – those “smaller” successes that generate the spark that propels a person forward.

At LHM Foundation, we seek out opportunities to foster and celebrate incremental progress. During their first meetings with a new participant in our Horizons transitional housing program, our case managers don’t lead with “let’s start looking at apartments.” Instead, they suggest, “let’s get a dental appointment on the calendar for you,” “let’s go get your state ID,” and “let’s get the kids enrolled in school.” They emphasize goals that are attainable in the near-term to create a springboard for progress.

Several participants in the Horizons program do not have a high school diploma. To increase their chances of securing employment, they need their Commonwealth Secondary School Diploma (CSSD), which is Pennsylvania’s “GED”. In early September, two women – both mothers with children in our program – summoned up to the courage to register for the first of four subject matter examinations leading to the award of a CSSD. They took the language arts exam on Sept. 24… AND THEY BOTH PASSED! We are already seeing evidence that this (not-so-small) win will be the catalyst that propels them toward passing the remaining exams, earning their CSSDs, and advancing their job prospects.

Here’s to the momentum of incremental progress!

With gratitude,

Amy C. Foerster, CEO LHM Foundation

Oh, what a night!

LHM Foundation held its first annual Be a Beacon benefit dinner on Sept. 12 at The Country Club of Harrisburg. Thank you to all who helped make this event such a memorable evening. We are so grateful for the time, generosity, and spirit you brought to this event – together, we raised $100,000!

It was a joy to gather with friends and supporters, to share more about the inspiring participants in our Horizons transitional housing program, and to celebrate the donors, volunteers and community partners who make our work possible.

Watch this space for the date of next year’s event and plan to join the fun!

Click here to see more photos from Be a Beacon: A Night to Benefit LHM Foundation

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

DID YOU KNOW?

RISING RATES OF HOMELESSNESS

In last month’s edition of The Beacon, we discussed rates of homelessness in children and young adults. But a demographic that does not get as much attention – those 35 to 44 years old – is also experiencing homelessness at alarming rates. In Dauphin County, from 2023 to 2025, homelessness among this age group increased 66.7%, nearly twice the rate of increase seen across Pennsylvania and the country during that same time frame.

According to ADP Research, median annual income peaks between ages 45 and 54, after people have invested decades honing skills and growing networks that foster employment growth. Homelessness can interrupt that trajectory. What happens when those important foundational years are spent struggling with homelessness?

LHM Foundation’s Horizons program meets participants where they are in their employment journeys, irrespective of age, and walks alongside them as they develop and implement a plan toward housing security.

POWERED BY PARTNERS

THANK YOU, COMMUNITY PARTNERS!

LHM Foundation values the workforce development, community health and school readiness resources available through the United Way of the Capital Region. This month, we also appreciated being designated as a service site for the United Way’s annual Day of Caring.

A wonderfully enthusiastic group from Hamilton & Musser, PC, CPAs dedicated the day to staining a porch and a fence along our campus property line. The transformation was incredible! Their hard work helped make our campus even more welcoming for those who live, work and volunteer in LHM Foundation’s Horizons transitional housing program!

Thank you, Hamilton & Musser, for giving your time and talents to support our mission!

It takes almost 100 volunteer hours each week to keep things running smoothly in the Horizons program! That’s why Beam Team volunteers are at the heart of the Horizons program, greeting participants at the Resource Desk and helping to serve breakfast and dinner in the dining room.

We are grateful to have two of those hours each week filled by students from Messiah University’s Agapé Outreach Teams. These caring young adults help serve dinner every Friday during the academic year. We appreciate the consistent coverage and Horizons program participants enjoy the energy that college students bring to our dining room!

Interested in joining our Beam Teams? Sign up at www.lhm-foundation.org/volunteer, or contact Wendy Fellinger, Volunteer Coordinator, at wendy.fellinger@lhm-foundation.org or 717.402.6317 with questions.

Lydia Lloyd,
Student Outreach Coordinator

VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT
WENDY HOACHLANDER

Meet Wendy!

Wendy Hoachlander is a retired registered nurse with more than 40 years of experience caring for others. She is also a frequent friendly face at LHM Foundation’s Horizons Resource Desk, greeting visitors, assisting callers, and helping Horizons program participants checkout everything from laptops to cleaning supplies to basketballs!

When Wendy isn’t volunteering, she enjoys spending time with her two children, six grandchildren and friends. She also likes to stay busy reading and going on walks. Wendy shares, “I was taught to give back to my community from an early age. I love volunteering in LHM Foundation’s Horizons program because it gives me a sense of purpose and personal satisfaction. And I’ve met many nice people with whom I enjoy spending time there.”

Thank you, Wendy, for your dedication to the Horizons community!

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! LHM Foundation’s very own Melany Alexis, Director of the Horizons transitional housing program, shared this photo of the historic Assateague Lighthouse that she took on her summer travels.

Prior to 1833, there was not a single lighthouse on the entire more than 100-mile coastline from Cape Henlopen, DE to Cape Charles, VA. Mariners struggled to navigate the dangerous area, leading to the construction of the first Assateague Lighthouse in 1833, at a cost of $4,000.

Congress allocated $50,000 for the construction of a new lighthouse in 1860, but the start of the Civil War halted construction as the funds were diverted to the war effort. The original 1833 lighthouse remained lit for most of the war. Work on the new lighthouse resumed in early 1867 and it became operational later that year.

The lighthouse tower is 142 feet tall, with a diameter of 28 feet at its base and 18 feet at its lantern. Power lines were run to Assateague in 1961, allowing the lighthouse to operate on commercial power for the first time. Today, the lighthouse beam is visible up to 22 miles offshore in good weather!

Send your lighthouse photos to info@lhm-foundation.org. Include the location and any information you wish to share!