Guiding Light
Faith, Transparency, Compassion and Gratitude: A Profile of Starla McDermott
by (Guiding Light)
Submitted 08-25-2021 under NONPROFITS
For Starla McDermott, the third time really was the charm. When she saw an opportunity to join the team at Guiding Light, she was so drawn to the nonprofit she actually applied for the development coordinator position three times before being hired...
Guiding Light Helps Tim Build a Sober Life After Losing it All
by (Guiding Light)
Submitted 08-25-2021 under NONPROFITS
The very first time Tim tasted alcohol – at the age of 14 – he remembers that “I absolutely loved it. It was like a euphoric sense of freedom. Once I took that drink, it’s like all my anxiety went away, and a...
A path to a better place: Harvey Koning values Guiding Light's approach to recovery
by (Guiding Light)
Submitted 07-28-2021 under NONPROFITS
Faith has always been an integral part of Harvey Koning’s life, but when he left his hometown of Grand Rapids to attend Harvard Law School his Christianity “got real” for him. “Being away from home and meeting so many people...
Guiding Light Launches 'Casting Light' Podcast Highlighting Stories of Rescue, Recovery and Reengagement
by (Guiding Light)
Submitted 07-13-2021 under NONPROFITS
Guiding Light, a Grand Rapids-based nonprofit, has launched a weekly podcast series to document and share the stories of Grand Rapids men in recovery who have found hope and a new way forward. “Casting Light, Stories of Recovery and Hope at...
People rely on me here: Guiding Light Recovery gives Gabe hope for the future
by (Guiding Light)
Submitted 07-01-2021 under NONPROFITS
The son of Polish immigrants, Gabe is a first-generation American who moved to Chicago from Poland with his family when he was a little over 1-year-old. Now at age 28, Gabe has plans to visit his father, who moved back to Poland, for a summer trip...
From darkness to light: Kyle Hinton encourages men to "do the footwork"
by (Guiding Light)
Submitted 06-30-2021 under NONPROFITS
Guiding Light’s newest board member has only had the chance to briefly walk through the doors of 255 Division Ave. SE because of COVID-19. But Kyle Hinton has walked in the shoes of the men who seek recovery and reconnection through the...
My own worst enemy: Getting to sober this Father's Day
by (Guiding Light)
Submitted 06-08-2021 under NONPROFITS
“Dad, it’s the alcohol or me.” With those six words, David’s teenage daughter gave him an ultimatum – and helped her father put an immediate hard stop on more than three decades of drinking, drug abuse, trauma and...
Guiding Light Maintains Platinum Seal of Transparency by GuideStar
by (Guiding Light)
Submitted 05-03-2021 under NONPROFITS
For the fourth consecutive year, Guiding Light has again been awarded a Platinum Seal of Transparency by GuideStar, the world’s largest source of information on U.S. nonprofits. The Platinum designation is the highest level bestowed by...
Getting off the carousel: Andy Odehnal on the transformative power of Guiding Light
by (Guiding Light)
Submitted 04-29-2021 under NONPROFITS
When Andy Odehnal joined the board of Guiding Light in 2010, the nonprofit was still very much a traditional homeless shelter – providing warm meals and safe overnight beds to the men in Heartside. An accountant by training, Andy had been...
Mother's Day Takes on New Meaning When it's a Once-Lost Son You're Celebrating
by (Guiding Light)
Submitted 04-29-2021 under NONPROFITS
This Mother’s Day, Barb isn’t focused on getting flowers or candy or even a card. It’s enough that her son Mark is alive, a gift that five years ago seemed nearly out of reach. “Every rock bottom has a trap door,” Mark...