South Oakland Shelter
Building equitable communities that alleviate poverty.
South Oakland Shelter
EIN: 38-2847849
Mission
We endeavor to build equitable communities and alleviate poverty in partnership with and in service to individuals, families, and organizations
Ruling year
1989
President & CEO
Ryan Brandt Hertz
Main address
46156 Woodward Ave
Pontiac, MI 48342 USA
EIN
38-2847849
Food aid
Shelter and residential care
Rent and mortgage assistance
Homeless shelters
Population served
Children and youth
Adults
Economically disadvantaged people
At-risk youth
Homeless people
NTEE code
Temporary Shelter For the Homeless (L41)
Housing Expense Reduction Support, Rent Assistance (L82)
Housing Search Assistance (L30)
IRS subsection
501(c)(3) Public Charity
IRS filing requirement
This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.
Tax forms
Communication
Affiliations
Programs and results
Reports and documents
Download annual reportsWhat we aim to solve
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Emergency Shelter
Lighthouse recently opened a family emergency shelter that serves up to 18 families (54 individuals) each night. The individual apartments give families privacy and Lighthouse provides meals, activities, and case management to help families get back on their feet. This is the only permanent family emergency shelter in Oakland County.
In 2022, Lighthouse provided emergency shelter to 434 individuals (including 244 children under 18). This total 30,943 total nights of shelter.
Housing Programs
Implementing housing-first programming allows Lighthouse to serve more people while reducing the increased community costs associated with re-stabilizing a greater number of people exposed to the trauma of homelessness. Lighthouse provides critical housing assistance programs targeting specific sub-populations, including: Chronic-Homeless Leasing Assistance Program, Rapid Re-Housing, and Supportive Housing for Individuals and Families in Transition.
In 2022, our Medium-Long Term Housing Programs (Permanent Supportive Housing, Transitional Housing, Emergency Housing Vouchers) provided housing assistance to 275 individuals within 145 households. We also served 62 households through Rapid Re-housing.
Follow-up Care
We believe that access to ongoing supportive services greatly assists households
in quickly resolving, and in some cases totally preventing, crises. Our supportive services
center around helping households retain their housing and increase their overall
stability. If enrolled in one of our housing programs, households are provided with consistent in-home
case management. Clients and case managers work together to establish service
plans that are specific to clients’ needs, goals, and desires. Supportive services
may include connection to benefits such as social security and SNAP, landlord
engagement to help households with lease compliance, access to basic needs such
as transportation and personal care items, and referrals to other service providers.
In 2022, 579 individuals from 275 households were served through Stability Service programming. 93% of those who exited Stability Services maintained their housing and increased their self sufficiency.
HandUp
Many of the needs households have are unique or not covered by existing grant and funding streams. Lighthouse helps households meet these needs through our flexible online fundraising platform, HandUp. Since inception, we have raised nearly $4.5 million on HandUp to support projects and clients at Lighthouse. These funds have helped support our programs and over 1,000 clients meet their goals by providing funds for housing, transportation, education, medical expenses, and other basic needs.
Food Pantry
Lighthouse continues to distribute emergency food in ways that protect clients, volunteers, and staff from contracting and spreading COVID-19. From our newly established food warehouse we store, package, and distribute produce and shelf stable food boxes. Lighthouse makes every effort to provide well-balanced food boxes packed with fresh produce, milk, bread and pantry stables such as pasta, cereal, canned meats, peanut butter, jelly, soups and beans. We distribute through home delivery, curbside pick-up at our Pontiac and Clarkston pantries, and at offsite partner locations in Royal Oak, Ferndale, Clarkston, and Southfield.
Home deliveries are happening through a network of volunteers and a partnership with Amazon delivery drivers. In 2022, we served 54,677 total individuals from 21,503 households. We also completed 14,520 at-home food deliveries.
Where we work
Awards
Most Outstanding Volunteer Program 2009
Governor's Service Award
Health Impact Award 2022
Governor's Service Award
Finalist - Best Managed Nonprofit 2020
Crain's
External reviews
Photos
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of bed nights (nights spent in shelter)
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Emergency Shelter
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Percentage of clients in our stability service programs that maintained their stability for one year.
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Follow-up Care
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Number of individuals served through our housing programs
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Housing Programs
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of individuals served through our Emergency Shelter Program
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Emergency Shelter
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
What we learned throughout 2020 and in the months following, is that while our team was able to sufficiently meet the increased need, our response was merely a short-term band-aid to a wide-scale, systemic issue. While COVID-19 exacerbated the needs of those struggling prior to the pandemic and impacted others for the first time, it also showed us a better way to serve people. With more attention and support from our community of donors, volunteers, and local officials, Lighthouse has been able to serve more people, more efficiently, and with more dignity than ever before. We now have a much better understanding of what is needed.
Lighthouse aims to increase our role in the emergency food services to help meet Oakland County’s scope of need, explore increased emergency shelter availability for children, adults, and families, become a leader in educating and inspiring members of the community to alleviate poverty, and increase services to existing clients through programs like the Center for Working Families.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
The sense of urgency around sheltering the homeless and providing food to families in the midst of a pandemic shifted funding and program policies in a way that allowed us to serve a greater number of people in need. Lighthouse plans to work with community leaders, partner agencies, and government officials to continue serving at this heightened level while working towards implementing long-term solutions to the problems our community faces. We know what to do, and if given the right opportunities with the right partners and adequate funding, we can work together to alleviate poverty within Oakland County.
In February 2023, Lighthouse announced a $20M campus redevelopment and expansion project that include a housing opportunity center, a social supermarket, community spaces, and an economic opportunity center.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
As one of the only emergency shelters equipped to serve families, and one of only a few 5-day a week food pantries that also offers food delivery in Oakland County, Lighthouse has been at the forefront of serving low-income families for decades. We know the struggles our neighbors face and the toll poverty takes on families and communities.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Lighthouse has identified the goals listed above as part of our strategic plan for the organization and is working to connect with community leaders, partner agencies, and government officials to help accomplish these goals. We have been growing our team to help us keep up with the growing demand in our community and are working with experts on long-term plans.
In February 2023, Lighthouse announced a $20M campus redevelopment and expansion project that include a housing opportunity center, a social supermarket, community spaces, and an economic opportunity center.
Stay tuned to our website for more updates.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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Who are the people you serve with your mission?
Individuals and families experiencing homelessness, food insecurity, and financial instability residing in Southeast Michigan.
-
How is your organization collecting feedback from the people you serve?
Electronic surveys (by email, tablet, etc.), Paper surveys, Focus groups or interviews (by phone or in person), Case management notes, Community meetings/Town halls,
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals,
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What significant change resulted from feedback?
The agency’s telephone system was redesigned so that clients now dial one telephone number in order to be connected with any of the agency’s resources or supportive services. Before, clients or potential clients would have to call specific departments, each with their own unique telephone number, to gain assistance. Clients stated this process, when they were already in crisis, left them feeling overwhelmed and frustrated. In response, a centralized telephone system was created and now clients dial one telephone number and can respond to either phone prompts or speak to a live individual for assistance with any of our services.
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With whom is the organization sharing feedback?
The people we serve, Our staff, Our board, Our funders, Our community partners,
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How has asking for feedback from the people you serve changed your relationship?
It’s improved relationships between service providers and clients and positively impacted program development and resources to be more reflective of clients’ needs.
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback, We ask the people who gave us feedback how well they think we responded,
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback,
Financials
Financial documents
Download audited financialsRevenue vs. expenses: breakdown
Liquidity in 2020 info
2.51
Months of cash in 2020 info
4.6
Fringe rate in 2020 info
28%
Funding sources info
Assets & liabilities info
South Oakland Shelter
Revenue & expensesFiscal Year: Jul 01 - Jun 30
SOURCE: IRS Form 990
South Oakland Shelter
Balance sheetFiscal Year: Jul 01 - Jun 30
SOURCE: IRS Form 990
The balance sheet gives a snapshot of the financial health of an organization at a particular point in time. An organization's total assets should generally exceed its total liabilities, or it cannot survive long, but the types of assets and liabilities must also be considered. For instance, an organization's current assets (cash, receivables, securities, etc.) should be sufficient to cover its current liabilities (payables, deferred revenue, current year loan, and note payments). Otherwise, the organization may face solvency problems. On the other hand, an organization whose cash and equivalents greatly exceed its current liabilities might not be putting its money to best use.
Fiscal Year: Jul 01 - Jun 30
SOURCE: IRS Form 990
This snapshot of South Oakland Shelter’s financial trends applies Nonprofit Finance Fund® analysis to data hosted by GuideStar. While it highlights the data that matter most, remember that context is key – numbers only tell part of any story.
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Business model indicators
| Profitability info | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted surplus (deficit) before depreciation | $71,095 | $295,214 | $206,596 | $268,501 | $1,290,045 |
| As % of expenses | 3.9% | 14.7% | 9.4% | 11.6% | 22.2% |
| Unrestricted surplus (deficit) after depreciation | $38,565 | $262,960 | $177,280 | $239,091 | $1,259,933 |
| As % of expenses | 2.1% | 12.9% | 8.0% | 10.2% | 21.6% |
| Revenue composition info | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total revenue (unrestricted & restricted) | $1,869,024 | $2,329,078 | $2,411,195 | $2,511,131 | $6,855,603 |
| Total revenue, % change over prior year | 5.8% | 24.6% | 3.5% | 4.1% | 173.0% |
| Program services revenue | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2.6% |
| Membership dues | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Investment income | 0.5% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| Government grants | 55.8% | 43.3% | 41.3% | 37.7% | 18.8% |
| All other grants and contributions | 45.3% | 56.4% | 58.2% | 62.0% | 78.2% |
| Other revenue | -1.6% | 0.1% | 0.2% | 0.0% | 0.2% |
| Expense composition info | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total expenses before depreciation | $1,821,520 | $2,002,180 | $2,190,262 | $2,311,455 | $5,802,731 |
| Total expenses, % change over prior year | 9.1% | 9.9% | 9.4% | 5.5% | 151.0% |
| Personnel | 39.1% | 38.4% | 39.0% | 44.3% | 28.2% |
| Professional fees | 1.3% | 1.5% | 1.5% | 2.1% | 5.9% |
| Occupancy | 1.2% | 1.3% | 0.6% | 0.5% | 4.3% |
| Interest | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Pass-through | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| All other expenses | 58.4% | 58.9% | 58.9% | 53.2% | 61.5% |
| Full cost components (estimated) info | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total expenses (after depreciation) | $1,854,050 | $2,034,434 | $2,219,578 | $2,340,865 | $5,832,843 |
| One month of savings | $151,793 | $166,848 | $182,522 | $192,621 | $483,561 |
| Debt principal payment | $29,571 | $51,083 | $32,675 | $34,345 | $0 |
| Fixed asset additions | $0 | $0 | $0 | $31,780 | $0 |
| Total full costs (estimated) | $2,035,414 | $2,252,365 | $2,434,775 | $2,599,611 | $6,316,404 |
Capital structure indicators
| Liquidity info | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Months of cash | 1.4 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 1.9 | 4.6 |
| Months of cash and investments | 2.7 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 3.1 | 5.1 |
| Months of estimated liquid unrestricted net assets | 3.5 | 4.5 | 5.1 | 5.9 | 4.9 |
| Balance sheet composition info | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cash | $214,412 | $534,721 | $563,244 | $359,804 | $2,230,536 |
| Investments | $192,399 | $208,189 | $219,165 | $230,308 | $246,970 |
| Receivables | $131,752 | $77,451 | $237,653 | $244,731 | $502,326 |
| Gross land, buildings, equipment (LBE) | $636,803 | $651,688 | $657,620 | $689,400 | $709,864 |
| Accumulated depreciation (as a % of LBE) | 26.2% | 30.5% | 34.7% | 37.3% | 40.5% |
| Liabilities (as a % of assets) | 20.0% | 13.9% | 14.7% | 8.2% | 24.1% |
| Unrestricted net assets | $822,719 | $1,085,679 | $1,262,959 | $1,502,050 | $2,761,983 |
| Temporarily restricted net assets | $0 | $42,361 | $60,000 | $0 | N/A |
| Permanently restricted net assets | $35,556 | $37,860 | $38,612 | $38,197 | N/A |
| Total restricted net assets | $35,556 | $80,221 | $98,612 | $38,197 | $117,843 |
| Total net assets | $858,275 | $1,165,900 | $1,361,571 | $1,540,247 | $2,879,826 |
Key data checks
| Key data checks info | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Material data errors | No | No | No | No | No |
Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Documents
President & CEO
Ryan Brandt Hertz
Ryan Hertz assumed the role of CEO at Lighthouse in January of 2019. Since joining SOS in 2010, he and his team have expanded SOS’s scope of services to encompass emergency shelter, rental assistance, affordable housing development, supportive service solutions, and crowdfunding technologies that have contributed to thousands of displaced people getting back on their feet and finding a renewed sense of purpose. Ryan is now leading Lighthouse after merging with SOS to further both organizations’ combined efforts to meet the critical and escalating emergency and longer-term needs of the working poor, homeless, and otherwise impoverished members of our community. He is passionate about connecting those with a giving spirit to powerful opportunities that change the lives of others.
Number of employees
Source: IRS Form 990
South Oakland Shelter
Officers, directors, trustees, and key employeesSOURCE: IRS Form 990
Compensation data
South Oakland Shelter
Highest paid employeesSOURCE: IRS Form 990
Compensation data
South Oakland Shelter
Board of directorsas of 02/22/2023
Board of directors data
Richard Lewnau
Ryan Hertz
Lighthouse MI
John Harvey
Serenity Christian Church
William Mott
St. John Providence Health System
Richard Lewnau
Paul Plante
Jim Ciroli
Flagstar Bank
Harry Maisel
Susan Wellman
Keating Network
Jackie Buchanan
Genisys Credit Union
Manisha Dostert
Christ Church Cranbrook
Lamontre Harris
Honor Health
Jim Lambrecht
Lambrecht Realty
Sonja Lengnick
Kienbaum Hardy Viviano Pelton Forrest
Colleen Ochoa Peters
Meaningful Impact
Jacqui Spicer
Baker College
Dennis Blender
Blender Consulting Group
Jonathan Burleigh
Bodman PLC
Rachael Allen
Susan Cooper
Dr. Chanel Hampton
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data
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