A safe harbor for those in need of love, encouragement, hope, and recovery, Lighthouse Church of Fargo certainly shined brightly this Giving Hearts Day. In their first year of participation, the organization achieved three different awards; Donor Dynamo, awarded to a first-time participant with the highest number of individual donors; Spark Plug, awarded to first-time charities that raise $30,000 or more; GoBIG Fundraising, awarded to the first-time participant that receives the largest gift from a single donor.

In their first year of participation, they pulled out all the stops to get their supporters involved. On Giving Hearts Day, they hosted an open house offering tours, games, movies, informational booths, and more. They partnered with Heart-N-Soul Community Cafe to provide dinner in the evening, followed by a free concert with local musicians.

Funds were raised this year for their recovery and outreach program. As another way to rally support on Giving Hearts Day, the team held a 24-hour campout on the roof of the church, with the program’s director waving and cheering to passersby throughout the whole day.

Gifts received from this exciting day are already positively impacting their recovery and outreach program. They have been able to expand their outreach efforts, particularly in their jail outreach mission. They are also able to begin making facility updates and dedicate more staff time to pinpointing areas of need in the community.

It’s days like Giving Hearts Day that can reveal just how far a charity’s support system extends. The team at Lighthouse knew they had a community to count on for this big day, but they were pleasantly surprised to surpass their goal. It’s no doubt that a beacon of hope like Lighthouse Church has a bright future in store!

GHD Awards are co-sponsored by Bush Foundation and Dakota Medical Foundation.