Last year, Brightpoint helped over 43,000 people. When arriving at this number, we use an unduplicated count of our biggest programs, but we know there are some who don’t get counted. One program where this might happen is our Weatherization program.
Weatherization offers a home energy audit, energy-efficient repairs, and education. Services are available to renters and homeowners- AND to transitional homes and homeless shelters. One such facility- actually two homes that are part of one program- recently got some much needed upgrades.
Life Recovery Home, an outreach of The Lighthouse, received repairs through the Weatherization program at Brightpoint earlier this year. The Lighthouse is a Fort Wayne based organization that serves men who struggle with addiction. They currently operate two homes with 16 beds where men can live while they are recovering.
When CEO Brandon Bower started The Lighthouse in 2014, he reached out to contacts he knew from his previous work. Eventually he made his way to Brightpoint to inquire about possible programs that might help his residents. When the Weatherization program came up, he said that was something they could really use for the houses. Someone from Brightpoint came out, did an inspection, and let Brandon know that the homes qualified for assistance.
According to Brandon, the Weatherization work has made a difference already. “Right away we noticed that the houses stay cooler in the summer, so we’re hoping they stay warmer in the winter as well. That’s going to cut down on our expenses, which is going to free up more money for programming.” He says that this is a huge thing because they don’t have a very big budget. Funding for the program comes from individuals, churches, and a few local foundations.
Brandon says he was impressed by the amount of work that Brightpoint was able to do, but it wasn’t just about the dollars. He also appreciated having Brightpoint’s knowledge and skills to make the most of those dollars. “Brightpoint saw a need and they were really quick to jump on helping us out… it really impressed me. They had the money, the time, the energy, and the know-how to come in and assess what we needed and to make some repairs.”
At the end of the day, Brandon is happy to be able to get back to his mission to help more men recover from addiction and start the healing process with their families. He is grateful to have the assistance in helping him toward this goal. “I just want to thank Brightpoint for their help partnering with us. Partners and community coalitions go a long way in strengthening our communities. Thank you.”
And Brightpoint is pleased to be able to weatherize houses for programs like The Lighthouse because it multiplies the effect of our work. With 16 beds between the two homes, that is 16 times the impact on individuals and families in our community!