Lighthouse Foundation

Lighthouse Foundation recently hosted our annual Chairman’s Event at the beautiful Raheen Estate, generously hosted by Fiona Geminder and Heloise Pratt.

Guided by MC Clint Stanaway, guests were taken on a powerful journey through stories that highlighted both the realities of youth homelessness and the hope that can emerge through consistent care, connection, and therapeutic support.

A particularly moving moment was hearing from former Lighthouse young person Nada, alongside Lighthouse Patron, Board Member, and former young person Christine Campbell. Their deeply personal reflections on trauma, homelessness, and healing were a powerful reminder of why this work matters.

Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of our community, more than $200,000 has been raised so far to support children and young people experiencing homelessness and trauma through Lighthouse programs.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to our event committee, Chairman Len Warson, Board Member Amit Holckner, and Patron Jane Badler Hains, whose dedication and support helped bring this special evening to life.

To everyone who attended, donated, and stood with us, thank you for helping create enduring futures for young people.

As rates of family violence continue to rise in Australia, more young people, including young parents, are at risk of homelessness.

Without support, the cycle of intergenerational trauma and homelessness can continue into the next generation.

That’s why Lighthouse’s Young Parents and Babies Program is so vital.

Through trauma-informed therapeutic care, we provide safe housing and support for vulnerable young parents and their children — helping them heal, build healthy relationships, and create stable routines for their future.

With the right support, young families can break the cycle.

This tax time, your donation can help provide the safety and stability a young family urgently needs to heal, grow, and thrive.

🧡 Donate today and help change the future for a young parent and child: https://www.lighthousefoundation.org.au/tax-appeal-2026/

Orly House is officially open! 🎉

We are proud to announce the opening of Orly House, a new partnership between Lighthouse Foundation and Pathways Melbourne that will provide culturally responsive therapeutic housing and care for vulnerable Jewish young people who are at risk of, or experiencing, homelessness in Melbourne.

Built on Lighthouse Foundation’s evidence-informed Model of Care, Orly House offers young people the stability of a safe home, the support of therapeutic relationships, and the opportunity to heal and thrive. Through this partnership, Pathways Melbourne brings expertise in supporting young people to maintain meaningful connections to their Jewish culture, identity, and community as they navigate their healing journey.

The opening was officially marked by a ribbon-cutting ceremony led by Her Excellency Professor the Honourable Margaret Gardner AC, Governor of Victoria and Patron-in-Chief of Lighthouse Foundation.

We are deeply grateful to everyone who has helped bring this vision to life, particularly Homes Victoria and Caulfield Grammar School for their role in creating safe, culturally responsive care for young people in crisis. Orly House reflects a shared commitment to ensuring that young people are never forced to choose between their safety and their cultural identity. Together, we are building a place where they can feel safe, supported, and connected.

Ribbon cutting image left to right: Ashleigh Martin (Principal, Caulfield Grammar School), Susan Barton AM (Founder & Director, Lighthouse Foundation), Mark Stracey (Executive Director, Homelessness & Housing Support, Homes Victoria), Cr Alex Makin (Mayor, City of Port Phillip), Her Excellency Professor the Honourable Margaret Gardner AC (Governor of Victoria and Patron-in-Chief, Lighthouse Foundation), Leah Boulton (CEO & Founder, Pathways Melbourne), and Dassi Erlich (Director of Programs, Pathways Melbourne).

This year, Lighthouse is celebrating 35 years of care, hope and impact 🎉🧡✨

Over the past 35 years, we’ve supported more than 1,500 children, babies, and young people to heal, grow, and thrive; none of it would have been possible without our incredible community.

From our dedicated volunteers and carers to our staff, supporters, and everyone who has been part of the Lighthouse journey, thank you. Every person who has crossed paths with Lighthouse has helped create lasting change in the lives of young people.

If Lighthouse has been part of your story, we’d love to hear from you.

In 35 words or less, tell us what Lighthouse means to you: https://www.lighthousefoundation.org.au/celebrating-35-years/

If you have a longer story you'd like to share, email us at [email protected]

We were honoured to recently welcome the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Hon. Milton Dick MP, alongside Sarah Witty MP, to Lighthouse.

As Australia marks the 125th anniversary of the first sitting of the Federal Parliament at Melbourne’s Royal Exhibition Building in 1901, we were grateful for the opportunity to share conversations about the experiences of young people and the issues that matter most to them today.

We also spoke about Lighthouse’s long-term therapeutic model of care and the importance of creating safe, stable and supportive homes where young people can heal, grow and thrive.

Thank you for visiting and for taking the time to listen to the voices and perspectives of young people in our community. 🧡

Our outdoor branding has had a well-deserved glow up, thanks to the generous support of MICM Real Estate ✨

A heartfelt thank you to the MICM team for your ongoing partnership, and to Brand Laundry for providing pro bono design support to bring it all to life.

We’re incredibly grateful for our community of partners and in-kind supporters who continue to show up and lend their expertise where it’s needed most. Your support truly makes a difference.🧡

National Reconciliation Week is a time for all Australians to reflect on our shared history and commit wholeheartedly to reconciliation, not just this week, but every day.

This year’s theme, 'All In', reminds us that reconciliation is real and lasting change requiring all of us to listen, learn, and take meaningful action.

It also acknowledges that advancing the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples is not the responsibility of First Nations communities alone. For far too long, First Nations peoples have carried the burden of advocating, educating, and driving change.

At Lighthouse, we are committed to walking alongside First Nations peoples and continuing our journey towards reconciliation with care and accountability.

You can read our Reconciliation Action Plan here: https://www.lighthousefoundation.org.au/who-we-are/reconciliation/

Today, on National Sorry Day, Lighthouse Foundation honours the strength, resilience, and enduring spirit of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, especially the Stolen Generations, their families, and communities.

We acknowledge the deep pain and injustice caused by the forced removal of children from Country, culture, and kin, and recognise the lasting intergenerational trauma that continues to be felt today.

As we reflect and remember, we commit to listening, learning, and walking alongside First Nations peoples in the spirit of truth-telling and reconciliation.

Artwork by Reconciliation Australia

Lenah* is a young Gunaikurnai mum determined to break the cycle of intergenerational trauma for her son.

After years of couch surfing and instability, Lenah found safety and support through Lighthouse. Learning to trust took time, but today, she and her family have stable housing, connection, and hope for the future.

Her story is why Lighthouse’s Young Parents and Babies program is so vital. Young parents facing homelessness are raising babies while still healing from trauma themselves.

This Tax Time, we need your help to keep young parents and babies together in safe, nurturing homes.

🧡 Donate now and help a young family break the cycle of intergenerational trauma: https://www.lighthousefoundation.org.au/tax-appeal-2026/

*Name changed for privacy.