FLORENCE, SC (WBTW) – Lighthouse Ministries in Florence will host its biggest fundraiser of the year to help families who are in need.
Lighthouse Ministries Executive Director Cecilia Meggs says their annual barbecue fundraiser is held each year to continue their mission of providing financial assistance to people living in Florence who may find themselves in a financial crisis.
The non-profit organization provided help to nearly 6,000 people in Florence in 2016.
Meggs says the non-profit spent $128,000 to help families with rental assistance, utility assistance, food and baby supplies.
“Without this fundraiser we could not continue to provide the services that we do, so the community has been blessing us for over twenty years and providing the financial assistance that we need but this gives us the extra assistance that we can provide to the community,” mentioned Meggs.
Lighthouse Ministries serves an average of 2,400 people each year.
They provide financial assistance only in emergencies and the fundraiser helps them continue their mission for families.
The executive director says about 40 active volunteers serve at the ministry.
Fourteen year-old Lauren Hughes is a student at Kings Academy in Florence.
Hughes is volunteering some of her time this year to give back to the community by designing flyers for the fundraiser.
“People who are about to lose their homes or their water or electricity is being cut off, it is just amazing knowing there will always be someone in Florence to help you if you are going through anything and that is just very comforting to me,” explained Hughes.
The fundraiser will begin during lunch from 11am to 2pm then from 4pm to 6pm at St. John’s Church on Dargan Street in Florence.