95 Years of Guiding Light | 1929-2024
March 21, 2024
The history of Guiding Light’s mission of service in honor of the organization’s 95th anniversary.
Comprehensive. Relational. Innovative.
This is recovery reimagined.
Men's Recovery
Guiding Light Recovery is an intensive addiction rehab program designed to give men structure and the opportunity to engage in change.
FUND A ROOM
As we move toward our late-spring launch of the women’s recovery program, the residence where the women will live needs some help! Will you fund the furnishing of a bedroom?
Be a Donor
Your donation provides help for today and hope for tomorrow: basic needs like food, clothes, and shelter and programming, structure, and resources to empower individuals in sustainable recovery for the rest of their lives.
Who We Are
Guiding Light is a donor-funded Christian non-profit dedicated to helping individuals recover from addiction and the associated chaos of a life consumed by substance abuse. Learn more about our team, our board, and our guiding values.
What we Do
Guiding Light provides tools, relationships, and support to empower individuals in living a new life of recovery, where they’re back to work, reconnected, and safely housed. Learn more about Guiding Light’s recovery services for men and women.
Wake up
This is what we want for the men and women you help us minister to: Wake up and live! Wake up to a new life, one free from addiction, one based in responsibility, hard work, and relationship with God.
Latest News
We're 95 years old!
Double your impact with a matching donation
In honor of our 95th anniversary (and thanks to a few generous donors) from April 1 through May 31 any donation you give to Guiding Light will be matched, dollar for dollar up to $95,000! Learn more about the history of Guiding Light, since our founding in 1929, to today here.
Coming This Summer | Guiding Light Women's Recovery
On February 22nd we were granted approval from the City of Grand Rapids to acquire a new property downtown which will house participants in our first ever dedicated Women’s Recovery Program. The house will provide a home for up to 11 women and an on-site house manager. We also have hired two staff members so far – Recovery Case Manager Tori Grennan, who has spent the last year managing our sober-living home, Esther’s House. And Elisha Ash will be serving as Manager for the program. “I am eager to collaborate with our dedicated team to make a lasting impact in the lives of those we serve, and aspire to give these women the same hope I was given – to become empowered women in recovery,” Elisha said. Elisha has experience working as a Recovery Coach for Grand Rapids Network 180 for the last seven years, and has served on the board of the Alano Club of Kent County. We’re so excited to start this new journey with you!
Guiding Light is honored to have been chosen as a 2024 Amway River Bank Run charity partner! All funds raised through the team will go directly to our men’s and women’s recovery programs.
Sign-up to run with us on Run Sign-up, then select ‘Guiding Light’ as your charity partner.
Guiding Light Recovery's new gymnasium is officially open
Thank you to all of our partners and generous donors who made the construction of our brand new gymnasium. This is such an excellent space and addition to our 255 Division S. facility, and a sacred space for men to heal their physical being from years of addiction. We could not do this without you. Check out WOOD TV 8’s report on our grand opening here.
A particularly huge thank you to Wolverine Building Group for providing the funds to build this blessed space.
Also thank you to the hard work of all the contractors at Armock, Swanson Electric, D9 Systems/L&W Supply, Standard Lumber, Knight Transfer, Dalstra Roofing, West Michigan Commercial Flooring, and Vork Brother’s Painting. Thank you so much!
Monthly Breakfast Open House
This year, we want to invite you to a standing breakfast open house on the last Wednesday of each month.
Join us for a short, casual breakfast with staff and clients at 7:30. We’ll provide pastries and coffee and conversation!
January 31st is our first breakfast open house of the year. RSVP to David at David@GuidingLightWorks.org if you’re interested in joining us or you want to learn more.
WGVU’S MUTUALLY INCLUSIVE “ALCOHOL SOBRIETY & RECOVERY”
WGVU Interviews Guiding Light’s Brian Elve
WGVU’s Mutually Inclusive spent some time at Guiding Light to learn about addiction recovery resources! You can watch the show here on PBS or here on YouTube.
In Season 4, Episode 9, Mutually Inclusive helps “West Michigan’s sober community take the mic to share their unique and inspiring journeys overcoming alcohol. Together we’ll discover paths to addiction resources, fun non-alcoholic options in West Michigan, and bring visibility to sobriety and addiction recovery! We’re excited to partner with Guiding Light, More or Less N/A Bottle Shop & Corewell Health on this inspiring exploration and celebration of our thriving sober community!”
RECOVERY PROGRAM ALUM IN THE NEWS
Andy came through the doors of Guiding Light over 4 years ago hopeless, homeless, and addicted. Through the innovative, intensive programming of the recovery program, Andy found an entirely different way to live in this world: Awake! Responsible! Connected!
Check out Fox17’s piece on Andy, the new owner of Wealthy Street Bakery and Hall Street Bakery, and read more in our latest LightPost newsletter!
We’re so proud of the man, father, son, and friend you’ve become, Andy! Congratulations on this next huge step in life!
Stories
Guiding Light Focus Points: Vulnerability
February 20, 2024
Guiding Light’s programming has seven foundational focus points: Willingness, Honesty, Vulnerability, Self-Awareness, Self-Compassion, Responsibility, and Spiritual Formation.
Adam Gets a Year
February 6, 2024
On January 18th 2024, Guiding Light celebrated seven former clients who recently reached a year of sobriety – this is Adam’s speech.
Dexter’s Eight Years of Sobriety
February 1, 2024
Dexter was one of the first names added on our Year of Sobriety wall. Recently, he received his coin commemorating eight years of sobriety.
Guiding Light Recovery’s New Gym is Officially Open!
January 18, 2024
Thank you to all of our partners and generous donors who made the construction of our brand new gymnasium!
“It’s All on Me at the End of the Day”
January 16, 2024
Tim spent nine years in federal prison, his lawyer had “the magnificent idea” that he enroll in Guiding Light. “I’ve seen that everyone here seems to care.”
Latest Newsletter
Our Newsletter
“I’ve been healthier and happier here than I have in the past 10 years of my life. With the help of my community and Guiding Light, my life coach, spiritual director, therapist, all that, just all working together — I haven’t smiled as much in so long that I can’t even remember.”
Read David’s story, along with articles about Derek, Jack, Mike, Amy, Julie, and Jacque and how Guiding Light has help change their lives in our latest newsletter.
See the impact you're making!
Learn about the impact donors like you are making through charitable giving to the Guiding Light. Check out our metrics and the life-transforming stories behind the metrics.
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