The Lighthouse, Inc.

What The Lighthouse, Inc. does

The Lighthouse, Inc., operating as The Lighthouse Domestic Violence Shelter of Fairfield County, Ohio, is a private non-profit 501(c)(3) agency headquartered in Lancaster, Ohio, that provides a single integrated portfolio of crisis-intervention and advocacy services to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. Founded in 1980 and located at its current site since 1993, the organization operates a 43-employee program delivering emergency shelter, a 24/7 crisis hotline (740-687-4423), safety planning, case management, victims' rights advocacy, court accompaniment, and information and referral services throughout Fairfield County. Service delivery is multimodal (telephone, in-person at the shelter facility, online chat, and court accompaniment), with all services provided free and confidentially to survivors and their children, including a designated LGBTQIA+ Safe Zone program and intake pathways for victims of federal crimes.

The organization's core operational offering is shelter-based emergency housing paired with structured advocacy, where capacity-constrained telephone assessment is required prior to shelter entry due to limited beds. Underlying technology is intentionally minimal: no proprietary technology, no API, and no AI/ML capabilities are disclosed, with the digital footprint limited to a donated website (built by Web Chick) and Facebook presence. Survivor intake is routed through referral partnerships with hospitals, law enforcement, schools, social services, and adjacent community organizations such as St. Vincent De Paul, Maywood Mission, the Salvation Army, and St. Peter's Lutheran Church. Awards and recognitions include the 2026 Nonprofit of the Year designation and sustained Candid/GuideStar Gold transparency seals (2022 and 2026).

The Lighthouse operates on a donations- and philanthropy-based revenue model with no fees charged to survivors. Funding streams include community financial donations, in-kind contributions from referral partners, PayPal-enabled online giving, and proceeds from fundraising events such as the Lancaster Board of Realtors Golf Outing and the Carry the Change raffle co-hosted with the Ohio Secretary of State's Safe at Home Program. The organization is affiliated with the Ohio Domestic Violence Network, United Way of Fairfield County, ADAMH, and Ohio Recovery Friendly Workplace. No revenue, budget, or grant totals are publicly disclosed, and the organization is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors with no parent company or private equity ownership, operating independently under Executive Director Megan Golden, LISW-S.

Name

The Lighthouse, Inc.

Legal name

The Lighthouse Domestic Violence Shelter of Fairfield County, Ohio

Website

https://lancasterlh.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Lighthouse is a private non-profit domestic violence shelter in Fairfield County, Ohio, providing free, confidential emergency housing, 24/7 crisis hotline, court advocacy, safety planning, and case management to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Domestic Violence Shelter & Advocacy Services

NAICS

Temporary Shelters (624221), Community Housing Services (62422), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Domestic Violence & Abuse Support Services (BPAGAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB), Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC)

Keywords

• Domestic violence shelter
• Crisis hotline services
• Victim advocacy support
• Emergency housing services
• Nonprofit social services

Headquarters

HQ city

Lancaster

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Financial Donations: The organization relies on financial donations from the community as its primary funding source. Donations support survivors, education and outreach programs, and shelter operations.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Lighthouse provides free, confidential emergency shelter, 24/7 crisis hotline support, safety planning, case management, court advocacy, and victims' rights assistance to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in Fairfield County, Ohio. All services are delivered at no cost to survivors and are funded by community donations, fundraising events, and partner contributions.

Product overview

The Lighthouse is a private, non-profit domestic violence shelter providing a single integrated service portfolio of crisis support and advocacy programs. The core offering centers on emergency shelter combined with 24/7 hotline availability, safety planning, case management, and victims' rights advocacy. Services are delivered through multiple channels including phone, chat, and in-person advocacy. The organization operates as a unified program with no distinct product lines or modules—all services work together to provide survivors with immediate safety, ongoing support, and pathways to independent living.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Emergency Shelter Services Year-round, around-the-clock emergency housing for domestic violence survivors and their children, with telephone assessment required to determine appropriateness due to limited bed capacity.
• 24/7 Crisis Hotline

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ohio Domestic Violence Network (ODVN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliated network providing state-level coordination, resources, and support for domestic violence prevention and services across Ohio.
• United Way of Fairfield CountycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor community partner supporting The Lighthouse's mission and community outreach efforts in Fairfield County.
• ADAMH (Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Board)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMental health and addiction services board providing referrals and support for survivors with co-occurring mental health or substance abuse needs.
• Ohio Recovery Friendly WorkplaceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState program supporting workplace recovery and mental health awareness, aligned with The Lighthouse's community wellness mission.
• Ohio Secretary of State's Safe at Home ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState program providing address confidentiality and safety resources for survivors, partnered for the Carry the Change raffle event.
• StarbucksminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity supporter that provided refreshments for the Carry the Change raffle event team.
• St. Vincent De PaulminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorReferral partner for clothing and household item donations, located at 424 East Locust Street, Lancaster, OH.
• Maywood MissionminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorReferral partner for donations and support services, located at 1029 South Broad Street, Lancaster, OH.
• The Salvation ArmyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorReferral partner for clothing and household item donations, located at 123 East Hubert Avenue, Lancaster, OH.
• St. Peter's Lutheran ChurchminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorReferral partner for clothing and household item donations, located at 105 E Mulberry Street, Lancaster, OH.
• Lancaster Board of RealtorsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal business partner supporting The Lighthouse through event sponsorship and community fundraising (Golf Outing events).

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• SafeHouse Center: Ann Arbor, Michigan domestic violence and sexual assault services organization with shelter, hotline, and advocacy — comparable regional DV shelter with similar mid-sized-market operating profile.
• Genesis Women's Shelter & Support: Dallas, Texas-based domestic violence shelter offering emergency housing, counseling, and advocacy — highly comparable service model and scale, but operating in a different U.S. region.

Broad incumbents

• YWCA Greater Cincinnati: Regional YWCA providing domestic violence shelter, advocacy, and women's empowerment programming in southwest Ohio — broader incumbent serving a similar survivor population with overlapping shelter/advocacy services.
• YWCA Columbus: Larger Ohio women's-services organization offering domestic violence programming, housing, and advocacy — operates at a broader scale and more diversified portfolio than The Lighthouse but overlaps on DV shelter and crisis services.

Direct peers

• The Center for Family Safety and Healing: Columbus, Ohio-based organization addressing family violence through integrated shelter, advocacy, and clinical services — comparable integrated service model, with a slightly larger footprint and hospital affiliation.
• CHOICES for Victims of Domestic Violence: Columbus, Ohio-based domestic violence shelter offering emergency housing, crisis hotline, advocacy, and case management — directly comparable in mission, service mix, and Ohio-based regional scope to The Lighthouse.
• Harbor House: Dayton, Ohio domestic violence shelter providing emergency shelter, advocacy, and prevention services in a similar mid-size Ohio city — a close comparable on scope and scale.
• Project Woman: Springfield, Ohio shelter for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault offering crisis intervention, shelter, and advocacy — directly comparable small regional DV shelter in an Ohio mid-sized market.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/TheLighthouseShelter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-lighthousedvprogram-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Lighthouse, Inc.