Lighthouse Youth Center

What Lighthouse Youth Center does

Lighthouse Youth Center is a Milwaukee-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2005 that provides free after-school and summer programming to youth ages 10-18 across five physical campuses: four in the Milwaukee metropolitan area (Havenwoods, Garden Homes, Polonia, The Bridge MKE) and one in Appleton (Fox Cities). Its core program is a comprehensive life skills curriculum that integrates Bible study, homework assistance, recreation, job preparedness, financial literacy, mentorship, and service learning, delivered with a stated 8:1 student-to-adult ratio over 50 weeks per year. The organization reports over 180,000 cumulative student visits since founding and currently serves 500+ teens.

The business model is donation-driven with no fee charged to participants. Revenue comes from individual donors (including a Keepers Club monthly recurring program), foundation grants, stock gifts processed through National Christian Foundation and WELS Foundation, in-kind/wishlist donations, and annual fundraising events (Jim Haag Memorial Bowling Tournament, Jim Gaugert Sr. Memorial Golf Outing, Appleton Golf Outing, and the 20th Annual Benefit Dinner at Discovery World). The organization explicitly receives no church body support; instead, it partners with Lutheran (WELS) churches that provide physical campus locations, volunteer pipelines, and board representation. The Lighthouse Youth Center Foundation (established 2009) manages permanent endowment funds where only interest is deployed for operations and expansion.

Operations are led by founding Executive Director Pastor James Buske (since 2006) with a 29-person staff spanning four Site Directors per campus, Directors of Business Operations and Programming, a Mission Advancement Officer, and part-time campus assistants. The organization is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors and a Foundation Board drawn from corporate executives, attorneys, and pastoral representatives. Lighthouse has no app, no digital platform, and no disclosed technology infrastructure beyond its Squarespace website and email newsletter; program delivery is entirely in-person.

Name

Lighthouse Youth Center

Legal name

Lighthouse Youth Center Foundation, Inc.

Website

https://lighthouseyouthcenter.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Lighthouse Youth Center is a Milwaukee-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free after-school and summer programming for youth ages 10-18 across five campuses in Wisconsin, funded through donations, grants, and fundraising events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Development Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Child Day Care Services (8351), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Community & Nonprofit Before/After Care Programs (Early Years) (EDACAHAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth-to-Adult Transition & Life Skills (Independent Living, Soft Skills) (EDAAAFAN), Youth & Young Adult Workforce Programs (Out-of-School Youth) (EDAAAOAD)

Keywords

• Youth development programs
• After-school programming
• Christian youth ministry
• Community youth services
• Youth mentorship programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Milwaukee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Lighthouse relies heavily on individual gifts from donors to help keep its doors open. The organization has a Keepers Club for monthly recurring donors and accepts one-time gifts through its website or by mail.
2. Foundation Grants: LYC receives generous foundation grants as a primary funding source. The organization operates as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization (Tax ID: 27-5370795).
3. Stock Gifts: Lighthouse partners with National Christian Foundation and WELS Foundation to process stock gifts. Gifts of appreciated stock may allow donors a tax deduction of the entire current value while avoiding capital gains taxes.
4. Foundation Endowment: The Lighthouse Youth Center Foundation (established 2009) manages permanent endowment funds where only the interest is used for projects and expansion, allowing donations to have greater impact over longer periods.
5. Fundraising Events: Annual events including the Jim Gaugert Sr. Memorial Golf Outing, Appleton Golf Outing, Jim Haag Memorial Bowling Tournament, and Benefit Dinner generate revenue through participant fees and sponsorships.
6. Wishlist Donations: The organization accepts in-kind donations of wishlist items (Amazon wishlist) including supplies and equipment needed to serve youth.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Lighthouse Youth Center provides free after-school and summer programming for youth ages 10-18 at five physical campus locations in Milwaukee and Appleton, Wisconsin. Programming runs 50 weeks per year and includes Bible study, homework help, life skills education, recreation, service projects, and job preparedness with an 8:1 student-to-adult ratio.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Lighthouse Life Skills Program A comprehensive life skills curriculum for youth ages 10-18 that teaches practical skills interwoven with Christian application, including Bible study, daily devotions, homework assistance, computer literacy, job preparedness, and service projects. Programming runs 50 weeks per year, after school Monday-Friday during the academic year with extended hours for summer, delivered free of charge at five campuses.
• Friday Night Dinner Recurring volunteer-provided dinner program hosted at LYC campuses for enrolled youth, coordinated through the volunteer program (contact: Peter Trapp, Director of Programming). Volunteer groups provide meals as part of weekly programming.
• Volunteer Engagement Program Structured volunteer opportunities enabling community members to support LYC programming through Friday Night Dinners, homework help, recreation time, and work parties. Open to individual volunteers and church/community groups.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 180,000 student visits served since founding
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Garden Homes Lutheran ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding church partner providing campus location for Garden Homes campus. Rev. Christopher Doerr serves as Ex Officio Board Member.
• Redemption Evangelical Lutheran ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOriginal founding location (2006) at Havenwoods neighborhood. Rev. Christian Winkel serves as Ex Officio Board Member.
• The Bridge MKEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner church providing campus location for The Bridge MKE campus. Rev. Pete Panitzke serves as Ex Officio Board Member.
• St. Marcus Lutheran ChurchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRyan Huffman, Site Director for Polonia Campus, is a member of St. Marcus Lutheran Church.
• Wisconsin Lutheran High SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRyan Oertel, Board Secretary, serves at Wisconsin Lutheran High School.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Milwaukee Urban League: Milwaukee-based nonprofit providing youth development, education, and workforce-readiness programs for underserved youth and families; comparable in geographic focus and youth-targeted life-skills and academic support.
• Running Rebels Community Organization: Milwaukee-based nonprofit providing after-school programming, mentorship, and life skills for at-risk urban youth; very similar operational footprint, demographics served, and free youth-development model.

Direct peers

• YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee: Regional YMCA operating after-school programs, youth recreation, and summer programming across Milwaukee neighborhoods; directly comparable geographic focus, mission, and youth-recreation service mix to Lighthouse Youth Center.
• 4-H (National 4-H Council): National youth development program offering after-school and community-based programming in life skills, leadership, and civic engagement; overlapping in life-skills curriculum and youth-development mission, although typically delivered through extension offices.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Milwaukee: Nonprofit offering one-on-one mentorship and youth development programming for Milwaukee-area youth; shares Lighthouse's outcomes-driven focus on adult mentorship and youth life outcomes, serving a similar demographic.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: National nonprofit providing free or low-cost after-school and summer programming for youth with local affiliates serving Milwaukee-area teens; structurally analogous community-based youth development model with a similar mission to keep youth safe, supported, and engaged outside school hours.
• After-School All-Stars: National nonprofit providing free after-school programs to underserved youth in multiple U.S. cities; directly comparable free-access, in-person youth programming model targeting similar age groups and outcomes.

Broad incumbents

• Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee: Faith-based nonprofit providing a broader portfolio of social services in Milwaukee including youth programs; overlaps in faith-based community service delivery and after-school/summer offerings for youth.

Others

• Wisconsin Lutheran High School: WELS-affiliated secondary school in Milwaukee providing a feeder pipeline of students, volunteers, and board leadership for Lighthouse; relevant as a part of the same faith-based ecosystem rather than a direct competitor.
• Ozaukee Washington Land Trust: Wisconsin community nonprofit supported by similar local donor ecosystems in greater Milwaukee; included only as a geographically proximate nonprofit beneficiary of the same regional philanthropic base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lighthouse-youth-center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Lighthouse Youth Center