Lighthouse Volunteer FAQs

Where is The Lighthouse?
The retreats are located in the Florida panhandle between Destin and Panama City Beach. We rent houses in several of the beachside communities like Seaside, Rosemary, WaterColor, and Gulf Trace. While the retreats are held in Florida, our office is in Marietta, Georgia – just north of Atlanta.
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What services do you provide?
We provide seaside family retreats for children with cancer. We also host an annual Christmas party in the Atlanta area for retreat families and volunteers. We have a family support team that makes visits to Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite and Eggleston Campuses. As requested, they are also available to pray for the retreat families and/or help retreat families find a Christian church home. We also have many fundraising events throughout the year as well.
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What is the daily schedule?
Our day starts around 7am and we try to wrap up by 9:30pm. You will have free time after lunch to refresh yourself (nap, lay in the sun, read, etc.). We ask that all of our volunteers stay on site throughout the retreat.
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Can I bring with children to serve with me? How old do my children need to be?
We have a limited number of spaces for volunteer’s children to serve. However, we encourage families to serve together at retreats. It is a great way to teach your children to serve our Heavenly Father. Children about 5-6 yrs old who can go through the meal line, dress, potty, play independently of you AND mature enough to understand our mission of "other's first" are probably the right age to attend. We expect the children to attend our team meetings, etc. without distracting others. We will provide beds for adults. Children should bring sleeping bags to sleep on the floor in their parent’s room.
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What should I bring? How should I dress?
Our dress is very casual – comfy, beach clothes, shorts, t-shirts, and flip-flops. We ask all females to wear modest one piece bathing suits and bring a cover up. We will provide a complete “packing list” in your acceptance packet.
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When do we find out what family we will be partnered with?
You will find out which family you are partnered at the retreat during orientation. Many families have to make last minute changes in their schedules because of treatment changes, etc., so we wait until the evening before they arrive to partner families and volunteers.
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How much does it cost? Do I need money after I get there?
We ask all volunteers to send out 20-25 letters to ask for prayers and financial support. All adult volunteers are required to raise or personally contributte $750 to attend the retreat. All volunteer children under 18 years of age are required to raise $250 to attend the retreat. Volunteers may choose to have their financial supporters donate online using PayPal by clicking on the "For Donors" / "How To Give" portion of this website. Donors must specify the name of the individual they are supporting in the ITEM line.

Once you arrive at the retreat, all meals, snacks, and activities are provided by The Lighthouse. There is no cost to the retreat families we will be serving. They are only responsible for their transportation to and from the retreat.
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What do I need to do to get ready? How should I prepare?
To prepare for your time of service at the retreat, we recommend that you make every effort to live out the mission of The Lighthouse personally – to laugh, enjoy life, make sure you are making your own family relationships a priority and spend time in fellowship with your Heavenly Father. Ask Him to give you the heart of a servant – to put others first in your words, thoughts, and actions. Also, you’ll want to be well-rested and ready to serve when you arrive. We will send you a series of devotions as a heart preparation one week before you attend the retreat.
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What if I am afraid the retreat is going to be sad?
This is one of the most common concerns/fears for first time volunteers. While the cause we serve is heartbreaking … who can think of a child going through chemo without feeling sorrow? … our retreat is full of joy, laughter, and hope. Our retreat families are longing to laugh and play together. We create environments to foster these joyful opportunities for them.
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How do you select the retreat families?
The majority of our new families hear about the retreat from other families who have been to The Lighthouse. To attend a retreat, families submit applications and must receive a referral and medical clearance from their oncology health care team.
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What happens if it rains all week?
We pray for breathtaking sunrises, warm, sunny days, cool ocean breezes, starry nights, and mesmerizing sunsets. However, we believe that we will do all that we can to prepare for the retreats and then let God do the rest. Sometimes a rainy retreat is exactly what the families need. It slows things down and provides the pace that some families need to reconnect.
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What are the sleeping arrangements at the retreat?
The volunteers stay in houses together (separate from the families) where we cook, eat, and have daily activities. If you are serving with your spouse and children, you will be stay in one room together. Children should bring sleeping bags/air mattresses for the floor. Individual volunteers will share rooms with other volunteers of the same gender. If you are uncomfortable sharing a bed, please feel free to bring a sleeping bag/air mattress. We will do our best to make sure you are comfortable as you help us serve at the retreat.
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What if I live out of state and can’t make the pre-retreat team meetings?
If you are accepted to serve at a retreat and can not attend the pre-retreat meetings you will be contacted by your Retreat Coordinator directly for retreat details.
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What if I can’t get there during registration or need to leave early?
Because we have our final team meeting right after retreat registration, it is imperative that you arrive on time. Also, please plan to stay at the retreat until we say our “see you laters”. It is an important time for closure for the families.
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How old do you have to be to volunteer?
To volunteer without your parents, you should be 20 years old. Many teens ask if they can volunteer without their parents, or volunteer with a friend/friend’s family, and we regretfully must decline their requests for several reasons: 1. We want teens/children to experience this act of service with their parents/family; 2. For liability reasons we need teens/children to be supervised by their own parents; 3. There is minimal space for volunteer children/teens at the retreat so we want to reserve each of those spots for families who are serving together; and 5. All first time volunteers serve as Family Partners. Family Partners are responsible for hosting and caring for the retreat families. We want to provide volunteers with enough life experience/maturity that the retreat families feel comfortable leaving their children in the family partner’s care during breakfast/flip-flop/etc.
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How can I help after I get back from the retreat?
We have several volunteer opportunities to keep you involved with The Lighthouse when you return from the retreat. Check out our Upcoming Events page for more opportunities to serve.

What is the Tax ID for The Lighthouse?
The tax ID that qualifies The Lighthouse Family Retreat with 501C-3 staus is 582509728 .