HOW IS LIGHTHOUSE RESPONDING TO COVID-19?

Safety and security of families living through childhood cancer and our volunteers continue to be our top priority as an organization. For the most up to date information on COVID-19 and serving on retreat please see our COVID-19 Response and Retreat Updates here.

​

WHAT IS LIGHTHOUSE FAMILY RETREAT?

Lighthouse Family Retreat is a faith-based nonprofit that exists to strengthen every families living through childhood cancer by providing week-long, seaside domestic mission trips & One-Day Regional Retreats. Seaside Retreats create environments where Retreat Families, the families we serve, can experience rest, joy, restoration, and find hope beyond a cure ... a hope in God.

​

WHAT WILL I DO SERVING AT LIGHTHOUSE FAMILY RETREAT?

Retreats are hosted and facilitated by volunteers. The retreats are highly relational environments for Retreat Families to connect, have fun, and find rest together. Here are some of the things that volunteers do:

• Facilitate daily children’s and student activities while parents are in small group

• Daily logistical set up and tear down for different programs and activities

• Prepare and serve meals, including set up and clean up (This is great environment for

  younger kids to serve!)

• Serve Retreat Families by cleaning and decorating their condo, doing laundry, and other

  daily chores (Another great opportunity for all ages to serve!)

• Host party for children one evening to enable parents to have a date night

 

WHERE WILL I BE STAYING?

Lighthouse retreats are hosted in resort and vacation communities along the Gulf Coast in Florida, North Carolina coast, and St. Simons, Georgia. These communities are vacation homes or condos. Volunteers stay in condos or houses with other volunteer families. Adults have their own room/ bed but children are not guaranteed a bed and may sleep on a floor. We ask you bring sleeping bags and/or air mattresses for children/students. Every family will have access to their own bathroom, and the common areas will be shared by other families. Retreat Families we are serving will have their own unit.

​

WHAT WILL I EAT?

All meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) are provided by Lighthouse, except one lunch on the first day, and one dinner where you will have a free night to get dinner on your own. You will need to bring additional money for those two meals only. We recommend bringing heavy snacks, like protein bars, jerky, trail mix, fruit etc. for in between meals or if you have particular dietary restrictions.

​

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? WILL I NEED TO FUNDRAISE?

Lighthouse Family Retreat is a domestic mission trip where volunteers fundraise not only for their cost, but also to cover the program costs and costs of the Retreat Families which allows them to come for free. There is a $250 deposit due two weeks after registration that will go towards your retreat. 

• FUNDRAISING MINIMUMS

  • ​These are the minimum amounts that must be raised or personally provided in order to attend the retreat

  • $1500/per adult 18 and over, $500/per child under 17

• FUNDRAISING GOALS

  • On average, the minimums raised leave a $20,000 gap in the cost of each retreat. We know everyone’s fundraising capacity is different. Therefore, if you are able, we invite you to help us bridge this gap by setting a goal above your minimum. This helps make it possible for us to continue serving all families living through childhood cancer on retreat at no cost to them. (Suggested amount - $500 - $1,000 or more above your minimum to help us bridge the gap).

 

WHAT DOES THE COST COVER?

The retreat cost covers all lodging, meals, program, and supply cost - for all our Retreat Families we are serving and for our volunteers. It does not include travel expenses to and from retreat and 2 on-your-own meals during the retreat.

​

HOW WILL I BE PREPARED TO SERVE?

You do not have to have any specialized skills to serve on a retreat... just a heart and willingness to serve. You will receive a manual with everything from the mission and vision to the details of a packing list. You will also receive training videos to equip you to serve in the different environments on retreat. Your retreat team will also host training meetings before you go.

​

HOW WILL I KNOW WHOM I WILL BE SERVING?

You will receive the information about what family you will be serving at the first day of orientation on retreat.

​

WHEN AND HOW CAN I APPLY TO SERVE?

You can apply by visiting the "Attend a Retreat" tab on our website homepage and selecting "I want to serve on a retreat". 

​

​

Questions or Concerns?

Contact us via email at help@lighthousefamilyretreat.org or by phone at 404.590.5338

​

​