About Us
We are a nonprofit organization, based in Southern California, that specializes in the facilitation of peer-to-peer donations throughout the United States.
Light Haven is a people-first organization that functions on human love, imagination, and ideas instead of policies, bureaucracy, and some of the traditional mechanisms that slow down getting aid to those in need. We are committed to making sure that everyone has access to material help when they need it, so we highly encourage those from non-traditional backgrounds and those who do not feel comfortable reaching out to faith-based organizations to come to us for help.
Growing up, I was made fun of and laughed at for wearing wrinkled and mix-matched clothes to school. What none of the people laughing at me knew was that my clothes looked the way they did because my family couldn’t afford any of the basic necessities that those people took for granted. In my early twenties, there were times that I was so broke that I had to sell my blood just to be able to afford gas to put in my car so that I could get to work. In my teens, I hopped the Green Tortoise travel bus and moved from Portland, Oregon to San Francisco for school. Like most teens, I was optimistic but somewhat naïve; I had no idea how expensive it was to live there, and I ran out of money while waiting on financial aid. I lived on the streets and found out how lonely and cold this world can be when you don’t have anything.
But there was one constant in my life at the time; every year no matter where I was living or what I was going through, my Maw Maw (grandma) had an uncanny way of getting $20 to me on my birthday. I can’t explain to you how much that money meant to me at the time. That $20 wasn’t just a meal, a bus pass, gas or groceries, or even the warm shelter of a movie theater complete with popcorn and a few hours of escapism.
That money was a reminder to me that someone in the world loved and that I hadn’t been forgotten.
I created Light Haven because I want everyone in need to feel that kind of joy and momentary peace. A gift of $25 is not going to drastically change anyone’s physical circumstances, but it will change the hearts of both those who give money and those who receive it.
We strive to get donations directly to those that are most in need of assistance. Contributions to the Light Haven cause are made by way of The Spot. The Spot is an online location where you can show love for your community. We accept cash, check, Venmo, PayPal, Stripe – even crypto and gift card balances! Throughout the day requests for support come in, each request is thoroughly reviewed and if approved are paid out directly in $25.00 increments to eligible recipients. In less than 24 hours, your donation directly benefits someone in need.
At Light Haven, we also accept direct contributions to the cause which help support our overhead, our employees, future campaigns, and a slate of exciting projects that we have planned.
Our Impact
“ Light Haven created opportunities for me to not only get through the week, but they gave me a new level of hope and positivity. ”
⸺ Lionel Davis