Lighthouse Navigation Center celebrates its third anniversary

Published 8:00 am Friday, July 25, 2025

Lighthouse Navigation Center, a low-barrier care and support facility for people currently experiencing homelessness in Central Oregon, celebrated its three-year anniversary on Wednesday as residents, staff, volunteers and community partners gathered to reflect on the successes of the facility.

For the past three years, the shelter has been providing access to beds, storage, clean clothing, basic health and hygiene services, on-site case management, enrichment services like peer support groups and sober outings, mail services and community resources.

Since its opening in 2021, The Lighthouse has served more than 950 daytime participants and over 480 overnight guests, along with transitioning 70 participants into institutional, temporary and permanent housing.

“A lot of these folks have dropped through the cracks in our society and it’s important to recognize how hard and difficult it can be to get connected with services,” Naomi Blair, director of Lighthouse Navigation Center, said. “These people still deserve a meal, they still deserve basic human amenities.”

Lighthouse Navigation Center is a low-barrier shelter, meaning there are few requirements for entry. Residents do not have to be sober or pass drug tests to stay in the facility, but drugs and alcohol are prohibited on site. There is no limit on the length of stay, and once beds are full, Lighthouse invites guests to stay overnight in the warming center equipped with chairs and couches.

Blair has been involved with Shepard’s House Ministries, The Lighthouse’s parent organization, since 2008. Being a low-barrier shelter does not come without challenges, she said, but the shelter’s low-barrier status is critical for those in high-risk situations where survival may be the top priority.

“You can’t start thinking about your next steps forward in life when you’re stuck in survival,” Blair said. “We are that last stop, sometimes before death.”

Noelle Kone, a former resident of the Lighthouse who has suffered from alcoholism, said she was living on the streets before coming to the shelter and is grateful the center always welcomed her, no matter what state she was in.

“They never treated me differently because I had an alcohol problem,” Kone said. “I’ve been here from the day it opened and they’ll allow anyone in, even if they’re drunk or stoned, they’ll allow them in as long as they don’t disturb the other residents.”

Thanks to the facilities and services provided by The Lighthouse, Kone said she is now nearly 10 months sober and plans to move in to an apartment of her own in the coming weeks. She also spends her Fridays and Saturdays volunteering at the shelter.

“Addiction is just rampant. I’ve lost everything I’ve ever had, but it’s not like we want to be addicts,” Kone said. “This place can really help…. My case management got me into the best care, and now I’m even in counseling.”

Cait Darrah, Kone’s case manager and the lead case manger at The Lighthouse, said cases like Kone’s are not uncommon and highlight the importance of the shelter’s low-barrier status.

“Humans are going to make whatever choice they’re going to make. We have no control over other people,” Darrah said. “What we can do is be available and ready for when they’re ready to make the right choice.”

Kone said she never felt judged at the shelter and is grateful they always welcomed her back.

“I think it’s incredible that she has achieved this amount of sobriety,” Darrah said. “To see that continuing has been the biggest blessing that I think any of us can have, because I like her alive.”

The three-year anniversary marked a significant milestone for the Lighthouse Navigation Center, highlighting its continued role in Central Oregon’s homelessness response system. The event brought together staff, volunteers, residents and community partners to recognize the facility’s ongoing efforts to provide basic services and pathways to stability for individuals experiencing homelessness.

“This work happens so rapidly, and it can be really challenging,” Blair said. “Taking a moment to pause and celebrate all of the hard work that we’ve done, it’s just phenomenal. The amount of people that we have helped transition to either permanent housing or their next step… it’s just staggering.”