Lighthouse Mission CEO is stepping down, and shelter is searching for new leader
The CEO of Lighthouse Mission Ministries, Whatcom County’s “only walk-in Emergency Overnight Shelter,” has decided to step down from his role, as the large homeless shelter and addiction recovery center is now searching for a new leader, according to a statement from the mission.
The announcement comes just over two months after The Bellingham Herald sat down with President and CEO Hans Erchinger-Davis to talk about the opening of the mission’s new coffee shop offering jobs to individuals who have completed recovery programs.
“Our big picture is helpings lives change, transformed holistically, not just having a place to live, but having a thriving life, with your family, in the workplace, your own sense of self awareness, in your own spiritual life. That’s our aim for people that are incredibly suffering places,” Erchinger-Davis told The Herald during a tour of the coffee shop in February.
The coffee shop is one of Erchinger-Davis’ final projects, as the CEO is planning to have his final day at the mission June 30.
“After 20 years of faithful service to Lighthouse Mission Ministries, CEO Hans Erchinger-Davis has announced that he will step down from his role, entering a season of transition marked by prayerful discernment and a belief in God’s continued provision,” according to a statement from the mission.
Erchinger-Davis first joined the mission in 2006 and became the CEO in 2016. Since then, he led the mission through a major expansion and partnered with local governments to create a temporary Base camp facility during the COVID-19 pandemic for homeless neighbors needing shelter.
“Serving Lighthouse Mission has been a profound calling,” Erchinger-Davis said. “For more than two decades, it has been my privilege to labor alongside an incredible team for the sake of the Gospel–that men and women and children would not only find food, shelter, and recovery from addiction, but ultimately find forgiveness and eternal life through Christ and Him crucified,” Erchinger-Davis said in the statement.
The Lighthouse Mission board of trustees has “initiated a search process to find the right leader for this next season with a goal of naming a new CEO by June 15,” according to the statement.
“Throughout his tenure, Hans has led the Lighthouse Mission with a deep commitment to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the call to serve those experiencing homelessness,” said Sam Mullen, chair of the Lighthouse Mission’s Board of Trustees. “Under his leadership, the Mission has experienced profound growth in both reach and impact, most recently culminating in the completion of a new homeless services facility–clear evidence of God’s provision and the faithful generosity of His people.”
Lighthouse Mission Ministries is a local shelter and recovery program center that assists about 250 individuals daily by providing meals, recovery programs, spiritual support and shelter, and is located at 1312 F St. in Bellingham.
