Today we’d like to introduce you to David Alt.
Hi David , so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My path to leadership at The Light House began decades ago, shaped by the stories my father told me of his time in the Peace Corps in the 1970s. Those early lessons in adventure and service led me to graduate studies in anthropology, where I became fascinated by reciprocal altruism—the idea that by investing in the well-being of others, we build a more resilient and successful society for everyone.
Driven to follow in my father’s footsteps, I joined the Peace Corps myself. It was there that I truly grasped the weight of individual impact. I learned that we don’t just represent ourselves; we represent our cultures, our resources and our communities. This realization launched a 20-year career in international development and humanitarian assistance, including 15 years with Catholic Relief Services. Living and working in places like Guinea, Sierra Leone and Cameroon taught me how to bring diverse resources together to impact lives on a global scale.
While my work overseas was vital, my perspective began to shift as the world changed. The birth of my first grandchild served as a profound turning point, sparking a “calling” to invest my skills and energy back here at home. I realized that my years of travel had prepared me for a different kind of challenge: a leadership role where I could work alongside a dedicated board and team to achieve mutual objectives within my own community.
Finding the Executive Director position at The Light House felt like more than a career move; it felt like providence. The role perfectly integrates every chapter of my life:
– Applying the theories of community resilience.
– Managing complex organizations and mission-driven goals.
– Drawing on my early career in hotels and restaurants to lead The Light House Bistro, our social enterprise that helps individuals re-enter the workforce.
Today, I walk into work feeling both privileged and enriched. While the work can be heartbreaking, I am constantly inspired by our team, volunteers and board. Whether we are helping someone with something as simple as a hot shower or as life-altering as securing permanent housing and employment, we are transforming lives. I am humbled to bring two decades of global experience to this local mission, ensuring that every individual we serve has the resources they need to thrive.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
We live in a city with incredible resources, yet there’s a massive gap that’s hard to ignore. The recent study Poverty Amidst Plenty really highlights this: so many of our neighbors are doing everything right, but they’re living on a razor’s edge.
https://www.aacounty.org/sites/default/files/2025-09/cfaac-2025-needs-assessment-viii.pdf
When you’re in this work, you realize how quickly a single event—an eviction, a medical bill or losing a reliable ride to work—can spiral. For most of us, we have a safety net of family or savings to catch us. But for many people here, that net doesn’t exist. They’re standing on a steep cliff with nowhere to turn.
The biggest hurdle we face as an organization isn’t just providing food or housing; it’s helping the rest of the community see that ‘them’ is actually ‘us.’ The challenges they face—staying employed, keeping a roof overhead—are things we all worry about. They just happen to be doing it without a backup plan.
Our goal is to move past just ‘feeling bad’ for people. Sympathy is easy, but it’s passive. We’re looking for a community that actually recognizes itself in these stories because honestly, many of us are only a few bad breaks away from being in the exact same spot.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
The Light House, founded in 1989, is an Annapolis-based nonprofit dedicated to rebuilding lives with compassion by providing shelter and services to prevent homelessness and empower people as they transition toward employment, housing and self-sufficiency. Today, we serve more than 100 neighbors in need daily, connecting them with the essential resources, programs and support needed to meet their urgent needs while addressing the root causes of homelessness.
With roughly one in three Anne Arundel County residents struggling to afford necessities like food, rent and healthcare, our work focuses on four core areas: housing solutions, support services, employment services and social enterprise.
Through our housing programs, we operate a residential shelter that serves 45 individuals and four families simultaneously, along with two transitional housing properties, which help people move toward stable, independent living. Last year alone, we provided 234 people with housing, including 31 children.
In addition to our housing programs, we support community members in need through our Safe Harbour Resource Center and food programs. Our Safe Harbour Resource Center offers access to a variety of essential programs and services, including free showers, laundry facilities and community spaces, along with case management from our Safe Harbour team. We also provide thousands of our neighbors experiencing homelessness and food insecurity with access to fresh, nutritious food through our client choice food pantry, freshly prepared meals, grab-and-go options and UnBagged lunches. In 2025 alone, the pantry recorded more than 2,000 visits, and we provided over 100,000 meals.
The Light House also offers employment services to help individuals overcome barriers to employment through personalized career counseling, skills and interest assessments, job readiness training and intensive case management. By focusing on each person’s unique goals and circumstances, we help them gain the skills and confidence needed to secure and maintain employment.
One way in which we help individuals achieve employment is through our social enterprise concept, Light House Bistro. Launched in 2017, the full-service restaurant and catering program provides job training and employment opportunities to graduates of our programs. We’re proud to share that today, more than 80% of the Bistro’s staff are individuals from our community who have faced barriers to employment and are now building new pathways towards stability.
Looking forward, we are committed to continuing to serve as a light for neighbors in need and breaking the cycle of homelessness by providing a place of belonging, life-changing programs and a broad continuum of support.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
Books:
-“Evicted” by Matthew Desmond: A profound look at the systemic issues impacting our mission and neighbors. It serves as a constant reminder of the human stakes behind our work.
-“Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom” by David W. Blight: A masterclass in resilience. Douglass’s refusal to accept the status quo is a blueprint for anyone trying to break new ground and stand up for what you believe in.
– “Beastie Boys Book” by Michael Diamond & Adam Horovitz: An unconventional guide to innovation. It’s a testament to the power of leveraging the tools you have and the works of others to create something truly original.
Podcasts:
– Pittman & Friends Podcast: Crucial for mapping out the local landscape and understanding how our organization fits into the Anne Arundel County ecosystem.
– The Daily: A daily commitment to deep-diving into the global forces that shape our world.
– The Rewatchables: My creative outlet. It allows me to explore the “what ifs” of the movies and keep my brain playful, exploratory and ready for fresh ideas.
Essential Resources:
– National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH): A goldmine of data and a vital network for rethinking how we tackle homelessness in America.
– James Clear’s “3-2-1” Newsletter: Weekly insights and quotes that challenge my perspective and help me break out of stagnant patterns.
– The Light House, Inc. & Bistro Socials: A regular dose of pride and perspective. Seeing our impact through the eyes of the community keeps me grounded and inspired.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://annapolislighthouse.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annapolislighthouse/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/annapolislighthouse/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/annapolis-light-house
Image Credits
Debbie Wolf
