“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
bears dramatic witness to the power of prayer. The Lighthouse is a direct result of men representing different denominations, races, cultures, and neighborhoods praying persistently and fervently for this community and patiently waiting for God’s direction to be revealed.
Martin Luther King had a dream that “one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will have transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.” The Lighthouse Foundation believes that there is no greater mission than to dedicate ourself to the fulfillment of this dream. Only by coming together across racial and denominational boundaries, as brothers and sisters in Christ, can we hope to solve the deepest and darkest problems of our society. The people of Mississippi and the Lighthouse Foundation are creating Christ-like models for the world to follow.
The leadership team of The Lighthouse Foundation is a broad group of people with a heart to serve our city. Meet our leaders here and get to know them.
Lenay Williams currently serves as the Women’s Director at the Lighthouse Foundation. She is the the wife of Perry Williams, Jr and together they have 4 children. When she is not at the gym training with her husband or teaching young ladies self-defense, she is mentoring the youth in her community and sharing with young ladies the importance of living a life of purpose.
Gary Caveness has served as the Executive Director of The Lighthouse Foundation since 1995. Gary gives oversight to all of our programs and works closely with the Lighthouse team, our board of directors and the kids we serve. He has a passion for helping kids who come from tough backgrounds and loves coaching basketball and other sports. Gary is married to Lisa and together they have three children.
Lisa Caveness joined the Lighthouse Staff as Administrative Assistant in 2000. Lisa is married to our Director, Gary and they have 3 adult children and one precious grandson. Lisa also tutors 6th grade students at the Lighthouse during the AfterSchool program.
Leslie is a Certified Public Accountant who graduated from Mississippi State University in 2011 where she earned her Bachelor of Accountancy and Master of Professional Accountancy. She moved back to Corinth in 2015 with her husband, Peter Fisher, and began her newest full-time job as stay-at-home mom to her two children. Leslie joined the Lighthouse staff in 2019 as a bookkeeper. In her spare time, Leslie enjoys spending time with her family, reading anything she can get her hands on, and drinking lots of good coffee. She loves Jesus the most and is very active in her church home at First Presbyterian Church of Corinth.
Joe Vann has been an integral part of the Lighthouse Foundation since the beginning. In the early 1990’s a small group of men met for bible study. They were concerned about the many struggles of the youth in our community and were moved by God to do something about it. They started a prayer group involving a diverse group of men from every walk of life and prayed for two years before acting. Out of that prayer group Joe Vann, Hoot Wilder and others formed the Lighthouse Foundation and for over 25 years it has shined as a beacon of hope to the hurting youth and their families. Joe Vann was instrumental in getting the Lighthouse up and running and has served in many capacities including president, mentor, taking kids to camp and countless other important ways. To this day, Joe is an avid supporter and believer in the Lighthouse. From the beginning, he and Hoot envisioned the continued growth and expansion of programs for our youth.
The Joe Vann Purpose Center is an extension of the original mission of the Lighthouse Foundation. The objective of this center is to follow through with our students as they make the transition into early adulthood. We aim to aid students and young adults in overcoming obstacles and barriers that many face in pursuing continuing education and entering the work force. With this program, we will enable them to collaborate with universities, vocational schools, Armed Services, and Industry/Businesses to find the best available options. By working with these individuals to come up with personalized plans that suit their talents and strengths, we can help them find their “purpose.” Most importantly, we will accomplish all of this with the message of Christ being at the center of everything we do.
Here at The Lighthouse, we believe that with a dream, a education, and a life honoring God our youth can do anything. Our goal is that we provide those 3 pillars through our many various programs throughout the year. Wether it’s our Summer Program feeding and empowering our local youth in the summer or providing gifts for 100’s of families in Alcorn County annually at our Toy Store at Christmas. From tutoring, AAU basketball, gardening, leadership programs, international ministry in Haiti, and more. The Lighthouse Foundation is blessed to be able to offer a wide range of programs for kids, teens, and their families. From programs aimed at improving education to events that simply help people in a season of need, the programs offered by the Lighthouse Foundation make a difference in the everyday life – and in the future – of people in our community. We also offer internship to The Lighthouse Foundation for youth living out and striving for our core beliefs.
Contact us today to find where you or your child belongs at The Lighthouse!
For the past 30 years, The Lighthouse Foundation has carried more than 2,000 local kids to a summer camp experience at Kids Across America that changes their lives forever. Kids Across America is a Christian sports camp committed to transforming urban America with the Gospel message. They do so using sports and urban arts as a platform to share the Gospel with youth and leaders from all across the country.
Will you help continue the incredible tradition of ringing the bell?
On Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving, Corinth High School is flooded with fans from across the South to watch the Lighthouse Classic, one of the top basketball showcases in the nation! The Classic is the largest fundraiser for the Lighthouse Foundation. This two-day event matches top ranked high school teams, elite players and legendary coaches to provide an incredible basketball experience. Since our first event in 2013, we have had over 20 players in the Classic go on to play in the NBA! The Lighthouse Classic would not be possible without our many generous sponsors and over 100 volunteers that give of their time during the event.
The Lighthouse Foundation offers help and hope to kids and families in need because generous people are willing to give from their own resources. And when you give, great things happen. From kids learning to read and write to teens having a life-changing experience at summer camp, every dollar you give goes directly to helping people right here in our own backyard.
Give a one-time gift today by clicking the button below and make a difference now!
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
1 Corinthians 10:31
