A caring, helping residence; The Light House ; shelters young mom ; and her son

The young mother and her 3-year-old son unpacked their belongings Jan. 10 at the Light House shelter on Hudson Street in Annapolis.

Though hard-working, she was out of a job, out of money, out of luck - and had nowhere to go.

Less than a month later, her ebullient son Carter has made several new friends, including a pair of adorable twins, and, with the guidance of her assigned Light House employment specialist, Codye prepared a resume, fine-tuned her interview skills, and was hired at a local restaurant.

Codye and her son live on the third floor of the Light House shelter in Annapolis.

"I originally wanted to study to become a nurse," she said. "But I've been waiting tables the past 15 years. I lost everything because I trusted an addict."

The Light House shelter is a short walk from the Annapolis Towne Centre. The receptionist greets all visitors as they enter. Inside, there is a subtle scent of the next meal being prepared in the large industrial kitchen. Behind the kitchen is a food pantry where area residents in need can obtain food supplies.

Adults line one hallway of the Light House, awaiting the start of a B.E.S.T. (Building Employment Success Training) Program class. B.E.S.T. offers training in the culinary arts and facilities maintenance and landscaping. Since 2012, the program has had over 290 graduates.

Lara Ippolito, associate director of communications, and clinical services Director Lisa Travis escort visitors to the third floor, which houses five family apartments. The apartments, combined, provide abodes for nearly a dozen adults and up to 20 children. Sometimes an apartment houses a full family, with both parents. Recently, three generations, including grandparents shared an apartment dwelling.

The second floor has a residential program for 30 men and, in a separate wing, 15 women.

Last year, the Light House provided emergency and transitional housing for 187 individuals and 18 families, including 34 children. The Light House also has several affordable housing properties throughout Annapolis.

At the Light House in 2017, staff and volunteers served over 40,000 hot meals, packed thousands of bagged lunches, and distributed over 85,000 pounds of groceries. It also offers programs and services to individuals and families in the community who are at risk of becoming homeless, offering case management services, health screenings, food, clothing, free shower and laundry facilities, and other necessary resources - assistance with utility and medical bills, personal hygiene kits, a resources library and computer stations.

The sound of laughter

As we stepped off the elevator, the first noise we heard was the infectious laughter of happy children. One tot scooted by on a pink plastic three-wheeled kick scooter. The communal area is a warm place for the dwellers in the five apartments to gather, converse or watch TV. One part is a large living room space. Three upholstered couches, set on a teal and cream Chinese patterned carpet, are arranged for all to easily view the TV. Board games overload a nearby bookcase, while the case supporting the TV holds some videos.

In this room, and throughout the Light House building, are large, handmade quilt-tapestries.

A second area is the children's playroom, an area that attracts and enchants children of several age levels. There are childish artworks on display, toys, games and plenty of space to sprawl and play. One shelf is brimming with wooden trains, trucks, carts and cars. All donated by the Annapolis Woodworkers Guild. The Light House accepts donated toys, but for sanitary reasons, only new toys.

This area, like the living room space, is filled with light from several large windows.

Thanks to the staff's efforts, Carter started attending a Head Start program on a daily basis. Even more friends. He loves it.

Just off the community area is the entry to Codye's apartment, funded by Severn Savings Bank. A plaque alongside the door displays a Norman B. Rice quote: "Dare to reach out your hand into the darkness, to pull another hand into the light."

The tile floor of the common areas continues into the apartment. A short hallway opens up to a small, simply furnished living room. It flows into a dining area and a tiny, efficient kitchenette with blonde wooden cabinetry that coordinates with the dining room table. There is no stove or oven as the two eat most meals in the downstairs dining hall.

A long wooden table is ground central for snacks and eat-in meals - and for gatherings of the new friends the mother and son have made. The lime green bowl filled with apples is a personal possession Codye brought, along with a few other belongings, to the Light House. Some of the items include the framed artworks hung on the walls.

The first room along a hallway belongs to Carter. On one side, is Carter's twin bed: a simple, wheeled metal frame holding a box spring and mattress. A colorful patterned quilt is draped across the bed.

A smaller crib-frame is on the opposite side of the room.

In between is a nightstand cabinet that contains Carter's small collection of toy trucks

Codye's room is sparsely furnished but has two full-sized beds separated by a dark pine chest of drawers.

A lifelong area resident, Codye hopes to go to college soon. She wants to be a counselor for the families of people with addictions.

"The families are the ones that are hurt the most," she said. "There's programs for addicts, but not as many out there for their families."

Since she graduated in 2005 from a local high school, she's lost 35 friends from her class to addiction - or in accidents caused by addicts.

She meets weekly with her client advocate.

"In those meetings," said Lisa Travis, "they try to focus on the individual and family's financial stability, working and having goals - like paying off debt, learning to budget. They determine obstacles to gaining housing in the community, and how to overcome them. The Light House works with them to develop support systems outside the Light House, like the mental health and substance abuse treatments available in the community."

"It's an awesome program," said Codye. "It's helping me get back on my feet and get my life back together."

Looking around the apartment, she said, "It's nice. Cozy. Exactly what we need."

What's it take to be

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Would you like to see your house, townhome, condo, apartment, cottage or cabin cruiser featured as The Capital's Home of the Week? To nominate your home, send Wendi Winters an email with your contact information and details about your residence to wwinters@

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Credit: By Wendi Winters - wwinters@capgaznews.com

Caption: The living room in a family apartment at the Light House shelter.

The Home of the Week is the Light House shelter on Hudson Street in Annapolis.

Codye holds her son, Carter, 3, in the family apartment they share.

The children's play area at the Light House shelter on Hudson Street in Annapolis.

The kitchen area in a family apartment at the Light House shelter.

Codye uses this bedroom in the family apartment at the Light House.

Carter, 3, peeks from the door of the apartment he shares with his mother, Codye.

A common room for families.

Two children share a bedroom in the family apartment at the Light House shelter.

photos by Joshua McKerrow/capital gazette

photos by Joshua McKerrow/capital gazette