One Family's Struggle. A Mission to Help Others Find a Way Forward.

In 2013, my wife and I experienced something no family should ever have to endure.

We were first-time parents. Our precious daughter was born underweight, and we were doing everything we could to make ends meet. Then we found ourselves without electricity because we simply could not afford it.

Suddenly, something most people take for granted—turning on a light, preparing a hot meal, keeping a home warm—became a daily challenge.

No family should ever have to choose between putting food on the table and keeping the lights on.

A few months after our daughter's birth, we traveled to Memphis to seek help from my mother-in-law and a specialist for our daughter. She was experiencing eczema related to her formula, and we did everything we could to keep her comfortable. We purchased soaps and moisturizers that brought some temporary relief.

Eventually, we had to return home.

A Journey We Will Never Forget

On our return to Georgia, snow began falling. We later learned that temperatures had reached 11 degrees below zero.

When we arrived back at the bus station, our daughter was bundled up as we waited outside for our ride home.

We had been given a portable heater and a hotplate, and we brought them home with us. We bundled together in one room to stay warm. We used the heater for warmth and the hotplate to heat water and prepare food.

We lived that way for approximately a year before we were able to afford to have our electricity restored.

That experience changed us.

We knew what it felt like to worry about keeping a child warm, preparing a hot meal, and trying to make ends meet while facing circumstances that seemed impossible.

And we learned something we have never forgotten:

No one should have to choose between a hot meal and paying their bills.

From Our Experience Came a Mission

That experience became the inspiration for Lights Back On, Inc.

What began with one family's struggle has grown into a mission to help other individuals and families facing difficult circumstances.

Today, Lights Back On is a 501(c)(3) Information & Referral and Resource Navigation organization.

We recognize that no single organization can provide everything a family may need. Our role is to help people find the right door.

We connect individuals and families with trusted community organizations, assistance programs, educational resources, and support services related to needs such as:

• Utility assistance

• Housing stability

• Food

• Financial assistance

• Emergency resources

• Community services

• Other essential needs

  
  

When You Don't Know Where to Turn, Start Here.

Sometimes the hardest part of getting help is knowing where to begin.

That's where Lights Back On comes in.

We listen.

We help identify resources.

We connect people to organizations that can help.

And, when appropriate, we follow up.

Our goal isn't to duplicate the work of other organizations.

Our goal is to connect the dots.

You Can Help Keep the Mission Going

Our story began with one family trying to get through an incredibly difficult time.

Today, we want to help make sure other families don't have to face those moments alone.

Whether you need help, have resources to share, want to volunteer, represent an organization, lead a church, or simply believe in our mission, there is a place for you at Lights Back On.

Need Help?

Find trusted resources and take your next step.

Want to Help Someone Else?

Become a community or referral partner.

Want to Support the Mission?

Donate, volunteer, or help us expand our resource network.

Because sometimes, getting someone's life back on track begins with simply helping them find the right place to turn.

Lights Back On — helping people find their way forward.