Opened in 2008 by Pastor William and Dora Cruz, The Lord’s Lighthouse Mission, 815 East College Ave., helps feed and clothe more than 300 people a week.
A Ruskin-based ministry that has to move is praying for a miracle so it can continue to serve the area’s hungry and homeless population.
Opened in 2008 by Pastor William and Dora Cruz, the Lord’s Lighthouse Mission, 815 East College Ave., helps feed and clothe more than 300 people a week.
But the property on East College Avenue is owned by St. John the Divine Episcopal Church, which opened a new church in Sun City Center in 2009. The cost of operating both campuses has become a financial strain on the church.
St. John Church had told Dora Cruz they would have to be off the property, where the ministry operated for six years, by Friday, May 16.
“But they told us to stay for now because they have someone interested in the property, but we really don’t know what is happening,” Dora Cruz said. “But we enjoy being here and being able to serve people. Just this morning we had a couple who had slept outdoors overnight because they had been kicked out of their home. They were able to have a shower here, and we feed them breakfast.”
St. John had planned to close the College Avenue church in 2008 and move into a larger facility, but because of zoning issues, the church opted to maintain both campuses.
Ed Brown, chief of staff at St. John the Divine, explained the situation with the College Avenue church this way: “We kept one contemporary service at 9 a.m. on Sundays there and gave it five years to see if it was a viable plan, but at the end of the five years we were disappointed in our expectations of growth there, and expenses were growing larger.”
Dora Cruz said calls to other local churches asking for space to operate the ministry have been unsuccessful. She said the mission inquired about some vacant space near the Ruskin post office, but that the rent proved prohibitive.
“They wanted $2,000 a month for rent, which we cannot afford,” Dora Cruz said. “We keep praying that Lord will provide us space, but it’s such a nightmare.”
The mission was planning to move to La Red Ministries on 33rd Street in Ruskin — they are already holding a Sunday morning worship service there at 8:30 a.m. — but with no office space or kitchen available on the site, Cruz fears they will no longer be able to offer the services many poor and elderly residents have come to rely on.
In addition to giving out food every week, the mission also helps the poor apply for federal self-help programs through its Access service.
“Many people are not aware that there are programs out there to help them, so we assist them in applying. But without office space, that is not something we will be able to continue doing,” Cruz said.
“We have broken hearts but we are praying whoever buys the property will let us stay,” said an emotional Cruz. “We are taking everything one day at a time and waiting for a miracle.”
For more information or to help, call 813-641-7100 or 813-321-9723 or visit the group’s website, www.lordslighthouse.org.
