Light of Life Ministries / Light of Life Rescue Mission 
The information on this page was last updated 1/14/2026. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]
Summary
Light of Life transforms lives through the love of Christ by providing food, shelter, and hope to men, women, and children experiencing homelessness, poverty, or addiction to restore them as healthy members of our community.
Contact information
Mailing address:
Light of Life Rescue Mission
665 Ridge Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15212
Website: lightoflife.org
Phone: (412) 258-6100
Email: [email protected]
Organization details
EIN: 251056389
CEO/President: Jerrel T. Gilliam
Chairman: Natalie Kreter
Board size: 16
Founder:
Ruling year: 1953
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 09/30
Member of ECFA: Yes
Member of ECFA since: 1989
Purpose
We are a model community providing hope and healing to Pittsburgh's homeless and hurting.
Mission statement
Light of Life transforms lives through the love of Christ by providing food, shelter, and hope to men, women, and children experiencing homelessness, poverty, or addiction to restore them as healthy members of our community.
Statement of faith
We believe the Bible to be the inspired, authoritative, and only infallible Word of God and the final authority in all matters of faith and conduct.
We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
We believe in the deity and humanity of Christ, in His virgin birth, His sinless life, His miracles, and His substitutionary and atoning death through shedding His own blood; we believe in His bodily resurrection, His ascension to the right hand of the Father, His present rule as Head of the Church, and His personal return in power and glory.
We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male and female, and these two distinct, complementary sexes reflect the image and nature of God.
We believe that regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential for the salvation of lost and sinful men and women and that this is wholly a work of God's grace, not human effort.
We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit, who enables the Christian to live a godly life by dwelling within him/her.
We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost, those who are saved into everlasting life and fellowship with the Lord and those who are lost into everlasting judgment, condemnation, and separation from God.
We believe in the spiritual unity of all believers in our Lord Jesus Christ, including equality across racial, gender, and class differences.
Donor confidence score
Show donor confidence score details
To understand our donor confidence score, click here.
Transparency grade
A
To understand our transparency grade, click here.
Financial efficiency ratings
Sector: Rescue Missions/Homeless Shelters
| Category | Rating | Overall rank | Sector rank |
| Overall efficiency rating | | 1458 of 1485 | 163 of 167 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 1197 of 1485 | 139 of 167 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 1386 of 1485 | 159 of 167 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 1400 of 1486 | 159 of 167 |
According to the organization's Form 990, it received $1,000,000 in government grants in 2025.
To understand our financial efficiency ratings, click here.
Financial ratios
| Funding ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts = Fundraising expense / Total contributions | 10% | 16% | 18% | 16% | 12% | 15% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 8% | 16% | 17% | 16% | 12% | 15% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 93% | 98% | 94% | 97% | 100% | 99% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 9% | 16% | 15% | 18% | 17% | 20% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 7% | 2% | 6% | 3% | 0% | 1% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 81% | 67% | 68% | 69% | 73% | 69% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 96% | 103% | 113% | 90% | 70% | 74% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 78% | 69% | 77% | 62% | 51% | 51% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 4% | -3% | -13% | 10% | 30% | 26% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 3% | -2% | -6% | 4% | 15% | 13% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 9% | 17% | 17% | 13% | 10% | 12% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 0.54 | 0.34 | 0.33 | 0.29 | 0.33 | 0.36 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 3.09 | 11.96 | 12.54 | 3.99 | 4.43 | 2.94 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 2.11 | 4.08 | 4.13 | 1.16 | 1.48 | 1.07 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 10.28 | 2.98 | 6.67 | 15.35 | 14.63 | 16.33 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.09 | 0.34 | 0.15 | 0.07 | 0.07 | 0.06 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 5.09 | 1.95 | 2.47 | 9.63 | 7.57 | 10.51 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 9% | 36% | 32% | 23% | 4% | 2% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 0% | 3% | 2% | 6% | 3% | 0% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 149% | 188% | 208% | 265% | 288% | 268% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Cash | $1,966,581 | $2,526,866 | $5,378,491 | $5,056,997 | $6,378,381 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $1,592,199 | $698,975 | $3,793,385 | $1,241,787 | $1,604,549 |
| Short-term investments | $2,852 | $7,646 | $348,002 | $333,150 | $345,073 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $3,561,632 | $3,233,487 | $9,519,878 | $6,631,934 | $8,328,003 |
| Long-term investments | $8,019,278 | $8,019,278 | $8,019,278 | $8,019,278 | $8,019,278 |
| Fixed assets | $2,666,538 | $2,004,482 | $2,539,833 | $2,239,910 | $3,153,319 |
| Other long-term assets | $28,361,829 | $27,304,815 | $17,893,668 | $12,483,450 | $5,013,750 |
| Total long-term assets | $39,047,645 | $37,328,575 | $28,452,779 | $22,742,638 | $16,186,347 |
| Total assets | $42,609,277 | $40,562,062 | $37,972,657 | $29,374,572 | $24,514,350 |
| Liabilities | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $1,023,383 | $313,798 | $511,523 | $362,433 | $510,057 |
| Other current liabilities | $171,009 | $170,994 | $108,640 | $90,978 | $0 |
| Total current liabilities | $1,194,392 | $484,792 | $620,163 | $453,411 | $510,057 |
| Debt | $1,368,125 | $750,000 | $2,378,713 | $750,000 | $62,131 |
| Due to (from) affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term liabilities | $12,717,750 | $11,573,522 | $5,632,825 | $0 | $0 |
| Total long-term liabilities | $14,085,875 | $12,323,522 | $8,011,538 | $750,000 | $62,131 |
| Total liabilities | $15,280,267 | $12,808,314 | $8,631,701 | $1,203,411 | $572,188 |
| Net assets | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Without donor restrictions | $26,728,264 | $27,631,056 | $29,077,019 | $28,056,161 | $21,810,186 |
| With donor restrictions | $600,746 | $122,692 | $263,937 | $115,000 | $2,131,976 |
| Net assets | $27,329,010 | $27,753,748 | $29,340,956 | $28,171,161 | $23,942,162 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Total contributions | $13,826,373 | $11,042,010 | $11,862,807 | $14,035,962 | $11,983,068 |
| Program service revenue | $6,830 | $16,330 | $12,380 | $15,440 | $7,616 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | $242,396 | $735,310 | $259,196 | $137,032 | $75,934 |
| Other revenue | $42,505 | ($27,441) | $121,244 | ($168,410) | $24,900 |
| Total other revenue | $291,731 | $724,199 | $392,820 | ($15,938) | $108,450 |
| Total revenue | $14,118,104 | $11,766,209 | $12,255,627 | $14,020,024 | $12,091,518 |
| Expenses | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Program services | $9,794,143 | $9,016,482 | $7,646,826 | $7,140,209 | $6,115,395 |
| Management and general | $2,468,705 | $2,326,046 | $1,486,719 | $984,547 | $1,056,786 |
| Fundraising | $2,279,994 | $2,010,889 | $1,952,287 | $1,672,389 | $1,753,278 |
| Total expenses | $14,542,842 | $13,353,417 | $11,085,832 | $9,797,145 | $8,925,459 |
| Change in net assets | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Surplus (deficit) | ($424,738) | ($1,587,208) | $1,169,795 | $4,222,879 | $3,166,059 |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | ($424,738) | ($1,587,208) | $1,169,795 | $4,222,879 | $3,166,059 |
Compensation
| Name | Title | Compensation |
| Jerrel Gilliam | Executive Director | $163,362 |
| Doug Smith | Assistant Executive Direct | $123,585 |
Compensation data as of: 9/30/2025
Response from ministry
No response has been provided by this ministry.
The information below was provided to MinistryWatch by the ministry itself. It was last updated 1/14/2026. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]
History
Program accomplishments
250,000+ meals
1,500+ homeless people served
1,000+ women and children served