OUR LATEST INSIGHTS

Up to date, high-level business information that is relevant to our clients and contacts, helping keep up to date on the ver-changing business world of today.

[email protected] / April 24, 2026

Check Out Prime Cleaning Services

Experience a truly immaculate space with Prime Cleaning Services! It is a professional cleaning service that provides comprehensive residential and commercial cleaning solutions. Trust its team to deliver consistent, high-quality results with meticulous attention to detail and a strong commitment to customer satisfaction.

[email protected] / April 24, 2026

Check Out Megan Altemus at First Commonwealth Bank

Ready to take the next step and secure a well thought out treasury management strategy for your business?  Partner with First Commonwealth Bank where Meg Altemus offers automated treasury management services that help with liquidity movement and capital investment through a diverse product line that also manages daily AR and AP and easy reconcilement services while mitigating fraud risk.

[email protected] / April 24, 2026

Spotlight for Beacon of Hope Shelter

Finding Home and Hope at Beacon of Hope Shelter

Beacon of Hope in Fort Dodge was built to fill a gap that once left men with nowhere to turn. Founded in 2010 by Steve Roe, the shelter began with a clear purpose. “Our local community didn’t have anything for men,” says Brian Bidleman, executive director of Beacon of Hope.

What started as the purchase of an old Masonic temple quickly became something much larger. With support from local churches and community members, the building was transformed into a 54-bed shelter that now serves men from across a wide rural area. For many, it is the only option. Beacon of Hope is not designed to be just a place to stay. “We really like to call ourselves a restoration center,” Bidleman says. While emergency beds are available, the focus is on longer stays that give residents time to address the issues that brought them there.

At the center of that process is faith. The shelter operates as a Christian-based organization, where residents are invited into daily services, Bible studies, and ongoing conversations about purpose, accountability, and change. “We share Jesus with them twice a day,” Bidleman says. “We want them to stay long enough to get it.”

The goal is not just stability, but transformation. Staff work with men through addiction, mental health challenges, and repeated cycles of homelessness, encouraging them to slow down and confront the deeper reasons behind their circumstances.

The shelter’s approach is shaped by the people who run it. Bidleman and his leadership team bring decades of sobriety and firsthand experience with homelessness. “We’ve actually physically lived through or experienced” many of the same struggles, he says, allowing them to speak with credibility and understanding.

That lived experience, combined with a faith driven mission, creates an environment rooted in both accountability and compassion. “We tell our guys we love them almost every day,” Bidleman says. “It’s important to feel loved.”

Since stepping into leadership in 2022, Bidleman has worked to strengthen the organization while staying grounded in its core purpose. Plans are underway to expand services, including the development of a women and children’s shelter, extending that same model of faith centered care to more people in need.

At its core, Beacon of Hope is about breaking cycles and pointing men toward a different path. “Our whole goal is to really keep them from being a revolving door,” Bidleman says.

For Bidleman, that mission is clear. It is about more than providing a bed or a meal. It is about meeting people where they are, and walking alongside them, a change that is possible through both support and faith.

To help learn more or support them, visit their website.

Download the PDF.

[email protected] / April 22, 2026

Check out BDO Guelph

Looking for a trusted accounting and advisory partner to help your business thrive? Contact Adam Thompson and Krista Walford at BDO Guelph today. Backed by a global network, they provide quality services designed to help organizations identify opportunities, manage risk, and strengthen financial performance.

[email protected] / April 22, 2026

Check out Network In Action

Looking to grow your business through real connections and consistent referrals? Network In Action connects local business owners through structured networking groups built to spark relationships, share opportunities, and generate qualified leads. Visit its website to learn more and find a group today.