About The Lapp Brothers:
We, the Lapp Brothers — Steve, Jake, and David — were born into a large Old Order Amish family of 12 in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. From our earliest days, our lives were rooted in faith, family, community, and a relentless work ethic. We’re grateful for our Amish upbringing, as it shaped the values of simplicity, integrity, and perseverance that continue to define who we are today.
In 1995, our family moved to Wayne County, Indiana, in search of affordable farmland to expand our dairy operation. At one point, we were farming over 400 acres with horses — no electricity, no modern conveniences, just grit and faith. But as we’ve learned time and again, God’s plans for our lives rarely follow our own.
In 1999, Steve suffered a serious farming accident that left him with a crushed pelvis. While doctors questioned whether he’d ever walk again, those difficult months became a turning point for us as a family. Steve’s recovery journey opened our eyes to the powerful connection between physical, emotional, and spiritual healing — and more importantly, the extraordinary power of prayer and faith.
From that season forward, God began leading us on a spiritual journey we never could have imagined. We witnessed miracles, experienced personal transformation, and saw God move in undeniable ways. But stepping into this new chapter came at a cost. In the early 2000s, our growing belief in the supernatural, a personal relationship with Jesus, and the active work of the Holy Spirit put us at odds with the traditional mindset of our Old Order Amish church. In time, this led to our excommunication — a painful chapter marked by severed family ties, lost community, and uncertain futures. Yet, we clung to each other and to God’s unmistakable call.
In 2006, we founded Light of Hope Ministries, and what began as a small group of five couples gathering for prayer and Bible study quickly grew into new ministries and outreach initiatives. Having just stepped away from the business world with little knowledge of nonprofit work — and recognizing both our own need for provision and the staggering food waste happening around us — we launched Blessings of Hope from a three-car garage. From day one, it was about more than food. It was about being a conduit for hope and sharing the love of Jesus in practical, tangible ways.
Today, the ministries we’ve been a part of — Light of Hope Ministries, Blessings of Hope, Overcomers Courses, Haven of Hope, and Hope RE Funding — have grown into a network impacting millions of lives. Through food distribution, prayer, sustainable solutions, leadership development, and faith-based outreach, we’ve seen God work miracles: physical healings, marriages restored, addictions broken, and entire communities revived.
Blessings of Hope alone now operates over 110,000 square feet of facilities in Pennsylvania and Kentucky, rescuing millions of pounds of surplus food each year and distributing it through a network of over 1,600 partner organizations. And yet — as David often reminds us — it’s not about the food. It’s about Hope. It’s about stewarding God’s resources for Kingdom impact, empowering churches and ministries, and restoring dignity and purpose to those the world has overlooked.
At the heart of everything we do is a passion to bring hope and healing to a hurting world. Whether through food, prayer, discipleship, or leadership development, our mission remains the same: to be a light in the darkness, to expand God’s Kingdom, and to never limit what God wants to do.
From barns to boardrooms, from exile to revival — this is our story. And by God’s grace, it’s only just begun.
