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Overcome Poverty with a Pathway Image

Overcome Poverty with a Pathway

Guiding those in need to self-sufficiency, stability, and independence

Pathway of Hope logo

A Journey for Families

 

THE CALL TO ACTION

An ambitious call to action at this moment in our nation’s history is understandable: the current social suffering in the United States is staggering in depth and numbers. Brought on by a recession rivaled only by the Great Depression, we have seen continued job loss and chronic unemployment touching almost every community where The Salvation Army serves.

Millions of people have lost their material resources and, in the process, have lost their stability. Crisis and vulnerability are too often seen in families and individuals who come repeatedly to our doors. The need for front-line basic assistance has never been greater. Equally great is the need to provide a pathway out of poverty—moving beyond survival to increased stability—to fundamentally changed lives.

The Salvation Army is recognized for meeting basic human needs. In 2021, in the USA alone, we assisted approximately 25 million families with basic services—one precious life at a time.

Family receiving assistance

 

The Bold Initiative

The Salvation Army is now embarking on a major “doubling impact demonstration project”. With this project, we aim to develop a higher impact, resource-sensitive approach to direct emergency assistance that moves away from simply serving needs. Our goal is to help solve root causes of those needs, enabling individuals to break the cycle of poverty—moving from crisis and vulnerability to increasing stability and even sufficiency—from dependence and despair to independence and hope.

The opportunity for transformational change in a life may exist by utilizing front-line direct emergency assistance as a “gateway” to deeper and more root-cause affecting programs that ultimately also lower the inherent costs of recidivism.

 

The Pathway of Hope Approach

The Salvation Army’s holistic Pathway of Hope approach is built upon existing innovations, case management best practices, and leveraging state-wide systems within the territory. The objectives include:

  • Developing a new approach to direct emergency assistance that enables motivated individuals to move beyond survival and break the cycle of poverty.
  • Implementing demonstration project plans that are outcomes-based and root-cause-focused, while utilizing current resources.

 

Initial Focus: Halting the Multi-Generational Cycle of Poverty

Given limited resources and ever-increasing human need, we recognize the initial need to focus our help on a key segment of our clients. We want to help those in greatest need and help us achieve our goal of doubling our impact with our existing resources.

Meet Tayneka: A single mother of a 3-month-old son, employed as a head cook at a care center. Her income was insufficient for transportation to work. Through The Salvation Army's Pathway of Hope program, Tayneka gained employment, earned a degree, and is now working toward her dream of owning a business.

 

Addressing the Root Cause with Our Existing Resources

The challenge we face is doing more with the resources we already have. This includes leveraging financial and human resources, training staff to look beyond immediate needs, and freeing up social services staff time to better engage with clients.

We also aim to tap into external resources such as other human services organizations, churches, corporate sponsors, volunteers, and our advisory boards to join forces on this key strategic initiative of the Central Territory.

 

Our Learning Agenda - Designed for Continuous Improvement and Scaling Impact

Through this initiative, we are challenging ourselves to learn to scale impact at the individual, organizational, and system-wide levels. We will codify our experience and identify best practices that can be replicated in different contexts.

We aspire to leverage this initiative to engage the rest of The Salvation Army in a conversation about the holistic Pathway Approach. With our scale, staff dedication, geographic presence, and support across various levels of basic assistance needs, we believe we can transform lives on a large scale. However, your help is crucial.

For more information about the Pathway of Hope program, please call (316) 263-2769.

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