Discover a Pathway of Hope

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Poverty in the U.S. is an epidemic – including one in five children, according to the latest census. Children who live in poverty for half their childhood are 32 times more likely to remain in poverty.

The Salvation Army works with many of these families by addressing immediate needs. A program called Pathway of Hope is the next step to help them break the cycle of poverty.

The Salvation Army’s Pathway of Hope initiative provides individualized services to families with children who desire to take action to break the cycle of crisis and vulnerability that repeats generation after generation. It seeks to address the root causes of poverty. By helping families overcome challenges like unemployment, unstable housing and lack of education, families can go down a path toward increased stability and, ultimately, self-sufficiency.

Teresa Hibbard, the Director of Development at the Salvation Army Clearwater & Upper Pinellas, elaborates: “The Pathway of Hope is free to anyone who needs help.

“Currently, we have 17 single moms and their children living in transitional housing on Druid Rd. Each family is assigned a case manager who determines each family’s own specific goals. We help them get advanced education – whether it’s a college degree, technical degree or a high school diploma because education is the key to improving the quality of their lives and to get them out of poverty. There’s no limit to the number of families we can help. We have several moms who are going to nursing school.

“The biggest challenge is commitment to making a lifestyle change. Some people we help say it’s too much work to make such a change. But they ultimately have to decide to make a change on their own.”

The Salvation Army not only provides educational opportunities, but also childcare, job training, health services, housing options, legal services, a network of support, a sense of community, holistic programs and spiritual guidance.