Serve Your City: Pathways To Home

When I say the word homelessness, what do you think of? Do you imagine my expression to be a mixture of pity and disdain? Do you think of someone hunched in a doorway in downtown Orlando, muttering to themselves and calling out as you pass by? Or maybe it evokes images of panhandlers and unkempt men and women. 

Rarely does someone think of the single mother who was laid off from her job, and now must sleep in her car with her three children because she can no longer afford rent. Or the child who suffered a severe medical emergency, their mounting medical bills causing the family to declare bankruptcy and bounce between the houses of their friends until they inevitably grow weary of their presence.

At Pathways to Home, we strive to eliminate homelessness among families with children in Seminole County. We believe every child deserves a roof over their head, food in their tummies, and a sense of stability.  This is simply not the case for far too many children in our community.

Our approach recruits families who are willing to strive towards improvement.  Each family has a case manager who will help them locate affordable housing, health and nutrition, education, family finances, career training and other essential life skills. The program is dedicated to assisting every committed family in contributing to and thriving in our community on a long-term basis.

We are thrilled that Summit Church is helping us to care for our families’ youngest members by cleaning, organizing, and decorating the children’s room at our facilities. During such a stressful time in the lives of these families, this room provides a sense of stability and comfort that they may not feel elsewhere.  Thank you for helping our children and families as they journey along their pathway to home.