Who do we serve?
Operation Pathways serves low- to moderate- income individuals and families living in affordable housing communities. Financial need is great in these communities and many of the residents engaged in our programs and services have incomes between 20-30% area median income (AMI). These are hardworking people who are often working full-time or multiple part-time jobs to try to make ends meet but remain financially constrained. While the demographics of each community vary, we tailor our proven programming to meet local needs.
What needs are we addressing?
Socioeconomic status is linked to all aspects of life and presents obstacles for families to overcome. Our work provides opportunities for residents to connect with programs and services that can help them overcome these obstacles and improve their quality of life. Our programs and services are broken down into three primary “pathways” to address the most common obstacles we see low-income families and seniors encountering: Academic Achievement, Financial Stability, and Health and Wellness.
What makes your Operation Pathways unique?
Our successful approach to delivering high-quality programing is based on our philosophy that program delivery that is:
- Impactful: We develop and implement outcomes-based programming that measures success by monitoring the
positive change in behavior or increased knowledge and skill levels of our participants. - Innovative: We believe that it is our responsibility to create powerful learning experiences in dynamic settings to
engage participants in meaningful and effective programs and services. - In-House: We offer programming that capitalizes on the proximity of our community centers to the homes of our
participants. Programs are created and implemented based on the particular local needs and service gaps. - Holistic: We offer programming that meets a variety of needs through our three pathways: academic achievement,health and wellness, and financial stability. This approach recognizes that there are many obstacles for low-income families to overcome and that these issues are often interrelated.
What does resident services mean?
Operation Pathways offers a variety of programs and services that serve as opportunities for residents in affordable housing communities to better their lives. Our work is housing-based and targeted to the residents of the housing communities where we work. At Operation Pathways, our focus on opportunities is central to our approach to resident services. We recognize that positive outcomes occur when participants themselves choose the pathways to advance and enrich their own lives.
What is service coordination?
Service coordination is a key aspect of the work of Operation Pathways. This is the one-on-one work with do with families and individuals to assist them with identifying areas of need and connecting them with services and other resources in the community. We also coordinate group-based programs and services for our residents and offer opportunities to engage residents and build a sense of community.
Why are place-based/housing-based services important?
- We bring our services right to the doorstep of those in need. By eliminating barriers to access, we make it easier for low-income families to engage in opportunities and connect with the resources they need.
- This approach also builds the community center as the heart of the community and creates a safe environment for
residents to meet and develop relationships—building a greater sense of community. - Affordable housing can serve as a platform for increased quality of life. Service-enriched affordable housing expands the positive impact housing can have on one’s life by increasing opportunities for residents to access program and services that can help them overcome obstacles that impact quality of life.