It’s easy to miss people struggling with homelessness. For every person asking for money on the street corner, there are several more you’ll never see. Some are tucked away in encampments while others are living in isolation in the woods or empty buildings. Because there are so many unseen homeless, it can be hard to get a sense of how many people need shelter…but the numbers have been growing dramatically.
Since 2021, the number of people experiencing homelessness in our area has more than doubled.
We are seeing the effects of this increase as well. In 2023, we sheltered over 1,100 individuals and provided over 100,000 meals. At our men and women’s centers this past winter, we needed to set up cots in the chapels every night to squeeze in more beds for those needing shelter.
But the need isn’t just for meals and beds. Many of the people who come to Pathway Ministries are coming because they are looking for a way out of poverty. They have heard that through Jesus there is a life beyond poverty, addiction, and brokenness, and they come to Pathway as the first step towards that new life.
And the good news is, by God’s grace and your gifts of support, we’re to here to continue to meet the growing need. We’ve added more advisors and counselors. We’ve rearranged beds and found new ways to utilize existing spaces. God continues to provide, and we continue to serve. But there is still so much more to do.
This May, we have a matching challenge. That means every dollar donated up to $100,000 dollars will be doubled. We are incredibly grateful for the partners who are providing this matching challenge. With homelessness doubling in our area, you can double your impact on those experiencing it by joining us in this challenge. We see it as another way that God is providing for the growing need. To join in this challenge, you can give using the enclosed envelope or by clicking here.
It is continually humbling to see the ways God provides for the people we serve, through the people He uses, all for His glory.
Jon Rocke,
Executive Director