June 14, 2022- The Salvation Army celebrated the reopening of the men’s shelter, at the shelter facility.
The Salvation Army has been undergoing a remodel, and the pandemic made that process more challenging. With the renovations finally completed, the organization was able to show the community the results from the finished project.
Updates on the organization’s newest program Pathway Forward, were also announced.
Pathway Forward will provide immediate needs for men, but will also provide resources that will set them on the path towards self-sufficiency. The goal is to have people back on their feet, employed, and with shelter, in 90 days. Depending on the individual, it could take less or more than 90 days.
The program is not new to the Salvation Army, in a national sense, but it is the first of its’ kind in Decatur.
The program was started in an effort to help previously incarcerated individuals returning to society, transition to a self-sufficient lifestyle. The Salvation Army knows that due to them having no job prospects, housing, or family, that can make it difficult to reach that status. It can take several months, and can lead to recidivism. With support such as Pathway Forward, the transition can be made easier, lead to a less likelihood of committing crimes, and lead to more opportunities at securing employment.
The pandemic showed Kyle Karsten, Development Director of TSA, what men in need are truly looking for, in order to reach self-sufficiency. He believes that is a positive from the pandemic.
“Think about the two years we all had to quarantine in place,” Karsten said. “We were quarantining with 25 and 30 men at their house because their house was our gymnasium, was our shelter. We found that spending a little more time with them meant greater relationships, more hope restored, and ultimately more success in finding ways to get them where they need to be. Maybe we can look at this pandemic, and see that there are some good things that came from this pandemic, and this is one of them.”
Karsten understands that some men will not embrace the program right away, but at least they will have the opportunity to utilize the program.
“Some are gonna embrace it right away, some aren’t,” Karsten said. “Some are gonna be ready for it right away, some aren’t. But we want all 30 to 60 guys per month to have the opportunity to overcome some of the life barriers, be job ready, and be permanent housing ready.”
To learn more about Pathway Forward, click HERE.
