Searching for housing, looking for a job and caring for her two young children, gives Tatiana a lot to navigate.
But access to reliable meals and childcare helps ease some of those daily pressures as she works toward a more stable future for her family.
After calling 211 for assistance, Tatiana learned about Pathways, a United Way of Central Alabama (UWCA) partner agency that provides shelter, meals and supportive services to women and children experiencing homelessness in Birmingham.
With help from Pathways, Tatiana secured a place for herself and her children, ages 2 and 4, at another shelter where they stay overnight. During the day, they visit Pathways’ Day Center.
“It takes a lot of stress off me,” Tatiana said. “I don’t have to worry about how my kids and I are going to eat throughout the day.”
Meeting Basic Needs, Building Stability
On an average weekday, Pathways can provide more than 125 meals between its Day Center and residential programs, totaling more than 30,000 meals annually.
Eboni Jones, Assistant Director of Pathways, has spent four years with the organization, including time working directly with clients as a social worker. Through that experience, she has seen how addressing immediate needs, such as hunger, can help establish trust and connect women with additional services.
Tatiana has experienced that support firsthand. Since arriving nearly a month ago, she has received help enrolling her children in daycare, connecting with housing resources and identifying potential employment opportunities.
“My children love it here,” she said. “They love the daycare and talking to the people here. Everybody looks out for each other. It’s a really loving environment.”
That individualized approach extends across the organization’s programs. Beyond its Day Center, Pathways operates Stepping Stones, an emergency overnight shelter; Safe Haven, a permanent supportive housing program; and an Early Learning Center providing tuition-free childcare for young children experiencing homelessness.
Together, these programs help women and their children address challenges that often overlap as they work toward greater independence.
A Community Effort to Fight Hunger
Meeting the daily needs of women and children at Pathways takes a community effort. Churches, businesses, community organizations, families and individuals help prepare, deliver and serve thousands of meals throughout the year.
Pathways’ Dietary Managers also prepare meals on-site, including for women and children in its residential programs, who receive three meals a day. Donations of food and supplies help the organization meet additional needs.
For women such as Tatiana, this collective support means having a dependable place to turn during an uncertain time. She hopes more people recognize the importance of daytime shelters, particularly for women and children who may have nowhere else to go between overnight stays.
That sense of security is something Jones considers just as important as the meals and other services Pathways provides.
“A warm meal provides nourishment, but it can also provide a sense of normalcy, dignity, comfort and community,” Jones said. “Sitting down for a meal gives someone an opportunity to feel safe for a moment and know that one of her basic needs is being met.”
To learn more about how United Way addresses hunger, click here.