Pathfinders

A nonprofit organization

$5,650 raised by 26 donors

100% complete

$5,000 Goal

For 26 years, Pathfinders has been working to eliminate poverty from our community by empowering individuals and families to find their path to social and financial well-being. We envision a thriving community where individuals have the opportunity and access to desired resources to reach their full potential. To this end, we provide financial empowerment services which include our Adult Mentoring and Financial Capability programs.

The Mentoring program is a long-term holistic approach to a complicated issue of poverty. Staff and volunteer mentors have a positive impact by empowering mentees to develop goals and action plans and asking questions that help mentees identify barriers to self-sufficiency. Pathfinders' Mentoring Program is recognized as a Best Practice by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The Financial Capability program uses financial coaching and asset building services to empower individuals  to adopt positive financial management behaviors, leading to financial stability and crisis resistance. Pathfinders' experience indicates that intensive coaching yields better outcomes; therefore our model is for clients to participate in a minimum of four coaching sessions including budgeting, banking, borrowing, and credit.

2022 Outcomes:

Served 1,488 Individuals and Families

- 92%  of Financial Capability clients are better able to manage their finances

    135 - Average Lending Circle credit score increase

    84% of Financial Capability clients decreased use of predatory loans

- 91% of Mentoring clients achieved greater economic stability

   13.3 - Average mentoring self-sufficiency score increase

    89% of Mentoring clients retained employment after 3 months

$6,781 - Average debt reduction

$4,669 - Average savings increase

Client Impact:

Financial Coaching: Rachel came to Pathfinders after leaving an abusive relationship. Homeless, unemployed, and overwhelmed by nearly $45,000 in credit card debt, she enrolled in our program and began working with her financial coach to address these barriers. After moving into transitional housing and finding employment, she was able to significantly pay down her credit card debt and continues to make progress towards becoming debt free. She also took advantage of Pathfinders' savings match program in an effort to help build her savings in case of an unexpected emergency. She is confident about the future and grateful for the skills and knowledge she gained working with Pathfinders.

Mentoring: Randy joined the Pathfinders Reentry Mentoring program while incarcerated in the Tarrant County jail. He continued to engage with Pathfinders post-release and attended regular group mentoring sessions. Before one session, he met James, a volunteer mentor, and they immediately hit it off. After the group mentoring meeting, Randy and James stayed late to continue their conversation. Because the best mentoring matches happen organically when volunteers and clients meet, the Reentry Specialist suggested that the two continue to meet as an individual mentoring match. Today, they are still working together with James walking alongside Randy and he continues on his path to social and financial well-being.

Veterans Services: Matthew first enrolled in Pathfinders’ Veterans Program as a justice involved veteran. He was well educated but unemployed due to his involvement with the justice system. He worked with his mentor to find a job while he waited to graduate from the Veterans Treatment Court (VTC) program. Matthew took his first financial coaching class as a requirement of the VTC, and decided he wanted to enroll in Pathfinders’ financial coaching services in addition to mentoring. He attended a total of six sessions, a one-on-one budget session with his coach, and a family event with his son. He also completed the requirements for the two-hundred dollar savings match. Meanwhile, he found a job at a local university in Tarrant County where he remains employed. He received two promotions before graduating from the VTC. Matthew is a testament to the support Pathfinders provides in walking alongside clients on their path to self-sufficiency.

Mission

To eliminate poverty from our community by empowering individuals and families to find their path to social and financial well-being.

Needs

Pathfinders is seeking donors and volunteers to support our financial empowerment services. If you are interested in learning more about how to become a volunteer mentor in our Adult Mentoring program, please click here: https://www.pathfinderstc.org/mentorvolunteer

If you are interested in learning more about how to become a volunteer financial coach in our Financial Capability program, please click here: https://www.pathfinderstc.org/financialcoachvolunteer

Organization Data

Summary

Organization name

Pathfinders

Tax id (EIN)

73-1643384

Guidestar

Causes

Social Services, Veterans

Operating Budget

$1,000,000 - $2,999,999

Counties Served

Tarrant

BIPOC Serving

Black or African American, Hispanic or Latinx, Other

BIPOC Leadership

Neither/None

Address

6550 Camp Bowie Blvd., Suite 111
Fort Worth, TX 76116

Phone

817-731-1173

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