Pathways to Independence commits to catalyzing profound and productive changes in the lives of young women in Long Beach and Orange County who have been neglected by their families and society. Many of our clients come from alcoholic families. Many have experienced years of incest or other forms of abuse. Some spent years in foster care or even became indigent.
We assist these young women in getting an education and becoming independent, contributing members of society by providing:
Weekly interactions with a mentor and weekly counseling with a licensed therapist.
A monthly stipend to help cover housing expenses.
Full payment for the costs of tuition and books.
Access to over 120 health care professionals who provide their services for free.
Access to 4 mechanics, who donate all of their labor while the foundation reimburses for parts.
Access to a wide variety of local professionals (lawyers, accountants, cosmetologists, etc. who donate their services).
Over the last 15 years of serving more than 230 girls, roughly 80% of all girls entering the program succeed in graduating from college and becoming independent, contributing members of society.
Who We Are:
Pathways to Independence was founded in 1991 by educators, Dave & Joyce Bishop, and received 501(c)(3) status as a Public Charity in February, 1994. The Bishops initial goal was to help a former student, Monica, get advanced education and achieve self-sufficiency. Monica was the product of a dysfunctional alcoholic family and at age 19 had a 2 year-old daughter and no support. With the Bishops' help, Monica was able to get advanced training and a full-time job with health benefits for her and her daughter.
No Executives or Board Members receive any compensation whatsoever. In 2007, 93% of Program Expenses went directly to the girls in the program. Presently, Pathways has 15 Board Members and 300+ volunteers collaborating to execute our mission.
Client Criteria & Client Commitments:
Dave & Joyce Bishop briefly describe how the organization got started, what is required of clients and the overall objectives of the program.
Pathways assists a largely un-served segment of the population. Our clients are young women who: 1) are poor by state/federal standards, 2) come from backgrounds of significant abuse, 3) have a serious desire to get an education or job training which will make them self-sufficient, and 4) are becoming independent for the first time in their lives.
Pathways clients sign mutually developed contracts specifying their commitments to education and personal growth. Contracts contain clear requirements for counseling, mentor interactions, college credits to be earned, minimum grade point averages and weekly hours of part-time employment. Mentors and program coordinators hold clients accountable for their contractual commitments and monitor progress on a consistent basis.
Pathways To Independence: P.O. Box 43, Los Alamitos, CA 90720 | Phone: 562.493.9048
