A Path Forward:

“Hope is like the sun, which, as we journey toward it, casts the shadow of our burden behind us. “

~ Samuel Smiles, British Author

There will always be people in need in any community, and the key to a community’s identity is how they respond to those needs. According to A Path Forward’s founder and director Amanda Scott, the program is hope-based. They are an organization that serves people in the community who are in need, and they hope their service to people continues to grow, giving those in the community true reasons for hope.

Efforts to build this type of program began with the need for warming stations for the homeless during the winter season of 2023-24. A group of people saw a clear need to cover major gaps in the service for the homeless and low income in the community. Initially a group called Kay County Community Helpers began working together through a Facebook page that still exists today with well over 900 members. Scott says 2/3 of that group are those interested in helping, while the other 1/3 are people in need. The interest people had to help others continued and indicated the need for a more formal program, and A Path Forward officially formed in 2024. The cited mission on their website says, “Our mission is to empower the unhoused and impoverished individuals by addressing their needs. We focus on providing them with the necessary tools, resources and support that give them the opportunity to develop skills that will enable them to become self-sufficient members of the community. Through compassion, education and opportunity we will pave the path forward creating lasting change and restoring hope in the lives of those we serve.” This past February, the organization received their 501(c)(3) designation, which is especially important since their funding comes from individuals and area businesses and other organizations they partner with for a variety of needs.

While their work has been vast in many areas of need in the community, Scott says, “Our main goal is to empower unhoused and impoverished individuals by providing them with the necessary tools, resources and support to become self-sufficient members of the community. A key part of this mission is meeting people where they are, without judgment, and offering them a hand up when they are ready to make a change.” Recognizing the needs in this community were easy for Scott, who spent years working with the homeless community in Oklahoma City before she moved to Ponca City.

The support the organization has provided is immense, with warming stations in the winter, cooling stations and hydration stations in the summer, a Christmas giveaway to help a single parent (this last Christmas they chose one single mom and one single dad as recipients), and Kicks for Kids that provided new shoes and other clothing essentials and school supplies in full for 90 children with 115 students receiving a good portion of those supplies. They have helped individuals gain needed rent, furniture and much more. Scott says that furniture is one of the most common needs, especially couches, beds and dressers. In addition, monetary funds are also helpful since they assist with delinquent rent and clothing vouchers. Their assistance is as immense as the needs. When there are specific needs from one of their clients, they post the need in hopes of someone from the community being able to help. Scott says that 90-95% of their verified posts about needs have been met by the community.

In addition to Scott, the organization has a leadership team that includes board members, volunteers and community members who provide help. The current board members are Kevin Emmons, board president; Samantha Long, board secretary and treasurer; Jessica Johnstone, trustee; and Rebecca Littlehale and Dean Hulbert as fundraising ambassadors. They also have a college intern who handles their social media. The needs are many, and there is another Facebook group specifically for those willing to volunteer, Ponca City Volunteer and Community Service Opportunities. If you are interested in volunteering, you should join this and the Helpers group. Besides the numerous activities they are responsible for already, they could use others interested in serving on their board, as ongoing volunteers and in grant writing now that they are an official nonprofit organization and qualify for available grants. If you don’t know Scott or her leadership team, you can message them through these FB groups for information and/or to volunteer.

As the weather is getting warmer, Scott looks forward to another one of their events. They will be sponsoring Starlit Exchange, a charity night market for Kay County, again this year. They plan to host at a different location than in the past so vendors can have access to electricity and bathrooms on-site. Anyone interested in donating to this event will receive recognition in their advertising and online. Last season they raised over $3,000. To be included as a vendor or to donate to the event, contact Scott for more information.

Chances are if you are involved with other organizations that work in our community, you may have partnered with A Path Forward in the past. Scott expressed great appreciation for the organizations, businesses and individuals who have helped them meet their needs. Their team realizes they would never be able to meet these needs without others helping with the resources and work involved.

The long-term goal of the organization is to secure a larger building where they can centralize their activities, which are spread out right now. They will be able to be more efficient if this can happen, and they are in the process now of securing a place that could meet those needs. Scott expresses how much more they could accomplish if they had room for their supplies and, especially, to meet with individuals in need. They already have plans to expand their services when this happens by adding work-in-exchange programs, guidance on navigating state benefits and local resources, basic living skills classes to empower people with everyday knowledge and partnerships with organizations like Work Ready Oklahoma and NERA to connect individuals with valuable resources. Scott says, “Looking ahead, our long-term goal is to establish a community outreach center and eventually transitional housing to provide a stable environment for working toward self-sufficiency.”

When looking forward, Scott explains, “Every donation, no matter the size, directly helps us support individuals in need and work toward our long-term goals.” When working with individuals, Scott recognizes that trauma causes so many issues, and A Path Forward meets individuals in need with understanding and no judgment. She hopes that people will spread word of their mission to help individuals needing help and those who can offer it the opportunity to come together. We can all be part of the solution to help improve the lives of those around us, to ease the shadow of their burden. A Path Forward can always use the assistance of others who are interested in spreading hope throughout our community.

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