by Katie Patrick
It is time to come together for Bridging Forward!
On June 23, Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska joined dozens of other local nonprofits leaders from Adams, Nuckolls, Webster, and Clay counties to hear a presentation on Bridging Forward.
Bridging Forward is a program launched by United Way of South Central Nebraska and Community Impact Network that aims to reduce poverty by 30% by 2030 in the four-county area. This translates to 700 households or 1,700 individuals. In these counties, 12% of people live in poverty, which is two percent above the state average. Alongside that, there are more than 1,400 open jobs.
So what, may you ask, is the disconnect? Why are so many people living in poverty when there are more than enough jobs to go around? The answer is often complicated and can include any of the following, all of which are addressed by Bridging Forward:
Housing
Physical Health
Mental Health
Transportation
Legal and Financial
Food Security
Substance Use
Job Readiness
Social Supports
Family Needs
Life Skills
Our staff in Hastings can attest that most of our clients face at least one if not all of these barriers. When we help single-parent households, we see moms and dads struggling with transportation. When we serve the homeless, we see substance abuse. When we provide food boxes to families across the state, we recognize food insecurity and its impact on children at school. Poverty is never about not having enough money. It’s about not having the resources, or not having access to the resources, that can help someone get out of poverty.
Bridging Forward uses a nationally recognized system that no longer “manages” poverty but alleviates it. With its implementation of a five-step process that includes intervention, stabilization, job readiness, placement, and advancement, poverty for many families will become a thing of the past.
To make this a reality, Bridging Forward is calling all stakeholders to the table, this includes not only nonprofits but employers, churches, community members, and more. Catholic Social Services will be a partner in this endeavor and if you are interested in learning more about this program or opportunities to get involved with us, please contact John McDonald, our Hastings Regional Director at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. May God Bless You!
