GRAND AVENUE ECONOMIC COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORP
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Mission Statement
Pathight HOME provides affordable housing and economic opportunities to low income persons and especially the homeless in the State of Florida.
About This Cause
Pathlight HOME is Central Florida’s FIRST and LARGEST provider of permanent housing for the homeless. Incorporated in 1992 as Grand Avenue Economic Community Development Corp., our mission is to change the lives of homeless and low-income individuals by providing affordable housing and economic opportunities. During our 25+ years, Pathlight HOME has developed more than 700 units of housing and served over 5,000 individuals experiencing homelessness. Our Housing First philosophy focuses on providing homeless individuals a safe, dignified and permanent place to live, then surrounding them with a caring and compassionate team to address chronic mental illness, addiction, and challenges arising from disability and employment barriers. Celebrating 25 years in 2017, we continue to be inspired by our founder, Reverend Fred Maxwell, whose vision was to solve homelessness through housing and job opportunities. Rev. Maxwell instinctively believed in “Housing-First,” long before it was adopted by communities around North America as the critical innovation needed to truly end homelessness. His dream inspired our first and current President, Helaine Blum, as they worked together to create the first organization in Florida to pioneer the Housing First model. Since Rev. Maxwell’s passing in 2005, Pathlight HOME has become Central Florida’s largest provider of permanent supportive housing for homeless men and women, especially those who are chronically homeless. Today, over 600 residents receive safe and dignified housing as they interact with a compassionate team providing support services. Our capacity to serve very-low income and chronically homeless individuals is critical civic infrastructure and the loss of these units from the existing housing continuum of care would be catastrophic for our community. Thankfully, due to sustainable asset management, accompanied with professional supportive services, Pathlight HOME is prepared to extend the life of its existing units for the foreseeable future. Our Pathlight Kitchen program is the foundation of our culinary arts program that provides an on-ramp to employment and increased economic opportunity for formerly homeless and low-income Central Floridians. Our Pathlight Kitchen team has developed a 12-week basic Culinary Training Program, including a Food Handler Management Certification, as well as a separate, 16-hour program in Dining Room and Table Service Skills. Classes are small and offer individual coaching. Students in our culinary program gain a basic understanding of kitchen safety, fundamental cooking methods and techniques, kitchen and restaurant dynamics and their roles in the food preparation process. Our executive chef trainer designs projects that trainees can accomplish to build self-confidence while he evaluates their strengths and guides them in improving on perceived weaknesses. He also networks with local restaurant groups, catering operations, and country/golf clubs to identify employment opportunities with the potential for more sustainable employment than corporate food service might initially offer. Classes are held in our modern 13,000 square foot Pathlight Kitchen building, renovated in 2013 through a partnership with Orange County government, which includes three professional-grade kitchens (two banquet/catering kitchens and a baking kitchen), a test/classroom kitchen, as well as event space for up to 150 people. In addition to teaching the tools of the trade, this 12-week program will enable students to understand the variety of career tracks available in the culinary trade. Our two social enterprise programs, Pathlight Kitchen and Sobik's Café provide training opportunities, real-world practice for students and potential employment opportunities.