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Pathway Introduces Sister United, A Motherhood Program
By Fletcher Word
Sojourner’s Truth Editor
More than four years ago,
Pathway Inc. introduced its Brothers United Program and,
during that time, 1,614 fathers – the parents of 4,592
children in Lucas County – have participated in the program
receiving direction and assistance on co-parenting issues,
child support and developing job skills.
Data produced
“Nearly five years of a
national program and we are seeing some phenomenal results,”
said Pathway CEO Cheryl Grice on Thursday January 9 as the
agency introduced the logical extension to its Brothers
United program – Sisters United.
Avis Files, director of
Family and Supportive Services for Pathway and leader of the
Brothers United program, explained the concept of the
Sisters United program to a gathering at Mott Branch Library
that included members of a variety of organizations and
community action agencies in the area such as – Lucas
Metropolitan Housing Authority, Harbor Behavioral, Toledo
Public Schools, Toledo Community Foundation, Lucas County
Children Services, and others.
The concept for Sisters
United, said Files, was borne out of the Brothers United
program and persistent input from that program’s
participants that more members of the community would
benefit from such insight.
“This is cool, this is
good,’’ she recalled more than one such participant telling
her over the years of the program. “But my co-parent – you
got to help her.” Prompted by such suggestions, Files and
Pathway started Sisters United – even the name was proposed
by the BU men.
Now, Sisters United will
open with a pilot program, funded by the Toledo Community
Foundation’s William R. Winkle Memorial Foundation, that
will enable 20 women – mothers – to benefit from the same
types of information their male counterparts have been
receiving. In the case of the women participants, the focus
will be on improving motherhood skills and co-parenting.
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Sisters United First group graduated in October, 2019
Avis Files, Director of Family Supportive Services -
Brothers United Fatherhood Program, Pathway Inc
Avis Files and Christine Dzaid Program Officer of The
Greater Toledo Community Foundation and The William R.
Wrinkle Foundation |
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The program includes eight
days of motherhood skills and then two weeks of “soft
skills,” said Files, designed to improve work skills.
Toledo Community
Foundation –
www.toledocf.org –has funded the program for the first
year until June 2020.
As a preliminary test,
Pathway recruited five mothers from LMHA’s Birmingham
Terrace to participate in a test program. Those five
finished the program last October and from that initial
experiment came the formula for the future Sister United
program and even the theme: “We Are Mothers United as
Sisters!”
For more information on
Brothers United or Sisters United, contact Pathway at
419.2427304
ext. 1412
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