Bridges Out of Poverty workshop empowers Findlay/Hancock County

FINDLAY, Ohio (WLIO) - Finding a way out of poverty can be a tough road.

That’s why Habitat for Humanity’s Financial Opportunity Center, along with the Community Foundation in Findlay/Hancock County, held a "Bridges Out of Poverty" workshop to teach those interested in elevating others in the community. During the session, participants received materials, tools and resources to assist them in empowering their community.

"Unfortunately, Bridges doesn't provide the cure for poverty, but it does establish a framework for us to begin using as we look at communitywide, how do we provide a better quality of support to under-resourced households? More than 50% of children in the state of Ohio come from low-income households. So it becomes even more important as we look to the future, today's children or tomorrow's future. How do we provide a better quality of support to them so that they can be successful," said Dustin Fuller, manager of the Financial Opportunity Center.

"This material, it allows people to get engaged and start talking together in meetings. So I'm really hopeful that this group is going to continue talking and start working together," said Stephen MacDonald, program manager with Getting Ahead/Bridges Out of Poverty.

"For folks that want to help, Bridges is a great way to get involved. It's a great way to hear what we're doing across Ohio in raising people up and giving them a foothold. I would say locally, put people on boards that you're helping. That's the first thing that I joined a board after I graduated Getting Ahead, so I could lend my voice at the table. That's where we want to be anyway," said Carol Steegman, intake specialist with Ohio Guidestone.

If you are interested in learning more about how you can get involved in Findlay/Hancock County, you can visit the Habitat for Humanity in Findlay/Hancock County's website.