PATH E.D. Leaving

The Board of Directors of PATH (People Attempting to Help) met today in a called meeting and received the news that Executive Director Christina Fulsom has decided to leave PATH. Her resignation will be effective April 30, but she has graciously agreed to remain as a consultant through July 31 in order to help PATH through the transition period.

Board President Stuart Baskin said, “Christina’s departure obviously leaves a big hole at PATH, but she is leaving the organization in excellent shape organizationally and financially. Her tenure has been marked by growth in the number, scope, and quality of its programs, as well as in its vision. She has been an effective voice for the poor in Tyler and Smith County, and I look forward to seeing what else she will do in the future to relieve the suffering of those who are caught in poverty.”

Ms. Fulsom leaves PATH in a strong position financially and in terms of its programs to combat poverty. With total assets (including buildings and homes) of $4.8 million and programs to address everything from emergency food to low-cost rental housing, PATH is one of the key players in helping people in need in Smith County.

PATH is a non-profit agency whose mission is to serve, through well-equipped volunteers, the economically disadvantaged people of Smith County with both emergency assistance and programs to empower and encourage them to become self-sufficient.

A letter from Christina:

I love PATH: the people we serve and the people I work with each day. For more than eight years I have given my heart and energy to finding ways to do more, to fill the gaps, and to help people reach their God given potential.

At PATH I found my voice, my own unique-personal-significance to love and serve God by loving and serving those in need. PATH is the place where my strengths, passion, and conscience met to fill a need. Helping people experiencing poverty is what I am meant to do. I have been blessed to be a part of PATH.

I am proud of PATH’s accomplishments during my tenure:

• The design and implementation of Five Steps on the PATH to Success – a strategic continuum of care addressing poverty.

• Aligning programs to our Mission – closing programs that didn’t fit the mission, and implementing the Kid Reach, Education, and Family Case Management programs all while maintaining the same number of employees.

• Acquiring resources in order to increase Emergency Assistance from 18,000 to 34,000 cases per year.

• Strengthening of PATH’s infrastructure – implementing accrual fund accounting, fiscal and standard operating procedures, program plans, IT and a networked client services database.

• Increasing net assets from $2.8M to $4.8M.

• Reducing Administrative expenses from 23.2% to 14.4%.

• Raising more than $500K and renovating of our current 8,800 sq. ft. facility.

• Raising more than $1M and building ten energy efficient homes for the PATH Community Homes program.

• Increasing community awareness of poverty and its effects on people’s lives.

• Gaining trust and recognition of PATH as the poverty expert.

• Being the first local non-profit to effectively utilize online fundraising and social media.

This is not an exhaustive list of PATH’s accomplishments during my tenure; nor do I for a moment contend that I have done these things alone.  Rather, it is by God’s grace manifested through the hard work and commitment of PATH Board members (past and present), dedicated staff, countless volunteers’ hours coupled with the generosity of PATH donors that these and many more were accomplished.

 It was an honor to serve this community as PATH’s Executive Director.

 I will continue to serve God in our community by loving and serving those in need.

 Sincerely,