Innovative North Idaho program empowers single moms to take control of their finances

COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho — The evening began with a few moments of grounding, an exercise that encourages practitioners to close their eyes, take a few deep breaths, and become aware of their senses and the room around them.

It was an opening that encompassed the heart and soul of Pathways to Prosperity. This program provides support, resources, tools and fellowship for single moms who, over several weeks, improve, enrich and elevate themselves and their children in challenging financial situations through lessons and coursework.

During the evening gathering at the Kroc Center on Wednesday, Nov. 19, the most recent cohort of 14 Pathways participants deeply breathed in relief and relaxation as they had finally completed the program; several were wiser about financial tricks.

“This was a good way to get support from other women in the type of situation that I’m in,” Pathways grad Bethany Lemon of Rathdrum said. “It was very informative of how to get a good budget going. Also, there are a lot of things I didn’t know about banking, resources that I wasn’t aware of, and I liked the spiritual aspect as well. Emotional and spiritual wellness are really important. I like that holistic feel.”

Terri Simmons and Brittany Selle created the program as they pursued social work studies in Lewis-Clark State College’s bachelor’s program in Coeur d’Alene. 

As they conducted research, they found a need for financial literacy programs. In their junior years, they worked in separate groups. Selle’s group developed an evidence-based, community-based relapse prevention program for recovery. Simmons was in another group that worked with the eight domains of wellness: physical, emotional, spiritual, intellectual, environmental, financial, occupational and social,  with the ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) population.

To read the full story, visit our news partner, the Bonner County Daily Bee.