- We're now joined by David Walker, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of Visions and Pathways.

David, great to have you with us.

- Thank you, Steve.

Great to be here.

- And we'll put up the website.

Tell everyone what Visions and Pathways is.

- We're a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Been in business for over 50 years.

We help abuse, neglected, homeless, and runaway youth.

We provide housing and social services.

We help youth become self-sufficient.

- In 2024, how serious is the problem of young people who are homeless or on the verge of being homeless?

How serious is that problem in our state and nation?

- It's a problem throughout the nation, problem throughout the state.

A large percentage of our kids are aging out of foster care, and any year, 800 kids are aging out of foster care.

And unfortunately, very often they have no place to go.

So there's a large correlation between aging out of foster care and becoming homeless.

- Define aging out.

What are we talking about specifically?

- Yeah yeah.

With foster care, it's either 18 or 21.

So at 18 or 21, that's the age which the state no longer provides care.

So if they're in a foster home, the foster home will no longer receive payment for taking care of them.

If they're in a group home, we run several group homes.

If they're in a group home, the state would no longer cover the cost associated with taking care for a young person that's been abused and neglected all their lives.

- We ask virtually everyone who comes on, with the impact of Covid or the impact of Covid on the work they do and the people they serve.

What would you say the most significant impact has been on these young people who find themselves aging out of the foster care system vis-a-vis Covid?

- Yeah, our kids are similar to kids throughout the nation.

An increase in depression and anxiety.

So our kids that have been abused and neglected already was a population that experience a high level of anxiety and depression.

It's just become more acute.

- What do they need?

What do these young people need from an organization like Visions and Pathways?

What do they need?

- They need stability, and that's what we provide.

They're homeless.

They have no place else to go.

They've gone from foster home to foster home.

So they need that stability and support.

It starts there so that they know that they have a safe place to live.

A place where they're getting nutritious meals, a place where they'll be accepted.

So once they have that stability, they need the support to acquire the skills that they need to become self-sufficient.

- What happens if they don't?

What's happening to a lot of these young people who don't get the services, the help, the support, the stability that you just described?

Not that they're all the same, but what do many of these young people face?

- Yeah, unfortunately, the aging out population, the outcomes unfortunately vary, are not positive.

Higher incidence of incarceration, higher incidence of drug use.

So what happens is if they do not get that support, they go down the wrong path.

And that's why we're here, to make sure that they get support they need, they get the guidance that they need, they learn about careers, and that they know that there's a loving community that cares about them and wants them to thrive.

- How'd you find your way into this work?

- Well, I'm a retired attorney.

I worked in New York City for a number of years focusing on human rights and human services issues.

And my journey led to community-based human services is where the rubber meets the road.

If you really wanna have impact on people's lives, communities' lives, young people, making sure that young people thrive, it's community-based organizations like Visions and Pathways that makes the difference every day.

- So again, every not-for-profit leader because you mentioned you're a 501(c)(3).

For folks who don't know what that means, it's part of a tax code.

You're a 501(c)(3).

We do not pay, we're a 501(c)(3).

We don't pay taxes if you will as if you were a for-profit business.

But we are in a business that is constantly securing the funding that allows us to do what we do.

Your funding comes from where, David?

- It's a mix.

We receive a significant amount of government funding, foundation support, charitable contributions.

For the more creative things that we do, our wellness program, our nutrition program, we depend very heavily on charitable contributions.

So it's a real dynamic mix of government support and corporate foundation support and individual contributions.

- Let me ask you this because housing costs are ridiculous in this state and in the nation, this region in particular, but in the state of New Jersey.

Your organization is currently raising funds for a 10 unit complex in Bridgewater, New Jersey.

Talk about what that is and why it's so significant as it relates to affordable housing.

- Exactly, we're very excited about, it's called the Bridge House Project.

And what Bridge House will be is 10 units of affordable housing for youth who have aged out of foster care, I should say young adults who have aged out of foster care and similarly situated individuals.

And it gives them that stability that they need to thrive.

And as you said, the affordable housing, there's a scarcity and it's just critically important.

So once we have a safe place to live where there's support, clinical services, behavioral health services, wellness, nutrition, then that young person, that young adult has that foundation that they need to go on, come self-sufficient, and contribute mightily to our society.

- Have you touched on the Street Smart program?

Is that a subset of what you do?

- Street Smart is one of our programs.

Street Smart is really intervention, and the name kind of tells you what it's all about.

It's hitting the street and identifying young folks that may be having problems at home before they run away, before they're kicked out of the house, so that we can make sure that they get that support before they become human trafficking victims and be exposed to detrimental aspects of our society.

So that's what Street Smart is all about.

Hit the streets, keep an eye on our youth, at home if possible, if not at home, find a safe place for them before they become homeless and they hit the streets.

- Dave, before I let you go, we've been putting up the website, we'll put it up one more time.

If people want to be helpful to the work of Visions and Pathways, they go on your website.

How can they do that?

- They can go to our website, we have a mentoring program.

We depend very heavily on volunteers and charitable contributions.

We have a number of properties throughout Somerset County and some in the other counties.

Just upkeep of those properties, it's quite expensive, but we have corporations, faith-based organizations that come in and do painting, beautification, help us cut expenses.

So our mentoring program, helping us to maintain our properties, and just really working with our youth hands-on.

There are a number of things that people-- - Real quick, again, before I let you go, you said mentoring.

What does that mean?

Define that for folks.

- We have three mentoring programs, Journey to Manhood for young men, Jewels for Young Women, and Skittles for our LGBTQ.

And a large percentage of homeless youth, they're LGBTQ and it's groups.

So it's about people sharing their experiences.

A number of our mentors have come from similar backgrounds as our youth.

So they tell about their life journey, the hardships that they encountered, and how they have overcome those hardships to be successful.

So it was all about, I've been down that path too, I know you can make it because I made it.

- David Walker and his team are doing important work every day.

He's the CEO and Executive Director of Visions and Pathways, part of our Making a Difference series featuring not-for-profit organizations and leaders making a difference every day, particularly in the lives of those who are struggling and been dealt a pretty terrible hand.

And they just need someone to reach out and be helpful.

Thank you, David.

We appreciate it.

We'll continue the conversation with you in the future.

- Thank you so much.

- You got it.

Stay with us, we'll be right back.

- [Narrator] Think Tank with Steve Adubato has been a production of the Caucus Educational Corporation.

Celebrating 30 years in public broadcasting.

Funding has been provided by PSE&G, Johnson & Johnson.

Kean University.

PSEG Foundation.

The New Jersey Economic Development Authority.

Atlantic Health System.

NJM Insurance Group.

New Jersey Sharing Network.

And by Veolia, Promotional support provided by The New Jersey Business & Industry Association.

And by BestofNJ.com.

- Hello, I’m Donald Payne, Jr.

Congressman for New Jersey’s 10th District.

One organ and tissue donor can save as many as eight lives, and improve the health of another additional 75 people.

That is why I encourage everyone to register as an organ donor.

For more information about organ donation, please visit www.NJSharingNetwork.org