2025 SESSION

ENROLLED

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 299

Commending PathForward.

Agreed to by the Senate, January 30, 2025

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 3, 2025

WHEREAS, since the late 1980s, PathForward has provided emergency assistance and developed innovative programs to help people experiencing homelessness in Arlington find stable housing and build a stronger community; and

WHEREAS, PathForward traces its roots to 1988, when Lora Rinker and Pam Juhl began preparing bagged meals in their homes and serving them to people in need; this act of kindness led to the formation of the Arlington Street People's Assistance Network (A-SPAN), which was formally incorporated as a nonprofit organization in 1992; and

WHEREAS, A-SPAN grew and expanded to include a permanent supportive housing program in 2007, a rapid rehousing program in 2009, nursing services in 2010, and the launch in 2015 of a medical respite program; since 2015, PathForward has been the provider of comprehensive services at the Homeless Services Center, ensuring 24/7 access to a full range of programs for individuals in need; and

WHEREAS, in 2021, A-SPAN adopted its current name, PathForward, to better reflect its commitment to helping individuals move beyond homelessness and become self-sufficient members of the Arlington community; and

WHEREAS, PathForward directly supports clients in 125 apartments throughout Arlington County and serves hundreds of clients each year through its comprehensive programs in a variety of ways, including meals, prescriptions, and case management; and

WHEREAS, in 2023, PathForward also delivered 1,117 medical touchpoints through its new and innovative mobile medical program created during the COVID-19 pandemic to meet the needs of uninsured and underinsured people experiencing homelessness; and

WHEREAS, PathForward's dedicated volunteers contribute thousands of hours of service each year, and the organization has fulfilled its vital mission through collaborations with other nonprofits and local organizations, ensuring a broad support network for those in need; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend PathForward for its decades of work toward ending homelessness in Arlington; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to PathForward as an expression of the General Assembly's admiration for the organization's legacy of achievements on behalf of the most vulnerable members of the Arlington community.