Community Business Center - A Path Out of Poverty

Over the past decades (I won’t admit how many) I’ve seen our world become increasingly reliant on technology. Anything that was once done in-person or on paper can now be done online or on a device.

I remember when people used to send or bring a paper copy of a resume and cover letter, crafted on a typewriter, to a potential employer. Now we use our computers with a word processor to type up our digital resumes and cover letters and send them via an application portal or email. Paying bills, filing taxes, sending correspondence, anything and everything can be done with a device and an internet connection.

As convenient and efficient this has made living in our society, it’s also served to widen the socioeconomic gap in our country even further. As ways to move out of poverty are increasingly becoming reliant on an expensive electronic device or the recurring cost of internet, we see fewer people able to step out of poverty and as a result, we see more generational poverty ensue. 

That’s where Mercy House steps in.

Our Pathway House now holds a fully operational Community Business Center! Home to two computers, a copier, printer, fax machine, and phone, the Community Business Center serves as a place for people needing the electronic infrastructure to navigate our cultural systems, to do so. Since it’s opened, we’ve helped one person file their taxes, another update their resume (and make copies), and another scan and send in documentation to pay their bills. And it’s only been open for business one month!

But it’s not just the electronic tools, we also provide help to navigate the digital landscape of our society. Most of the population we serve are not digital natives and many do not have adequate literacy skills to effectively walk through these digital ecosystems. Our team of staff and volunteers are calm, patient, and kind and part of the package of our Community Business Center. 

What about the local library? We are here to supplement the libraries in our community. One of the barriers our neighbors face is transportation. The closest libraries are out of reach for a large number of the people who come to us for help; however, our Community Business Center is accessible for people who are already coming up to the Mercy House for a hot meal each day.

We’re excited to share with you more of the stories of the Community Business Center and the pathways out of poverty it provides for our neighbors. Until then, we encourage you to pray for the people who will take those steps and the community that will create.

God Bless,
Pastor Ken Austin