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New Pathways, begun in 1999 by a handful of people wanting to help the homeless; now counts a growing number of church sites that regularly house, feed and minister to homeless people in the east central area of Minnesota.

St. Bridget's of Sweden, a Catholic congregation in Lindstrom, is the latest church to get involved in New Pathways' program. When many hands are sharing the load, as they say, the task becomes light work. The key in this effort to combat homelessness is to spread out the responsibilities and expenses among many church congregations. The New Pathways motto is to create change in people's lives and not just provide services.

Last week six familes or 23 people, were given shelter overnight at St. Bridget's and a place to socialize and have a meal. Volunteers cooked the evening meal and visited with participants. The families spend time at the New Pathways Day Center in Cambridge, searching for housing, employment or educational opportunity, and the children are able to attend school and know they'll have a place to stay the coming evening.

Volunteering at St. Bridget's recently: Sue Mack, Kathy Dellwo, Ted and Bonnie Vasatka, Jeri Flom, Dwayne and Judy Kelley and Joanne Sackreiter (Gary Sackreiter took the photo.)

Families are allowed a limited time in the New Pathways system. The organization, based in Cambridge and Brainerd, stresses finding housing, getting resources for landing a job or finding education to improve opportunity.

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