1st families selected for Salvation Army Osceola County’s ‘Pathway to Housing’ program

Program provides families with one year of rent payments, among other incentives

KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Liz Canet is a single mom of four boys, and even though she is a full-time worker, she has never been able to afford a home of her own.

Canet was one of two families selected for the Salvation Army’s new “Pathway to Housing” program and said things are going to change for her family.

“Who can afford a two bedroom, two baths for $2,600 dollars a month? I think that’s just sad for our community, especially for moms. Single moms out there that are trying every day that struggle with their children especially,” Canet said.

The Salvation Army along with nonprofit Housing 4 All and Osceola County were able to ground break the program which provides families with one year of rent payments, allowing them to save what they would have spent on rent, for a down payment on their own home.

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“Right now, I’m leasing the American dream. I take everything everyone told me I should do with regard to my education. I’ve worked very hard,” Amanda Wilkerson said.

Salvation Army Captain Ken Chapman explained the program will not only help families save money, but they will also take homeownership classes to help with financial literacy and repairing credit.

Chapman said the program will continue to expand to other working families that apply.

“They are coming to our doors, we are vetting them, the ones that are working and that are trying to keep their lives together. We feel that these are the people who are going to be the most successful,” Chapman said.


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About the Author

Ezzy Castro is a multimedia journalist on News 6's morning team who has a passion for telling the stories of the people in the Central Florida community. Ezzy worked at WFOR CBS4 in South Florida and KBMT in Beaumont, Texas, where she covered Hurricane Harvey in 2017. Being from Miami, Ezzy loves Cuban coffee and croquetas!

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