ViaPath Came to See the Work, Then Jumped Right In

A grant can support a program. A visit can build a real partnership.

ViaPath Technologies provides communication, education, and technology services that help incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people remain connected to their families, prepare for employment, and successfully return to their communities. Through the ViaPath Foundation, the company invests in youth support, workforce readiness, education, reentry, and stronger communities.

EOBA is honored to receive a generous 15,000 dollar grant from the ViaPath Foundation to support our Future Works youth employment program. Yet ViaPath’s support did not stop with presenting a check.

Last Wednesday, the men and women of ViaPath came to EOBA to volunteer during one of the largest food distributions we have ever hosted. They had no idea how much food, movement, lifting, sorting, organizing, and care goes into serving hundreds of families each week, but they never backed away from the work.

They rolled up their sleeves, jumped right in, and helped wherever they were needed. They worked hard, welcomed our families, and treated our neighbors with kindness and respect.

What may have surprised the ViaPath team most was learning that our entire weekly food distribution is led and operated by young people.

EOBA youth receive the deliveries, sort the fruits and vegetables, organize the meat and dairy products, prepare diapers and household essentials, set up the distribution area, serve families, and clean everything when the day is done. They carry out this work with care and grace because the people coming through our gates are their neighbors.

ViaPath had the opportunity to see exactly what Future Works looks like in action.

Future Works reaches into every part of EOBA. Our young people work in janitorial services, maintenance, food distribution, administration, website management, grant writing, marketing, gardening, program support, and daily operations. They are learning how to run an organization, and they are doing an incredible job. They take pride in keeping EOBA clean, organized, welcoming, and moving forward.

EOBA does not manufacture a product. We invest in people. Our results live in the young person who learns to show up on time, manage a responsibility, write a grant, maintain a building, serve a neighbor, build a website, or recognize that they are capable of leading.

That is why ViaPath’s visit meant so much to us. Their team saw more than our name. They saw more than a boxing gym. They saw young people working, leading, learning, and caring for their community. They saw where their grant dollars are going and who those dollars are helping become stronger.

To the entire ViaPath team, thank you for your generous investment in Future Works. Thank you for showing up, working beside our youth, and taking the time to see EOBA firsthand.

You came as a funder. You left as part of the EOBA family.