You and me, we're up close with a 24.3% poverty rate at our front door.

Picture it - standing at the grocery store checkout, you turn around to see three people behind you in line and realize: one of you is living in poverty. One in four people in our community is living on less than $15,000 annually; one in four families of four is trying to make ends meet with $30,000.

Now let’s expand that grocery line to the population of Tallahassee. In 2024, the poverty rate in Tallahassee was 24.3%, representing about 44,000 of our residents, or roughly the population of Florida State University. If we zoom out even further, we can see that Tallahassee’s poverty rate is just over 91% higher than the Florida average and almost 93% higher than the national average.

Statistics like these are why ECHO is committed to working to reduce instability by providing resources and support services to people in need in the Big Bend.

It all starts with understanding the root of the problem, and the different characteristics of poverty. Child advocacy organization Compassion International likens poverty to spokes of a bicycle wheel with six components: economic, social, spiritual, educational, health, and environmental poverty.

These elements can grow through generations and create personal narratives that make people feel trapped by their circumstances. Dr. Wess Stafford, President Emeritus of Compassion International, explains how, when these components of poverty are combined, people can begin to feel hopeless.

“Poverty is a mindset that goes far beyond the tragic circumstances. It is the cruel, destructive message that gets whispered into the ears of millions by the enemy Satan himself: “Give up! You don’t matter. Nobody cares about you. Look around you: Things are terrible. Always have been, always will be. Think back. Your grandfather was a failure. Your parents couldn’t protect or take care of you. Now it’s your turn. You, too, will fail. So just give up!”

ECHO brings hope to those feeling hopeless in the face of these messages, and our holistic approach is designed to address every spoke of that wheel. Direct, immediate assistance creates a sense of calm and security, and counseling and education opportunities build a firm foundation. Between one-to-one coaching, interactive group classes, and partnerships with local churches and people like you, we can help people move from a cycle of repeating years of generational poverty into the confidence of self sufficiency.

ECHO has graduated seven groups from Getting Ahead in the Workplace, one of the fifteen week class programs that was developed by aha! Process. As of today, 52 people have completed all of the modules. The classes, led by two facilitators, take participants who are known as investigators into a rigorous self-examination.

“We got to know each other . . .. At first, being anonymous helped. I could come to the class and because I didn’t know anybody and they didn’t know me, it helped me open up more. ” one investigator shared. The outcome can be life-changing.

We invite you to come on Thursday, March 6, and participate in our upcoming graduation at Goodwood Museum and Gardens to hear firsthand the powerful impact that this program has on the investigators. Two groups are currently completing their journey, 11 investigators from our night class and six from a new daytime offering that was created for our clients who work at night. Click and we will send you an invitation with more information.

Please send me more info!