Chasing the American Dream
The American Dream … we all want it. Families come from all over the world for a better life. Refugees settling in America tend to need more assistance because often they had little access to education and other supports. The Salvation Army’s Pathway of Hope program is helping one of those families obtain the dream.
Mariam and her children are refugees from Sierra Leone. After almost two decades in a refugee camp in Nigeria, they received clearance to emigrate to the United States and settled near Buffalo.
While the American Dream was within reach, Mariam needed a lot of support. She never received a formal education and lacked basic literacy skills. She needed assistance on the phone and in writing to correspond with her landlord, utility companies, her children’s teachers, and to pursue and secure employment.
The Salvation Army Pathway of Hope program gave Mariam the help she needed to navigate these barriers. A caseworker also helped Mariam find an apartment and access additional social services which will help lift the family out of poverty moving forward.