OnTrack Greenville & Infinite Possibilities’ Story

Stability

“My family is struggling. My dad just lost his job. My mom says that food is getting more expensive. Sometimes, my parents get really angry at each other and at me. My mom wonders if we need to move out. Who am I? I am one of the thousands of students enrolled in Greenville County Schools.”  

Poverty, unemployment, domestic violence, and housing insecurity due to gentrification and lack of affordable housing options lead to family displacement. The number of Greenville County students and their families facing displacement continues to rise. Emergency shelters are not generally an option because children cannot stay with their parent, depending on factors such as age, gender and other policies. 

Infinite Possibilities, Inc. offers an array of services for families who are displaced or vulnerable for displacement. Services include food, new clothing, hygiene, resources, and case management. The organization can also provide rental and utility assistance under special circumstances.  

“Many times when we first meet families, there is an urgent need to stabilize them so that they are not displaced,” says Keisha, Founder and Executive Director at Infinite Possibilities, Inc.  

Infinite Possibilities closely partners with United Way’s OnTrack Greenville. A collaboration between the United Way of Greenville County and Greenville County Schools, OnTrack Greenville is designed to help students achieve high school graduation and post-secondary success, increasing their economic mobility and long-term success. This program connects families with community partners such as Infinite Possibilities to address needs to keep them in school and on track. In the first year of their collaboration, they have assisted over 75 family units.

Homelessness and housing insecurity negatively impact children physically, emotionally, and academically. Moving to a new school, sometimes more than once in an academic year, and low attendance create additional disruptions, negatively affecting a student’s ability to learn and build trusting relationships with peers and teachers. Children experiencing homelessness are far more likely to drop out of school which creates more barriers to finding employment and housing in the long-term.

“We engage in an early warning response process to determine which students are facing challenges associated with their academics, behavior, or family concerns,” shares Dr. Edward, Executive Director at OnTrack Greenville. “We’ve noticed that kids’ grades increase when we provide new clothes, new shoes and fresh haircuts. It helps to improve their self-esteem,” says Keisha.

Infinite Possibilities and OnTrack Greenville help students stay on track for future success, reducing the likelihood that families will experience homelessness. This partnership is another initiative supported by the Greenville Homeless Alliance (GHA). Through strategic partnerships, the GHA is pushing for safe and affordable housing for all.