PTS-Perry, sponsored by St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church in Perry, has a new lease on life.  Enrollment declined for the past several years and the program struggled to connect with children and parents who might benefit from PTS’s mentoring relationship. Transportation was also an issue, as the program did not provided transportation and working parents had challenges arranging to get their children to the church on Monday afternoons.

A new relationship with the Perry Housing Authority reinvigorated the program. The housing authority operates its own weekly after-school program for children in its Perimeter Circle housing complex.  They were thrilled at the opportunity to extend their families the chance for more tutoring and mentoring on Tuesdays.  PTS-Perry’s eight Ministers of Hope and St. Christopher’s rector, Rev. Shirley Porter, eagerly agreed to move their program to Tuesdays in order to take PTS to the children of Perimeter Circle.  PTS-Perry went from three registered children to 15 after making the 1.5 mile move from the church’s fellowship hall to the housing complex meeting room.  Affiliate director Christine Hoskins commented, “Our Ministers of Hope were determined not to let our program die, and they did not give up until we found a community of children in Perry who need what Path to Shine has to offer.”