Big problems call for big solutions.

Big solutions call for community action, which is why organizations across the Adams, Clay, Nuckolls, and Webster counties gathered to launch Bridging Forward.

“We’ve been working on it for about a year and we’re so excited to formally launch it today," said Jodie Graves, the Executive Director of United Way of South-Central Nebraska.

The program is designed to help families living in poverty.

“Our goal is the 30% which equates to about 700 households or 1,700 individuals so that’s a lot right.”

Graves and her team call it the perfect storm: a high poverty rate and 800 open jobs ready to be filled.

“We’re hoping to merge those two problems together and address them both at the same time," said Graves.

Bridging Forward will cost close to $5 million but the Adams Coard Chair Lee Hogan says the time to act is now.

“With the involvement of all of these people here we hope to make it work," said Hogan.

Making things work with little is something Sudanese native Nyareak Pech knows all too well.

“I survived two wars in Sudan and I came to the United States. I feel like I’m this warrior," said Pech.

As someone who was once homeless, Nyareak continues beating the odds one puzzle piece at a time.

“It’s getting all the pieces together so that when I do find work I have enough time in school and I’m not losing housing while I’m doing it.”

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