About Us
Pathway To Hope exists to encourage, educate and empower individuals and their families whose lives are affected by mental illness.
Who We Are
Pathway To Hope is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization, founded by Dick and Sharon Lawrenz in December of 2000.
It exists to encourage, educate and empower those families and individuals living with mental illness. Dick and Sharon's youngest son was diagnosed with mental illness at age eleven.
Pathway To Hope became a dream of theirs so that no other family or individual would have to navigate the uncharted waters of mental illness alone.
Sharon received her Bachelor's Degree in Management and Human Relations from Mid-America Nazarene University. Besides her career as a mother and wife, she has held various volunteer positions including Sunday School Superintnedent, President of a local Christian Women's Club, and State President of a Denomination's Woman's group.
She has worked in office settings and as a paraprofessional with behavior disordered children in a local middle school.
Sharon combines her experiences, faith and humor to present a compassionate, hope-filled message to those whose lives have been touched by mental illness.
She is also available as a Speaker as well as a Trainer.
Pathway To Hope depends upon donations, grants and in-kind gifts in order to meet their goals and objectives and minister to the needs of society's forgotten population...the mentally ill.
Our Organization's Mission
Pathway To Hope exists to encourage, educate and empower individuals and their families whose lives are affected by mental illness.
Who We Serve
Pathway To Hope serves individuals and their families whose lives are affected by mental illness.
Our Programs
-Survivor support groups once a week
-Family support groups twice a week
-With Hope in Mind, an eight-week course for family members of adults who live with mental illness
-With Hope in Mind: Beginnings, a six-week course for parents and caregivers of children and adolescents who live with mental illness
-MANDT Training
-KansasWorks ShareNetwork
-Suicide support group
-Advocacy and Advice
Upcoming Events
Golf Tournament - October 6, 2008
Night at the Movies - November 18, 2008
Leadership Profile
Executive Director - Sharon Lawrenz
Board of Directors
Chairman - Larry Zimmerman
Vice-Chairman - Maurice Bowersox
Treasurer - Cindy Allen
Secretary - Ann Palmer
Peg Carlson
Larry Dowd
Jan Graham
Gregg Herbert
Ron Shrum
Bob Slattery
Board of Advisors
Program Directer - Gloria Bowersox
Survivor Group Facilitator - Jan Graham
Survivor Council President - Lynelle Vondergeest
Major Supporters and Sponsors
Healthcare Foundation of Greater Kansas City
Sir Speedy - Olathe, Kansas
Olathe Medical Center
Smokin'Joe's BBQ - Olathe, Kansas
Vine & Branches Design
Wilson & Company
Creative Planning, Inc.
The J.B. & Anne Hodgdon Charitable Fund
URS Corporation
| Year Founded : |
2000 |
| 501(c)(3) Ruling Year : |
2005 |
| Full-Time Employees : |
1 |
| Volunteers : |
20 |
What Sets Us Apart
With the exception of MANDT Training, all of our programs and services are free of charge.
We are the only organization in the Johnson County, Kansas area that offers weekly support groups.
Recent Accomplishments
In 2007, Pathway To Hope was able to open Blake House.
Blake House is low cost, affordable housing for adults living with mental illness.
Blake House has 5 residents, all with mental illness. The residents are stable in their illness and pro-active in their recovery. And they display and use independent living skills.
