Our Stories

Meet Ray! 

Ray is an ambitious, personable, and humorous 72-year-old Veteran working with Pathways Supportive Services for Veteran Families Program (SSVF). Ray was living in Winooski when he lost his housing in the fall of 2021. He slept in his car for three to four months before he ended up at the T-Bird Motel. “Seeing the front seat of my car as my bed was a hard adjustment after I had worked all my life.” 

Being at the T-Bird was very lonely; Ray couldn’t have visitors and only had access to a microwave for cooking for the year that he

spent living there. “When I initially got to the motel, I was content at first just having a roof over my head and being warm; it felt like a step forward.”

Ray spent his days driving around looking for apartments to rent, with no luck. Finally, the Veterans Affairs and SSVF stepped in.

“When they came in, I was elated. I had an organization that when they said they would get things done, they would. Ray began working with Pathways in May 2022 and moved into his Pathways apartment in November of 2022. Sean (SSVF Senior Service Coordinator) and Ray formed a great connection and continued their relationship once Ray graduated from the program.

“Sean has been great to me. He went out of his way to make sure that everything was taken care of. Even when he wasn’t my worker, I could call him. He has always, always been there. If Pathways has ten more people like him, they have a great organization.” 

Now that he is in his apartment, Ray can look forward to his future. His apartment feels spacious, and having multiple rooms is a great feeling, especially after living in a one-room motel for a year. “Being able to go from one room to another is a great thing; I don’t go stand in the hallway often but, it is nice to have the room,” he joked. Ray especially enjoys being able to cook meals again. “If I never see another hot pocket, I will be happy.” Ray looks forward to traveling around Vermont and finally feeling settled and safe where he lives.

Welcome new board member, David Qian! 

Pathways Vermont’s Board of Directors is a diverse group of experts, trail-blazers, and all-around-wonderful human beings who are dedicated to advancing Pathways’ work towards its mission to end homelessness and provide innovative mental health alternatives in Vermont.

David has a background in finance, real estate investing, and as a landlord. He brings relevant experience from the business and housing provider perspective. He has served on the board of nonprofits in NYC and enjoys giving back when possible.

“I’ve been working with Pathways as a landlord partner for almost 8 years and have seen and admired the organization’s growth. I am passionate about Pathways’ mission and believe I can contribute to its impact in Vermont.

My family and I immigrated to this country with very little, and we struggled with housing issues firsthand. Being a proud Vermonter and having grown up here, I am happy to be part of the team that helps our community solve the homelessness issue. Additionally, over the past few years, I have started learning about the importance of mental health and wellness.”

Staff Spotlight 

Alex – Support Line Team Lead

Hi – I’m Alex!

I am currently the Team Lead on the Vermont Support Line. I started working with Pathways in 2013 as a volunteer at the Community Center. Through my own life experiences, I know that lacking stable housing and mental health services can leave someone feeling hopeless. Throughout the years I have worked with Pathways, I have supported individuals experiencing homelessness and struggling with mental health challenges. I found ways to connect these folks with resources and supported them through the process of getting housing. 

Seeing that transformation happen for others gives me hope and inspiration. When I began volunteering at the Wellness Co-op (Pathways Community Center), I cooked community meals on a small camping burner stove and rice cooker. I was drawn to the space while connecting with others over these meals. I felt the impact it made to offer a free dinner in which strangers could connect with each other. Some individuals otherwise might not have had other social outlets in life. Over time we built a community I am so grateful to have been a part of. Years later, I became the Team Lead at the Community Center. We had moved into a larger building and could cook meals on a much larger scale. Even though my role had changed, I still found myself helping to cook those meals occasionally and sitting with everyone to share it. The gratitude from folks who might have otherwise gone to bed hungry still stands out for me. I find my motivation knowing that I am making a difference in our community: shifting how our society views mental health and how we approach conversations around it. I currently provide confidential and non-judgmental support to Vermonters who call or text the Support Line. As VSL Team Lead, I supervise and support shift supervisors and operators, connect with operators across shifts, and facilitate team meetings. 

Thank you for making a difference, Alex!

Pathways Vermont Soteria House is the only program of its kind in the United States. It is a residential home-like environment for supporting people experiencing non-consensus reality (sometimes referred to as psychosis.) In this workshop, we’ll cover the history of Soteria and its place in the larger history of mental health reform movements dating back to the 1950s. We will also focus on the power of human connection in non-coercive settings. This workshop invites us all to meet people in exciting and rewarding ways. At Pathways Vermont, we want to explore genuine, dynamic relationships that are healing for all of us.

Pathways Vermont Support Line – 10 Years! 

It’s been ten years since the inception of the Vermont Support Line! Since 2013, Support Line Operators have completed more than 87,200 calls and diverted 2,268 calls from emergency services.

Thank you to our Operators and all the staff who help to keep the Support Line available 24/7, and thank you to our community partners who provide resources and connection! 

If you are struggling with a challenging situation or have feelings of sadness, loneliness, isolation, anger, or depression, you don’t have to face it alone. Call or text our confidential 24/7 Support Line at (833) VT-TALKS or (833) 888-2557.

Pathways Vermont is recognizing International Trans Day of Visibility on March 31st to acknowledge and celebrate the joy and resilience of trans, gender non-conforming, and non-binary people everywhere by elevating the voices and experiences of these communities. 

Learn more and stay informed about what is happening in each state, and how you can be supportive at  https://transequality.org/

What Does It Take To Change?

A blog written by Assistant Director, Lindsay Mesa.

What does it take to change?

I’ve thought a lot about change, why it matters, and how it happens.

Take running. I was never a runner. I never played team sports in school and didn’t

consider myself particularly athletic. For years I believed I couldn’t run; well-meaning doctors told me my particular set of chronic conditions would be aggravated by the repetitive movement.

I started running in my early twenties after I lost my dad to suicide. My dad was a runner, and I thought maybe in the experience, I could find a way to connect with him. At first, it did not work. For a long time, really, I was breathless, pushing too hard, too fast. I had to slow down. It felt infuriating to see a future state but have to accept how long it would take to get there.

But eventually, painstakingly, step by aching step, and only in hindsight, I realized running had become a permanent part of who I am. 

So, what does it take to change a system?

Pathways Vermont has joined the Decriminalize Vermont coalition, which is committed to ending the harms of Vermont’s drug laws and promoting health, equity, and human rights policies. Learn more at decrimvermont.org.

Make a positive difference today!

You can support our mission to end homelessness in Vermont and provide innovative mental health alternatives by making a charitable donation. 

When you give a one-time or recurring monthly gift, you are helping to ensure that all Vermonters have access to the vital programs and services that our staff provides throughout the year.

Click
here to give online or give with ease via Venmo (this link works best when clicked on the device that has Venmo installed) or this Venmo QR code. When you do, you’ll be making a positive difference in the lives of the many people that we work with and support throughout the state – individuals, families, and Veterans.

They need your support.

Thank you!

We are truly grateful to everyone who supports Pathways! Your dedicated support is impacting people’s lives. Thank you!

Every gift in any amount helps. Use Venmo or click below to make a one-time gift or sign up to become a Pathways Sustainer. 

An Update on Ronni’s Story! 

Ronni is a one-of-a-kind individual who cares deeply for those around them and has a sense of humor and smile that can light up a room. We first interviewed Ronni in 2019 when, with Pathways’ help, they moved into an apartment in Winooski after living out of their van for years. Since our first conversation with Ronni, a lot has happened. After the COVID-19 pandemic began, Ronni had a heart attack and double bypass surgery, and ended up homeless again due to challenges in their housing caused by a bad relationship.

“I felt more prepared to be homeless this time around because I had Pathways as a support from the start.” They ended up staying at the Champlain Inn and worked with Pathways staff to navigate homelessness and their medical care. Ronni cares for others, sometimes above their own needs. They have spent a large portion of their life advocating for others and often refer to themselves as an on-the-streets volunteer peer specialist. “I had to stop feeling like I was a co-worker on the streets and start realizing that Pathways was as much a resource for me as for other people.” When Ronni had their heart attack, they were in City Hall Park and didn’t want to upset those they were helping; that was an epiphany moment.

“I thought, I need to use my own resources. Katie from Pathways was my resource at that time. She took me to get heart surgery, and she showed up at my hospital bed. Katie said, ‘Pathways is not going to leave you. We are still here even though everything seems like a lot right now; we are still here.’” Ronni moved into their current apartment this past February. When asked what their favorite part of the apartment was, they replied, “My live-in aide, Tim, is my favorite part. I knew when I was housed, I would need help; that is a hard thing to admit. It is difficult to have someone move in with you and see the more vulnerable sides of you, but Tim has become the most meaningful part of my apartment.” Now that they are re-housed and feeling stable, they are looking forward to focusing on themselves and connecting to their community as a community member, not as a resource. Ronni still communicates with Pathways staff, who are a daily part of their life. Ronni looks forward to game nights and other events at the Pathways Vermont Community Center, and appreciates the ease of having access to so much within the community.

PVCC Monthly Breakfast! 

The Pathways Vermont Community Center hosts a monthly breakfast, open to anyone in the community. This month’s breakfast featured a variety of quiches, accompanied by home fries and citrus fruits! A big thank you to Haytumble Farm & Vineyard for their generous donation of eggs, which helped make the delicious quiches possible this month. To learn more about PVCC offerings, email [email protected].

Summer Solstice Class for Pathways Vermont Giving Day!

For our June 22nd Giving Day this year, Pathways Vermont is asking health, wellness, and fitness studios that offer group classes (such as yoga, pilates, spin, etc.) in the regions we serve to host a benefit class on the day before Giving Day, which is the summer solstice – June 21st. The proceeds from each designated class on June 21st would contribute to our Giving Day total on June 22nd.

If you know or own a studio that may be interested in participating, please sign up or share the link with them using the button below, or contact [email protected] with any questions!

In this workshop, we’ll talk about how we utilize Housing First values to build a synergetic partnership with the Vermont Department of Corrections (DOC), a practice we think can be replicated. Through this ever-evolving partnership, we support people leaving incarceration to re-acclimate to independent living and reintegrate into their communities, including building (and sometimes reconnecting with) natural supports. Through the power of human connection and mutual relationships between Pathways, DOC, and the individual, we are able to build genuine, dynamic relationships that are transformative for all of us.

Specialized Supports Program
Retreat! 

Pathways Vermont’s Specialized Supports Program (SSP) held a staff retreat this month!

The Specialized Supports Program works with individuals who have experienced extended periods of hospitalization and require an intense level of support to maintain independent housing in the community.

Thank you, Kevin, Jason, Eloise, Corbin, and Heidi, for your passion and dedication!

Celebrating Nine Years of Soteria House!  

This month marks nine years since Pathways Vermont obtained its license to officially operate Soteria House. Soteria House is a Therapeutic Community Residence aimed at preventing hospitalization for individuals experiencing distressing extreme states, commonly referred to as psychosis. Our Soteria House is the only one in the United States. This photo was taken in 2015 at the Open House and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for Soteria Vermont, one year after we received licensing to officially open our doors.

Thank you to our Pathways Vermont Community for supporting Soteria Vermont and innovative mental health alternatives. 

Peer Respites: A Vital Community Resource

A blog written by 

J Helms, Director of Training & Advocacy

In early 2018, I was in the midst of a deep darkness and struggling significantly to move through the day-to-day experience of being alive. Pretty much everything felt like a chore: I was angry about having to brush my teeth.

Getting dressed for winter and having to deal with snow made me want to scream and break things. Holding a conversation for any amount of time felt absolutely torturous. I didn’t want to feel any emotions and I didn’t want to talk about emotions, mine or anyone else’s. In short, I was mutinous about being alive and I wanted very badly to stop existing.

Back then I worked as a peer support advocate at a community mental health agency and spent the majority of my days supporting people in emotional distress. You can probably understand why my work didn’t feel restorative, energizing, or particularly possible during that time (though it had certainly felt that way before and did again after). Outside of work, I struggled to maintain my relationships with friends and family; I couldn’t keep up with communication and when I did communicate, it wasn’t authentic to my actual experience. Most importantly, I’d fallen short in my relationship with myself: I’d become so focused on trudging through the muck of each day that I’d lost myself. I saw a stranger in the mirror. 

I knew that I needed to create a break from my life in order to keep living: the only way I could reconnect with myself and rebuild my resilience was to take an actual and intentional pause. 

Make a positive difference today!

You can support our mission to end homelessness in Vermont and provide innovative mental health alternatives by making a charitable donation. 

When you give a one-time or recurring monthly gift, you are helping to ensure that all Vermonters have access to the vital programs and services that our staff provides throughout the year.

Click here to give online or give with ease via Venmo (this link works best when clicked on the device that has Venmo installed) or this Venmo QR code. When you do, you’ll be making a positive difference in the lives of the many people that we work with and support throughout the state – individuals, families, and Veterans.
They need your support.

Thank you!

We are truly grateful to everyone who supports Pathways! Your dedicated support is impacting people’s lives. Thank you!

Every gift in any amount helps. Use Venmo or click below to make a one-time gift or sign up to become a Pathways Sustainer.