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.