Pathways Vermont Service Recipient Trever is someone who loves to spend his free time recovering furniture and items from second-hand stores and giving them new life. He believes in second chances, isn’t afraid to be himself, and enjoys life’s simple pleasures. A native Vermonter, Trever became homeless in 2006 when he was living in Morrisville.
Trever lived in the woods of Wilmot Mountain with his puppy at the time. “Every night I would climb a tree with my puppy in my bag, and we would sleep on a branch inside my sleeping bag.”
Trever got by heating food in a plastic bag in warm water and spending time with his puppy, a memory he looks back on fondly. “There were never people in the woods, which actually helped, being alone was peaceful.” From there, Trever ended up incarcerated for 17 years.
“Being in jail was really hard. I lost a lot of family while I was incarcerated. When things got too hard to handle I thought of past memories, anything that was special to me. It was almost like watching TV and remembering.” Trever first heard about Pathways from a fellow inmate, and at first, never thought he would qualify, but after 17 years of being incarcerated, he was hopeful. Trever filled out the paperwork and waited for the next steps.
Finally, Trever met with someone from Pathways with his caseworker and waited about a year before he was released. “It was overwhelming and so exciting when I knew I had an apartment to go to.” Trever moved into his apartment straight from incarceration with the help of Pathways Vermont. “Everyone has been so kind and patient. Jeff and Dave always check in on me. Dez, Kristen – everyone is here for me.”
Looking ahead, Trever hopes in the future he can own his own house and have a beautiful property that his kids would be proud of him for. He also hopes to be closer to his mother and continue to spend his days recovering second-hand furniture and finding ways to tell old stories in new, beautiful ways.
