When I arrived at Neil’s apartment for our interview, he was waiting at the front door. He greeted me with a kind smile and invited me in. He offered me a chair, and we sat together in his living room as he shared his story.
Ten years ago, Neil was released from jail and started working to rebuild his life. Housing, however, remained out of reach.
He soon found himself living on the street in a tent near the banks of Lake Champlain in Burlington. Finding food was a daily challenge. “Whatever I could find is what I ate.”
He felt alone, with little support and no sense of safety. “It was horrible,” he said. “I thought about killing myself.”
After a year without shelter, Neil moved into a hotel room in Rutland.
It was around that time that he was connected with Pathways Vermont and enrolled in our Department of Corrections transitional housing program. That’s when he started working with Jeff, a Pathways Housing Coordinator, and Melissa, his Service Coordinator in Rutland. Neil was trying to stay on top of his physical and mental health, waking up at 5:00 AM to catch a bus to Middlebury for his weekly doctor’s appointment.
After two years in the DOC program, Neil graduated – a major accomplishment that marked a turning point. With Pathways’ support, he became eligible for a Department of Mental Health housing voucher. When an apartment in Bennington became available, he had to act quickly before losing his subsidy. Thanks to the strong relationships Pathways’ housing team had built with local landlords, Neil was able to move into an apartment.
The transition wasn’t without sacrifice. He left behind a trusted doctor and counselor in Rutland, and some days, Bennington still feels unfamiliar. But he hasn’t had to face it alone. What stands out most in Neil’s story is the connection, the steady, compassionate presence of people who are “there for you when you need them.”
Today, Neil is housed and healing. With stability has come space to rest, reflect, and connect with his new community. He’s not sure what’s next, but he does have one plan: “I want a beta fish,” he said. “I know what I’ll name him – Maverick.”
