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.
