Hi – I’m Megan!
I’ve been with Pathways Vermont for three and a half years on the Franklin County team. I started as a service coordinator for our Family Supportive Housing team right when the program began in October 2020. My current role is the Service Team Lead. I would describe myself as someone who is motivated, empathetic, trustworthy, and passionate. I enjoy supporting people where they are mentally and physically, and can easily make connections as I am genuine in my nature.
In my role as Service Team Lead, I oversee the day-to-day operations of our service team in Franklin County. I participate in collaborative meetings with team members, community members, and service providers, while also being a part of a team that provides compassionate, community-based services. The team and I meet every morning to review the prior day’s documentation; we also plan our days around the needs of those we serve who need support navigating a variety of challenges. I enjoy collaborating with the service team, helping them to continue the great work they do—providing one-on-one, client-centered support in areas such as housing, community resources, mental health, and substance abuse, among others. Though in a leadership role, I love and value that I still get to work directly with clients, meeting with them in their homes and/or the community.
What inspires me about Pathways’ mission to end homelessness and provide innovative mental health alternatives is the essential nature of the services this organization provides in our community. We all likely know someone, if not ourselves, who has needed help navigating very difficult circumstances at one point. Everyone deserves a safe space to ‘come home to,’ access to resources to help them be and stay well, and Pathways offers that support in a safe, empathetic, and non-judgmental way. My favorite part of this work are the connections made with individuals who often have no one and are frequently pushed aside due to stigmatization around mental health, substance use, and homelessness. We often become the only constant support in someone’s life, and that really means a lot to many we serve.
My most memorable experience at Pathways was when the Family Supportive Housing (FSH) program started in the fall of 2020. We had many new enrollments and individuals to support in finding housing; the first family I supported with a lease up stands out in my mind. They had children, and it was around the holidays, so it made me extremely happy and emotional to support someone in ‘going home’.
My biggest motivation for coming to work every day is knowing that the help is still greatly needed in our communities, and it affects us all in some way or another. People should not turn a blind eye to someone else’s suffering; everyone’s story is important and should be heard.
