Our Stories

On January 23rd, 2020 Jennifer Furey, a Pathways Vermont Support Line operator, testified at the Statehouse on behalf of Pathways Vermont. She advocated for the expansion of the Pathways Vermont Support Line to be open 24/7 as the line is currently only open from 3 PM to 6 AM. Below is her testimony.  “Hello, My […]

Mindy was introduced to drugs by her older brothers while she was still a teen growing up in West Topsham, Vermont. At the age of 21, an abusive relationship left her alone with a young daughter. Mindy’s opiod addiction spun out of control and she eventually ended up with no place for her and her […]

When you open the door to Jack’s apartment it’s immediately apparent that he takes immense pride in his home. From the photos of family and personal heroes to the beautiful curated house plants that lend warmth to his space, Jack has created an environment from which he can achieve his dreams. Below, in his own […]

Ronni has spent their whole life putting the care of other people in front of their own needs. Known as “Mom” to their friends, Ronni has helped others experiencing homelessness to seek help while avoiding outside help for themselves. For years, Ronni lived out of a van in the impromptu camps located around the Burlington […]

Gloria and Greg have been together for over 18 years. Greg grew up in a large family, he was one of nine children. He enlisted in the Army when he was 21 and served in the 101st Airborne, was deployed in Germany, and was later stationed in Washington D.C. to assist with funerals at Arlington […]

“I am currently working as a Registered Nurse at Central Vermont Medical Center while I pursue my Doctorate of Nursing Practice at UVM in order to become a Nurse Practitioner. I first heard of the Housing First model in a public health class. I appreciate that Pathways Vermont seeks to understand the unique needs of […]

Desiree has been working with our Housing First Department of Corrections Program for over 6 months and is now full of hope for her future. Below, she reflects upon her life’s journey up until this point.  “I grew up in West Berlin, Vermont. I loved growing up here. It was nice to be able to go […]

Tess Taylor, a landlord in Barre, who has worked with Pathways Vermont’s Housing First Department of Corrections Participants for close to a decade recently sat down with our Development Director, Pat Gallagher. The following is their conversation. Pat: Why do you work specifically with people coming out of the corrections system? Tess: In all the people I’ve housed I’ve seen that […]

“My name is Ethan Thomas, I was born in Vermont in 1989 and was raised by a single mother who worked two jobs and went to college full time to support my brother and I.  Homelife was tough at times with a mother constantly on the go, a brother who was an alcoholic, and an […]

Ali Jafari has worked for Pathways Vermont for over 3 years now. They started as a Resident Support Staff at the Pathways Vermont Soteria House and most recently has been an operator with the Pathways Vermont Support Line. We asked Ali to share their story in front of the House Healthcare Committee at the Statehouse […]