A Message from the President & CEO
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Spring is a time of rejuvenation, renewal, resurrection and growth. Here at Pathway Homes Inc., we are planting seeds of durability through our enhanced business model. The product is an infrastructure that continually adapts to deliver positive results! At Pathways our mission “embodies the spirit of recovery: embracing an attitude of hope, self-determination and partnering with each individual on their personal journey toward achieving self-fulfillment and realizing their dreams.” We achieve our mission by making available to individuals with serious mental illness and co-occurring disabilities, non-time-limited housing and tailored supports to support their journey of recovery.
Our continued growth is fueled by federal, state and local government, as well as private funding and is impacted by an ever-changing landscape. While we don’t have access to a crystal ball in these constantly changing times, we are confident that our diverse and resilient infrastructure is one that you can count on to be part of the solution! As a social enterprising entity, we embrace the uncertainty as part of a constant opportunity to expand our service delivery throughout the state, and beyond. Our expansion into Florida continues to thrive; and we welcome our newest collaboration and partnership with Loudoun County, where we will be providing needed support services to our target population.
Data drives decisions, and with an eye on enhancing our financial literacy, communication, planning, and reporting, we have a clear vision about the decisions that drive increased access to the services we provide. As such, we know that the most significant social detriment to recovery for those we serve is lack of housing. Permanent supportive housing with supports has been shown to be the single most impactful service contributing to recovery!
Data also drives outcomes. Pathways' outcomes speak for themselves, and drive our continued improvement of services with full integration of the voices of those we serve. This past year our outcomes validated the culture of excellence embedded in our agency. Notably, we served 181 new individuals; 18% of those served were employed (national average is 15-28%); 97% remained stably housed; no more than 10% experienced a psychiatric or medical hospitalization; less than 1% was incarcerated; and 92% expressed overall satisfaction with our housing and services. At the same time, we had excellent financial and programmatic audits from a variety of local, state, and federal regulatory bodies.
We understand the evolving challenges of our environment and embrace the opportunity to work even harder to achieve our mission. On behalf of all of us at Pathway Homes, I thank you for your continued support and welcome your contributions to our anticipated abundance during this spring season. If you haven’t already registered to attend our annual fundraising breakfast please
click here to register
for this inspirational and fun event.
Thank you again for your continued investment in our mission, and we look forward to the opportunity to continue to serve individuals in need, and our community in general.
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Sylisa Lambert-Woodard, EdD, LCSW, LSATP, MAC
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The Journey of a Thousand Miles Begins With a Single Life
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I recently moved to a one-bedroom apartment after many years of sharing a two-bedroom apartment with my recently estranged husband. This move is giving me a release from what has been a debilitating relationship for many years and provides a next step in my life, and a new journey for me. I am trying to keep myself busy by looking for a part-time job and staying clean. I have been very active with the Pathway Homes Consumer Advisory Council this year. I have spoken to lawmakers and others on the importance of agencies like Pathways.
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Tina Simms (center) at the 2017 Wellness and Recovery Conference
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Prior to getting housing and supportive services from Pathways, I lived in the woods with my husband, didn't eat well, abused drugs, and had no contact with friends or family. We would drop-in to a shelter for a shower and a meal each day and then return to the woods for the night. I did this for 2 and a half years. My mother-in-law did let us rent from her for about four months, which helped me avoid using drugs and gain some stability. I am very grateful to her for that opportunity. Luckily, about that time I was contacted by Pathway Homes and they had a two-bedroom apartment available for my husband and I to consider. In August 2007, we signed our lease with Pathway Homes and moved in with a bed and a little TV. Pathway Homes also provided other things to make my apartment feel like home.
I lived with mental illness most of my life. I hear voices and suffer from depression. I feel the symptoms of my illness led me to bad relationships, drug use and homelessness. For the past ten years, having stable housing and services has given me a path to continue my journey. I have moved on from my unhealthy relationship, work every day to stay clean, and use my voice to support my community and others traveling on their own journeys. It has been a long and difficult voyage and one where I take another step every day.
My goals for the future include learning to live a stress and drama free life by learning to enjoy living alone. I want to continue to participate in the Consumer Advisory Council speaking out about my life. I want to get a job, and I want to become a peer support specialist. Over the past year, I have been reconnecting with my family and have been able to spend time with my grandchildren. It feels so good to have my family and friends back in my life. Having them as part of my life has been a major motivation as I continue to stay clean and push forward with my goals.
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Donors are making a substantial and sustaining difference.
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As we approach the fourth year of our Steps to Pathways Breakfast, we look back on the sustaining difference our Giving Society members have made in the lives of so many with their five-year financial commitment to the agency.
Since our first breakfast in May 2015, we have increased the number of people we serve by 72%. That is over three hundred more people who now have stable housing and renewed hope for recovery. The nearly quarter of a million dollars contributed, and committed to date by the members of the Giving Society helped make that happen.
Many Pathways men and women have reclaimed their lives through a variety of paths including:
- Increasing their computer skills in the computer training center.
- Participating in the Consumer Advisory Council to help strengthen our programs.
- Using their voice to advocate for greater support and awareness of mental health issues with federal, state and local lawmakers, as well as county partners.
- Returning to the work-force, reconnecting with family members, and obtaining university degrees.
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- Learning how to better manage chronic physical health issues like diabetes, heart disease and respiratory issues to increase their quality of life and mortality rate.
- Learning how to better manage mental illnesses and accompanying symptoms.
- Most importantly, all have increased their ability to maintain stable and affordable housing.
People previously in unstable housing positions, homeless or in psychiatric hospitals, now have a home and hope for the future in a non-time limited setting that supports them to reach their goals at their own pace.
We invite you to join us at our upcoming breakfast on May 17th and join the following Giving Society members who help make all this happen.
We thank Mr. and Mrs. John and Joyce Flynn and Mr. Satinderpal Singh, Signature Renovations for pledging $10,000 per year for five years.
We thank Mr. and Mrs. James and Miriam Ross for pledging $5,000 per year for five years.
We thank Mrs. Brenda Brennan; Mr. Patrick Chaing; Ronald and Wendy Dickinson of ServePro; Mr. Daniel Gray; Mr. William Iwig; Mrs. Jennifer Judelsohn & Mr. David Stearman; Dr. Sylisa Lambert-Woodard; Mrs. Angie Lathrop; Mrs. Nicolette Mejia; Mrs. Jennifer McGarey; Mr. Eric Riddell; Mrs. Anna Smith and Dr. Eleanor Vincent for pledging $1,000 per year for five years.
Not ready for the Giving Society yet? You can still help with a donation that fits your pocketbook.
Click here to register for the breakfast.
Can’t make it but want to help?
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Consumer Advisory Council Takes Richmond by Storm
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Emilio Callejas with Senator Chap Petersen
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Marti Kelly met with Delegate Mark Sickles
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Tina Simms with Senator Adam P. Ebbin
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What did you do on Valentine’s Day?
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At Pathways, four members of the Consumer Advisory Council (CAC) met with their Delegates and Senators at the General Assembly in Richmond. Prior to the meetings, the group attended a 2-day advocacy training hosted by Mental Health America of Virginia. At the training they learned how to hone their fledgling advocacy muscle and be effective in speaking to their elected officials. This is the second time that members of the CAC have gone down to Richmond to advocate for more affordable permanent supportive housing for individuals with mental illnesses. Last year they partnered with the Virginia Housing Alliance during their Housing Day. They also went to Washington D.C. and advocated for more funding, meeting with staff of Representative Connolly and Senators Kaine and Warner.
This is what the members of the CAC had to say about their trip to Richmond this year:
The team of the MHA of VA did a good job giving us confidence what was going to happen in the General Assembly. We were left alone to talk to the state congressmen. The independence was terrifying at the same time exuberating. After I waited a while I talked to Delegate Plum himself and then I talked to the assistant for Janet Howell. The more I met with them, the easier it was. Probably because I mentioned to the assistant that I went to the same church Senator Howell went. When I got home I wrote letters to Delegate Plum and Senator Howell thanking them for the time. --Mitch Kato
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As a member of the Consumer Advisory Council from Pathway Homes, I had a quite constructive trip at the Virginia House of Legislator in Richmond, Virginia by advocating for more funds to be invested in affordable housing and Mental Health services for our community and the expansion of Medicaid for people in the Commonwealth of Virginia. I met with the assistant of the Virginia State Senator Honorable Chap Petersen. I also had a personal meeting with our Virginia state delegate Honorable David Bulova to whom I was very thankful for his hard work and Public service. --Emilio Callejas
Marti Kelly met with Delegate Mark Sickles and received a Thomas Jefferson Ornament as a thank you for meeting with him. She said, “I learned a lot and had a lot of fun!”
Tina Smith, who met with Senator Ebbin, stated “the experience was great, especially the way that I was able to speak with him on a more individual level.”
The CAC has also been working on other projects these past few months, including their own strategic plan and recruitment of new members. If you would like to be a part of this dynamic and fun group, please send an email to cac@pathwayhomes.org or call 571-989-5CAC (5222).
Many thanks to David Leventhal for providing staff support to the Consumer Advisory Council.
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Congratulations to Sue Zywokarte who graduated with a Master of Science in Geoinformatics and Geospatial Intelligence. Sue has received housing and services from Pathway Homes since 2002 and has served on Pathways' Board of Directors since 2006.
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