PATH is far more than a shelter and one important way to demonstrate the breadth of services we provide is to share stories about our staff and participants.
PATH, which stands for People Assisting The Homeless, operates a 100-bed interim housing site where individuals can find respite and support. While in our care, residents work towards securing permanent homes and achieving self-sufficiency.
Each person’s episode of homelessness requires a unique approach and PATH truly focuses on meeting people where they’re at and doing whatever it takes to help people make it home.
Some folks utilize our services for a brief period, some take time to find the right services, programs, level of support, and housing option to help them achieve their goals.
PATH’s Rapid Re-Housing (RRH) team helps individuals quickly exit homelessness and move into their own homes.
Support includes assistance with housing placement, security deposit and short-term rental assistance, and stabilizing case management.
The program offers landlord management, rental and financial assistance for up to two years, and case management and retention. The goal is to connect someone to housing within 90 days, because the longer a person experiences homelessness, the more likely they are to stay homeless.
While the second year of the pandemic presented its own operational challenges for our interim housing site, our dedicated team members still worked every day to help people make it home. In the calendar year of 2021, PATH Santa Barbara served 381people and assisted 36 people in obtaining housing placements.
We’re honored to share the story of one of those 36 individuals, Alice’s story.
People are connected to PATH through a variety of referral partners and Alice came to our site in March of 2021 through Cottage Hospital’s Recuperative Care Program.
Last year, Alice lost her father, who was a huge support system for her. After his passing, she fell into a deep depression and found it harder and harder to take care of her diabetes. She was hospitalized and had to have her foot amputated.
Alice’s family life and previous living situation wasn’t something she could go back to. She went through physical and occupational therapy, but still relied on a wheelchair to get around when she came to PATH.
She had to adjust to limited mobility and living, for the first time ever, in a communal living space with unfamiliar people.
It was an adjustment, a culture shock at first, but she reminded herself not to judge the other residents. Reflecting on that time, she shared, “People aren’t good or bad, they’re just people and if we have a lot of kindness and grace for other people, they grow into it.”
Kindness was something she was always grateful for while at PATH. She couldn’t bathe herself or move around much and she expressed deep appreciation toward the PATH and Cottage staff that helped her adjust to new ways of living.
After several months, she received a prosthetic foot and adorned it with artwork that symbolizes love, hope, and faith.
After regaining strength and will to thrive, in July of 2021, she enrolled in PATH’s RRH program. Thanks to her determination and dedication from her housing navigator from Cottage Hospital, Becky Santana and RRH program Coordinator, Lauren Hofmann, she moved into her own apartment in September of 2021.
When she recounts her journey, despite all the challenges, she regularly refers to herself as being blessed.
Her apartment is adorned with touches that make it feel like home and she is looking forward to walks around her building. She also plans to go back to work as a cashier at a local grocery store in April.
Her favorite thing about her career is being able to interact with people and brighten their day.
When asked what she wants readers to take away from sharing her story, she gives some pretty solid advice: “In a world where you can be anything, be kind.”