Debbie's Story
Connection is at the center of everything we do here at Pathways. Our staff take the time to build relationships that help participants feel safe and understood as they rebuild their lives. This genuine care is at the heart of our programs and reminds participants that they are supported and, most importantly, not alone.
This year, we’re excited to share Debbie’s story with you, though most know her as “Debo.” She is warm, funny, and deeply proud of the life she is creating for herself. Her journey through recovery and stability reflects the resilience we see across our community and the importance of having people in your corner. Her connection with her team, especially Angie, shows how relationships help make lasting change possible.
Debo is a typical cat mom. “I'm the one that pays the rent and the bills, everything, buys the food and all. The cat runs the place.”
Debo has been housed with Pathways since 2017, which is also when she stopped using heroin. Her recovery has been a long journey that has taken years of trust, determination, and support. It took nearly eight years for her to reach a place where she felt ready to stop using alcohol, and crack too.
She adopted her cat, Tink, about six months ago. Debo takes pride in being the only mommy Tink has known. After a recent visit to the vet, she got quite the surprise. After spending six months with the cat she thought was a boy, she learned that Tink is actually a girl. The only thing Debo changed was lengthening her name to Tinkerbell. She’s enjoying being a cat mom and taking care of someone other than herself. She credits being a cat mom with helping her recovery from substance use. Her adoption of Tink coincides with her decision to stop using both alcohol and crack.
Her journey with substance use began long before now. Debo stopped using heroin in 2017 after ending up in the hospital, which is when she first met Dr. Lara from Pathways’ on-site clinic. “Dr. Lara, the first time she ever met me. I was in the hospital, and she put me on Subs [suboxone]. I'm off now, I'm doing this on my own. I don't even go down to Kensington no more. It takes a while to go through your system and all but once it goes through it, man, you don't even crave for [it] no more.”
This time around, she looked to a different medication to help manage any cravings she may have. Topamax, a twice daily pill, is prescribed through our clinic and Debo picks it up regularly at Shop & Carry, our pharmacy partner. “It feels so great, man. I ain't gonna wake up dope sick in the morning, hoping you know where the next one is coming from. I came a long way. And I am proud of myself for being clean.”
With more free time, Debo has been cooking a lot. Her favorite thing to cook is fried chicken, which she’s just learning to make. She also likes working with her hands and remembers a boathouse she once created with a former staff person during a craft day. She still has it in her apartment. She spends time with her son when she can, though coordinating schedules can be tough because he works nights.
Debo also credits her team for supporting her throughout her recovery. “I just love the way they helped me and everything. Especially Angie, she's really stepped up to the plate for me. So does everybody else. But you know, Angie's really been there for maybe the last four months. Five months. I got a very good relationship with her. And that's the main important thing. The relationship.”
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DeBo’s experience reflects what we often hear from our participants. Housing provides the foundation, but stability grows through consistent presence, trust, and the knowledge that someone is walking beside you. It comes from the Service Coordinator who checks in, the clinician who listens, and the team that shows up with compassion day after day.
When you give to Pathways, you uplift the care that surrounds each participant. You help ensure that our staff can continue meeting people where they are, offering patience, guidance, and encouragement as they navigate challenges and celebrate progress. Your support ensures more than 500 participants have a place to call home and a team of caring staff in their corner, just like Debo does.
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