Showing Up, Every Day
When people talk about what makes Pathways to Housing PA different, they usually point to our housing program. But if you ask our participants what makes us different, and they’ll usually say “Pathways really cares”. In other words, someone showed up, someone remembered them, someone checked in.
Christine Oleskey has spent over 10 years showing up for our participants.
Christine now serves as Pathways’ Shared Housing and Alumni Coordinator, but prior to, she was our Community Inclusion Coordinator. In that role, she helped create spaces where participants could gather, try something new, and feel part of a community. She organized activities like Restaurant Club, craft days, cooking groups, movie trips, volunteer days, and more.
Before moving into community inclusion, Christine briefly worked in HR. On “check days”, she would settle in upstairs and brew pot after pot of coffee, consistently being there long enough to start learning names, faces, and stories. (“Check day” was when participants came in to receive their monthly income if Pathways was their representative payee.) When Christine transitioned into community inclusion in 2018, she was able to strengthen those relationships and build new ones.
“I don’t remember the first time I met Deb,” Christine shared. “She feels like one of those people I’ve always known.” Deb, who some know as Debo, was often there in the office or at other activities. She came to Restaurant Club and craft days, and really found her place in the group over time.
When the COVID pandemic happened, community inclusion paused for a while and slowly reemerged in new ways. They began with outdoor flea market visits and smaller gatherings. When in-person activities resumed, Deb trickled into some activities when she could. At one craft group, she spoke honestly about missing the previous session because she had been up all night using drugs and was exhausted. Another participant gently encouraged her to keep coming, reminding her how much the group mattered, and that recovery was possible.
During the pandemic, Christine helped start a book club with other participants. Deb wanted to participate, but reading was sometimes difficult for her. So Christine read the book with her, sometimes over the phone and sometimes sitting together in a quiet space at the office. Deb sometimes was the only participant in the book club, but that was perfectly ok.
“She was in it,” Christine said. “She showed up.”
Christine talked about how Deb still greets her in the hallway, and stops by for candy in her office, even though she’s not in charge of the community events anymore. She appreciates getting to check-in with Deb whenever she can.
“She’s very honest. Very sweet. Always looking to do something,” Christine said. “She’s just a good person.”
These moments may seem small, but they are intentional. Community inclusion is intertwined into everything we do at Pathways. We want to create opportunities for genuine connection, where people are seen as individuals, and not defined by their circumstances.
Christine also reflected on how people experiencing homelessness are often treated as invisible. They’re walked past, filmed, and reduced to content or controversy. She wishes the public understood something simple but essential.
“See people as people,” she said. “Not as something to fix. Not as something to film.”
This belief shows up in our work every day. It means being present even when you’re running late. It’s answering calls and texts, and following up when you miss one. It’s recognizing small wins and remembering small preferences. These are not grand gestures. They are human ones.
That is what it means to have someone in your corner.
As the funding landscape remains uncertain, what remains constant at Pathways is the way our staff show up across teams and across roles. Deb’s story is one of many. It reflects what happens when people are met with consistent patience, honesty, encouragement, and care over time.
At Pathways, we believe stable housing is essential. We also know that connection is vital. People heal, grow, and move forward when they are seen, valued, and supported.
Make your year-end gift to Pathways to Housing PA today. Your support is vital now and in the future to help sustain our programs.
