Photographs: Event photos by Elaine Ubina/Fairfield County Look; all others contributed
Five decades ago, when the late Renee Bigler was told that her son had schizophrenia, she understood two things: As he grew into adulthood his problems would increase, and if he were to continue to live at home, his independence would decline.
Bigler became a champion for the rights and protection of people who suffer from mental illness and the leading force in founding Pathways, a nonprofit social service agency that now has four halfway houses in Greenwich—all offering hope, friendship, recovery and new beginnings for 38 clients. Its day program, The Club in Cos Cob, is the hub where residential and community clients engage in life through enriching activities, supportive services and communal nutritious meals. Pathways serves between 70 and 80 clients in our area.
We sat down with Peter Tesei, Pathways’ executive director, for a peek at the organization’s upcoming annual concert and an insider’s view of the work Pathways accomplishes.
GREENWICH MAGAZINE: WE KNOW YOU’RE BUSY WORKING ON YOUR ANNUAL MUSIC FOR MENTAL HEALTH. CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT THE EVENT?
PETER TESEI: This is our fifth year of Music for Mental Health, which has the dual goal of raising money and awareness about the work we do at Pathways.
In past years, it has taken place in early February, and we are hoping that moving it to May will attract more people. It takes place Saturday, May 17, at The Capitol Theater in Port Chester.
GM: WHO IS PERFORMING?
PT: Lake Street Daive—a pop, bluesy rock group that is popular with a variety of ages. General benefit tickets, at $275, include a pre-concert party at Garcia’s at the theater with an open bar, catering by the Old Greenwich Butcher Shop and one general admission concert ticket. VIP tickets, at $400, include all the general benefit ticket features, in addition to a private soundcheck with the band.
GM: YOU SAID AWARENESS ABOUT PATHWAYS IS PART OF THE REASON FOR HOLDING MUSIC FOR MENTAL HEALTH. CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHY THE WORK YOU DO IS CRITICAL FOR THE HEALTH OF OUR COMMUNITY?
PT: Pathways is the only agency in Greenwich that provides housing and support services for adults with serious mental diagnoses, many of whom wind up homeless. Our mission is to support some of the most vulnerable individuals in our community, people who are deserving of dignity, a sense of purpose and meaningful connections.
We offer case management, help them navigate through life, including medical appointments, coping strategies and addressing issues as they arise, averting crisis situations.
GM: TELL US ABOUT THE CLUB.
PT: We call it The Club because it provides a sense of community and purpose, a place to go that is their own. Our clients are striving for a sense of independence, and The Club provides that for our residential and day clients.
It’s open Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The day begins with a light breakfast, followed by a morning meeting featuring speakers on varying topics—health, arts, gardening, entertainment, current events. A couple of times a week, they have field trips, such as swimming at the YMCA or a visit to the library, including a stop at the café.
GM: HOW DO YOUR CLIENTS COME TO PATHWAYS?
PT: Through two avenues, the State of Connecticut Mental Health and Addiction Services and referrals from behavioral health providers. Our primary catchment area is the Southern Connecticut region, Greenwich through Bridgeport.
GM: WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES PATHWAYS FACES?
PT: There’s an acute shortage of housing for the clients we serve. The pandemic opened the door for people to discuss mental health issues, but we need to talk about them more. We are light years ahead of where we were when Pathways opened in 1981, but we are always battling the stigma attached to mental illness.
There have been a handful of people who express concern about buying a house around our homes, but we can assure everyone that there has never been an incident with our clients. Our clients are medicated and supervised and are more likely to be victimized themselves than being a perpetrator.
Our homes are homes, made to look and feel like a home. These are not institutions. This month, Mental Health Awareness Month, is the perfect time for us all to start discussions about the issue. pways.org