Pathways to Independence

04/24/2026

Your chance to lead the way: Early Giving is now open for our 36-Hour Find Your People Fundraising Campaign running April 28-29!

Pathways to Independence is working toward a $135,000 goal to help more neurodiverse people find skills, confidence, and connection.

Every gift is quadrupled by our generous matching donors starting right now and running until 9PM April 29th!

Give early here: www.charidy.com/pathways

Want to see who you’re supporting? Watch this short video and meet one of our incredible participants, Jocelyn!

https://youtube.com/shorts/nAKoSPDiQEI?feature=share

Donate early and help create the momentum we need to reach every corner of our community. Your support is appreciated!

1 like. "Find Your People with Jocelyn - Donate at charidy.com/pathways"

04/21/2026

We’re excited to welcome Matt Jannings as the new Executive Director of Pathways to Independence!

Matt brings more than a decade of nonprofit leadership experience supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and a strong track record of building programs and partnerships that create impact.

We look forward to the leadership and energy he will bring to Pathways.

Read more: https://ptistl.org/2026/04/matt-jannings-executive-director/

04/10/2026

“(Lacey) has a unique way of connecting with our participants, reminding them of their goals and the purpose of Pathways while keeping things conversational and fun.” 💙

We are so proud to celebrate our Program Specialist, Lacey, and the incredible impact she’s making at Pathways to Independence.

Lacey empowers people with disabilities to build confidence and self-advocacy while also supporting meaningful connections in our community.

Her work makes a real difference, and we are proud to name her our Direct Support Professional of the Year!

Congratulations, Lacey! 🎉

Congratulations to our Program Specialist, Lacey Fitzgerald, on being our Direct Support Professional of the Year! Lacey's fun approach to guidance helps to ...

04/06/2026

Are you a caregiver or family member of a Pathways participant? Are you looking for guidance on what disability resources/benefits are out there for your loved one? We are here to help!

🔗 Scan the QR code or click below to register for our Disability 101 Info Nite for Family and Caregivers!

https://docs.google.com/forms/u/0/d/e/1FAIpQLSfR0Wzc2xiRrx9SzzrH0y3Bkrjfg43tXH4PD8qfIc4aGds2Sw/viewform?usp=send_form&pli=1&authuser=0

🗓️ Happening Saturday, April 26th from 10:30AM-12:30PM at the Pathways office

You'll learn about:
💡Benefit information
💡Planning for the future
💡Services and resources available

🤝 We will also feature breakout groups for caregivers and siblings

Thank you for being an amazing supporter to your Pathways participant!

03/19/2026

Spring is here 🐰 and Pathways is hopping all over St. Louis having fun! Our crew can be spotted ...

🐟 Touching hearts at the Union Station Aquarium
🃏 Trading smiles at Pokekon
🛠️ Building bonds at an Ikea Scavenger Hunt
🐶 Making a difference crafting DIY dog toys for a local shelter
🍳 Cooking up new skills at our Cooking Class
🎭 Breaking a leg at our Fox Theatre tour
🐱 Petting new pals at the Cat Cafe
🌷 Crafting up fun with DIY flower arrangements

Interested in learning more? DM us or go to www.ptistl.org

03/18/2026

Boy Howdy! How Much Did We Raise at Trivia Night?

Thank you to those who were a part of the fun and fundraising at Pathways’ 17th Annual Trivia Night! We appreciate our community coming together to celebrate our participants and support our mission of helping people with disabilities find confidence and connection!

We are always looking to grow. If you attended Trivia Night, please fill out this short survey so we can make next year’s event even better: https://forms.gle/oYoP83YifzYRuCiy9

Congratulations to our Trivia Winners, the Zafft family, who have graciously donated their winnings back to the organization in memory of former participant, Susie Zafft.

Why do we gather? To celebrate and support people like Rudi, our Trivia Night Speaker this year. Rudi has been a Participant for over 20 years. His message of being welcomed by the Pathways community and finding trust in himself is an inspiring reminder of why this mission matters. Check out his speech here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8F1KgYsXwA&feature=youtu.be

… and boy howdy, did you all support! Together, we galloped right past our goal of $60,000 and raised ...

$61,666!

You showed up and showed us what it means to truly Find Your People. We could not be more grateful! With your contributions, we can fund the building of confidence, essential life skills, and friendships for people with disabilities.

Thank you.

Interested in staying up to date with Pathways? Subscribe to our newsletter: https://ptistl.us16.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=01b3aba0cf0182459bea19c88&id=432e0613f1

02/19/2026

Thank you, Trivia Sponsors!

These amazing businesses, organizations, and community members stepped up to support our biggest fundraising night of the year. This is more sponsors than we have ever had, and we couldn't be more grateful!

Every dollar given in support of Pathways goes towards building essential skills, confidence, and community.

Whether you are supporting, attending, or spreading the word about our mission, we appreciate your involvement in the Pathways community.

Now let's get fundraisin'! See you Saturday!

02/06/2026

Pathways participants are already getting the party started! 💃 Shellye, Ellie, Alyssa, and Holt cut up the dance floor with line dancing to get moving during this chilly week. Are you practicing your boot-scootin boogie for February 21st?

Trivia Night is only 2 weeks away! Tables are running out fast, so hurry to stake your claim.

Click here to nab your tickets for this night of fun and fundraisin':
https://ptistl.ejoinme.org/MyPages/RegistrationPage/tabid/1258630/Default.aspx

01/29/2026

Our Trivia Night speaker is .... Rudi! Leave a comment with some kind words to encourage Rudi before his speech 💙

We’re honored to welcome Rudi, a Pathways to Independence participant since 2003, as our Trivia Night speaker.

Rudi will share how Pathways helped him find community, build confidence, and develop the skills to form lasting friendships, especially during major life transitions. His story reflects the power of self-advocacy and the impact Pathways can have over a lifetime.

Join us to hear Rudi’s journey and why Pathways continues to matter in his life today.

Get your table before it's gone: https://ptistl.ejoinme.org/MyPages/RegistrationPage/tabid/1258630/Default.aspx

Unable to make it? Message us for sponsorship opportunities!

01/23/2026

How are you staying warm this winter? ❄️ Pathways is getting cozy and creative with our community!

⛄Young adults made vision boards to envision a great 2026
🌲Volunteers led a crafty class on jewelry making
⛸️ partnered with us for a lively game night
🧤Young adults have begun hosting their own small groups - this time with legos!

Have a skill you'd like to share with our community? DM us to host your own cozy wintertime event!

01/21/2026

"Intelligence plus character—that is the goal of true education." - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

This Monday, participants were invited to join an accessible virtual event to examine what social justice means to our community.

During this virtual event, participants got to learn about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and talk about social justice for all people.

Dr. King's impact is felt through the activism of everyone who believes in inclusion. Thank you to our Program Specialist, DeVonshae, for leading this important discussion!

12/29/2025

Thank you, Safety National, for continuing our tradition of lovely holiday parties together!

This year participants played bingo and snowball co****le, crafted clay snowmen, and won prizes, all while celebrating this wonderful community.

Safety National is a leading specialty insurance and reinsurance provider. With a culture built on relationships and over 80 years of unique expertise and resources, Safety National specializes in providing long-term solutions to their clients.

Cheers to Finding Our People in 2025!