Don’t Let the Past Define Your Future

CHT Josslyn
CHT Josslyn
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“One thing I remember about living in the shelter was I taught myself how to snap my fingers,” recalled Josslyn McKenna. She, her parents, and her sister had become homeless when she was five.
 
Now 17 and a junior at Essex High School – and at home at Champlain Housing Trust’s Winchester Place apartments – her memories have faded a little, though she certainly doesn’t forget the kindness of the staff at COTS or the support of an AmeriCorps VISTA member from Spectrum Family and Youth Services. “Spectrum took me bowling, to dance classes at the Flynn – they tried to make sure I could still be a kid!”
 
The road that led to the shelter wasn’t atypical – loss of employment, compounded by health issues, plus the high cost of housing. Her parents decided not to renew their lease on the home in Williston when her father lost his job. They thought it would be easier to find a more affordable home.
 
It was August, so they camped at Malletts Bay until early October when the snow began to fall. Unable to find a home, they applied to COTS Family Shelter and it was a full eight months waiting for an affordable apartment to become available.
 
That first apartment – also through Champlain Housing Trust – was in Richmond. They made the move to Winchester Place to be closer to medical care that her mom, Tammi, needed and when her parents separated. Her father had taken a job in Maine leaving the family behind. That was seven years ago. Tammi credits CHT’s staff with helping her stay on her feet.
 
“Now it just feels like home to me,” Josslyn said.
 
Josslyn had challenges of her own growing up – she was non-verbal until the age of three and diagnosed as Neurodiverse that exhibits in a variety of ways. To combat her anxiety and to avoid depression, she explained, she has thrown herself into a variety of activities over the years, taking advantage of programs that have made them affordable and available: horseback riding, Alpine skiing, sport stacking, and cheerleading to name a few. She’s also maintained close to a 4.0 grade point average.
 
And this past summer, she entered and won “Miss Vermont Teen USA” and competed in the national competition at the Palace Theater in Los Angeles, California. She raised money with help from family and friends as well as a few local businesses to make the trip possible.
 
Drawing upon her experiences, she’s committed to using her platform to advocate to end homelessness, and she created a new organization called the Youth Advocacy Alliance of Vermont. Her goal through this Alliance is to organize other teens – she met many teen leaders from across the State by participating in the Governor’s Institute of Vermont in 2023 – to push for meaningful change. One concept she wants to pursue is turning unused buildings into shelters or transitional housing.
 
Josslyn and her mom joined Champlain Housing Trust at the annual Members’ Day picnic, complete with her sash and tiara, and posed for many photos with children and families. She also met the Lt. Governor who pledged to help her with her advocacy.
 
“I want to make sure everyone knows that your past doesn’t have to define your future,” she said. “That’s really important to me.”
 
Seeing what Josslyn’s been able to accomplish so far, it’s likely that she’ll make her future achievements look like a snap.