For our guests: welcome home! We are glad you are here

We understand that this may be a very scary time.

You may need special care, support, and protection. We are here to help you feel safe. We hope this page will answer your questions so you feel welcome here. Pathway Home is an emergency shelter. We give people a place to stay. We help our guests find long-term housing they can afford. We welcome people of all backgrounds, races, ethnicities, orientations, and identities. We treat all people with respect and dignity and require our guests to do the same.

To be our guest, your first step is to call 608-432-4626.

This call will take about 20 minutes. Staff will take your information. They will also give you the names and phone numbers of other services you might need right now. Staff will run a background check. We do not expect a perfect background, but we must follow rules that are meant to keep all our guests safe. Once we receive the results of your background check, we will contact you. If you are a good fit for our shelter, we will add you to our waitlist. If the shelter is not a good fit for you, we will give you the names and phone numbers of other services.

What is the shelter like?

Our shelter is a home. We have 9 bedrooms. Families have their own bedroom. Single adults share a bedroom with up to 3 other guests. Our home has spaces shared by everyone: a living room, a dining room, a resource area, and a full kitchen. We have a pantry full of food. We also have spaces for you to store your personal food, both cold and dry. Outside, there is a play area and a garden. When you stay here, you will meet each week with a case manager and follow their guidance. They will help you secure income, apply for housing, and connect you with other community services.

What can I bring with me?

Our home is small and spaces are shared. Please bring no more than 2-3 weeks of clothing per person, plus whatever documents you need, and a small number of personal items. Things you cannot bring include: televisions, desk top computers, gaming systems, personal furniture, appliances, and home goods. We are unable to accept your pets (please contact us about ESA and Service Animals).

What rules will I have to follow?

Rules are important to keep our shelter safe and legal. Here are a few... you will learn about other rules when you arrive.

You will treat everyone in our home with dignity and respect.
Children under 18 must be supervised by their parent(s) or guardian(s) at all times in our shelter.
No illegal drugs. No alcohol. We cannot complete an intake on someone who appears to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
No violence, bullying, or threatening of anyone at any time, to include other guests, staff, and volunteers.

What can I expect when I arrive?

When we have a space and you are next on the waitlist, we will give you a call to set up an intake date. When you arrive at the shelter, we will greet you and help bring in your belongings if needed. Our first step will be to treat and "hot treat" all of your personal belongings. We will give you clean, comfy clothes to change into, an opportunity to shower, and food and drink as needed. While your personal items are being treated in our hotbox, we will complete paperwork and talk about our program. Please plan for this to take most of the day. After the heat treatment, all clothing will need to be washed and dried. This process can leave you without your own clothes for several hours.

How long can I stay?

Our program runs up to 30 days at a time, for up to 90 consecutive days. After your first 30 days, we will give you an application for extension. If that is approved, we will give you another application for extension at 60 days for a total of 90 days. Application approval depends in part on working the program and following up on referrals provided by Case Managers. There is no guarantee of 90 days upon your enrollment in our program.

Where is the shelter located?

Pathway Home - Baraboo is located at 1200 Silver Circle in Baraboo, WI.

If you need our services, you must call our pre-screen line at 608-432-4626. We do not accept guests at the shelter unless they have been pre-admitted and contacted for an Intake.

If you have other questions about our program, please call the shelter at 608-356-3069.