An Interview with Cristin Anthony, Kairos Program Director

Cristin Anthony re-joined our Christ House team this fall as the new Kairos Program Director. In this role, she supports our Kairos Members to live with purpose and joy, coordinating care as well as providing advocacy, social service assistance, and connection. You can learn more about the Kairos Program here.

How did you learn about Christ House?

I actually visited Christ House in college as a volunteer. While I was here, I learned about the Year Long Volunteer program and decided to apply a few years later when I graduated.

What made you come back?

I’ve actually come back twice now! In that first visit, I was struck by how deeply important the work was, and how I had never given any thought to the importance of having a respite for folks living outside following hospitalization. The work felt so critical and so overlooked that I felt drawn to Christ House.

I started as a Year Long Volunteer (YLV) in the Activities Coordinator role. I loved that I was able to get to know so many residents so well, but I also was really interested in learning more about the systemic issues that faced our patients and decided to stay for a second year as a YLV in the Case Management Assistant position. That year, I decided that I wanted to go back to school to get a degree in counseling and chaplaincy. I stayed at Christ House one extra year in the Executive Assistant role (this time as an employee) while I applied to grad school.

That was 6 years ago, and I just returned to Christ House as the Kairos Program Director, having completed school and receiving my counseling licensure.

Why counseling?

I spent so much time at Christ House speaking with residents and the overarching theme to me was the horrific experiences that they had endured throughout their lives. I wanted to be more equipped to be with these folks in understanding who they are, how they became the person they are, and what is standing in the way of who they want to be. We know that many of the people experiencing homelessness also struggle with their mental health, so to do this work effectively I wanted to be able to employ a trauma-informed, clinical lens.

Tell us about Kairos.

Kairos House is a permanent supportive housing program designed for men who are chronically homeless, in sobriety, and suffering from a chronic mental or physical health condition that requires additional support.

Why Kairos?

Kairos House, like Christ House, fills a unique need that bridges an often-overlooked gap: men who are too healthy for an assisted living facility but are too chronically medically needy to live fully independently. Kairos is a home for folks in recovery from substance abuse who have a history of chronic homelessness and have a chronic condition that means that they need additional support to live independently. The permanent supportive housing model is a critical piece of infrastructure needed to end the homelessness crisis. Being outside and forced to focus on survival rewires the brain so it can function in that type of environment. Giving a stable, supportive, permanent, home to these folks gives them a chance not just to survive, but to reach true self-actualization and fulfillment.

We are excited to have you back on the Christ House team, Cristin! To learn more about the individuals in our Kairos Program, you can view the documentary titled “In God’s Time” by clicking here.