What started off as a clever idea to address recidivism has grown into something more — a community-driven response to concerning and costly social ills like homelessness, mental illness and substance abuse disorder.
Today, exactly a decade after Haywood Pathways Center was established, thousands of lives have been changed for the better. Although the journey hasn’t always been a smooth one for the Waynesville-based nonprofit, time, transparency and telltale statistics show Pathways to be on the right path towards another decade of service.
Like most clever ideas, Haywood Pathways Center didn’t just materialize overnight. It took a lot of teamwork, a little bit of luck, some celebrity star power and one visionary leader to push the whole thing across the finish line.