Letter from Pathway Homes President & CEO Sylisa Lambert-Woodard

From Winter 2025 InRoads Newsletter

Pathway Homes helps to plant the seeds of change for people with mental illnesses and other disabilities. The seeds are places to call home, caring staff, great support services, strong partners, and committed volunteers who help individuals with health and housing challenges to blossom and recover their lives.

In 2024, our collective efforts enabled more neighbors to experience the comfort and joy of a home, and the peace and stability that comes with having a permanent address where they can receive mail, close the door for privacy, make a meal, and get the help they need to nurture a new life.

This past year, we found ourselves in a similar position to many of the people we serve. As a nonprofit that helps those in need of affordable housing, we also face that situation as our current location is scheduled to be torn down. The good news is that we will soon have a larger home where we will continue to grow and innovate on behalf of the communities and individuals we serve.

We’ve been part of this community for nearly half a century, and over this time, we’ve grown and changed. It was time to refresh our branding to amplify our work and impact, so we unveiled a new logo, tagline, and branding elements that better tell the story of our important work. The new branding focuses more attention on Pathway Homes’ work, which helps individuals attain and strengthen the skills needed to manage their mental and physical health and remain stably housed. The new tagline—Health & Hope Through Housing—enhances the new logo by capturing the essence of our ongoing efforts.

Innovation is also part of the change that we offer in our commitment to end homelessness for those we serve and for our community. As such, we are conducting a feasibility study to launch a new mobile services program called PathV—a retrofitted RV which will bring services directly to people experiencing homelessness. Modeled after a similar effort in Orlando, Florida, PathV will offer a low barrier mobile drop-in center for people experiencing homelessness throughout Northern Virginia.

The RV will have a shower, case management support, and other direct outreach services. The feasibility study will help determine how PathV will be funded and operated—including the services it will provide, staffing, route, and schedule. This will become another important resource towards addressing homelessness in our community by helping us to directly connect people with housing and offering services—a staple of the housing first model that we embrace.

Through our work with individuals with serious mental illnesses and other disabilities and offering unconditional and non-time limited housing and support, over 92% of those we serve remain in housing year after year. We own, lease, and manage over 500 properties around Northern Virginia and Washington, DC (see map of properties) and provide tailored services to help residents in these homes lead healthier, happier, and safer lives…off the streets.

Your investments in Pathways continue to sow the seeds of change for us and for those we serve. Together, we are ensuring those marginalized by poverty and inequity have a better chance to live their best lives. Your kindness has helped over 2,000 people struggling with behavioral health issues become rooted in our community. Thanks for being part of the change that is cultivating dreams and new beginnings.

Sincerely, Sylisa Lambert -Woodard, President & CEO, Pathway Homes

What’s behind the new look?

Our new logo (see below) is symbolic on several levels. A home within a circle signifies community integration. The green swipes show the path to good mental and physical health, which intersects with the home. The yellow light reflects the hope that shines through permanent supportive housing. The new tagline – Health & Hope Through Housing – captures our mission and commitment to improving quality of life and health outcomes through the provision of affordable permanent supportive housing. The green ribbon in HOMES is the international symbol for mental health awareness and pays homage to our roots as a provider of behavioral healthcare.

About Pathway Homes, Inc.

For more than 45 years, Pathway Homes has enabled tens of thousands of people in Northern Virginia and the National Capital Region with serious mental illnesses and other co-occurring disabilities to access affordable housing and critical supportive services to help them recover their lives. Following the housing first model, Pathway Homes is a partner in preventing and ending homelessness, touching more than 2,000 lives in 2024 and ensuring access to affordable stable homes in permanent supportive housing units.