Pave the Way Transitional Living is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization that provides comprehensive supportive services geared towards building a solid life.
Hello, I’m Mahoganey Smart
Executive Director of Pave the Way Transitional Living
I’m a mother, a survivor, and a leader who has walked through the very struggle I now help others overcome. In 2016, I found myself homeless with my children—living in hotel rooms, holding on to hope while carrying the weight of uncertainty, and trying to protect my family with no real support.
Pave the Way wasn’t built from a place of comfort—it was born from lived experience, from pain, from promise. I made a vow that if I ever got through it, I would create something that reminded others they didn’t have to face it alone.
This mission isn’t just professional—it’s deeply personal. I know what it feels like to be at your lowest, with nowhere to turn, and still have to show up and fight. That’s why every service we offer is designed to not only meet a need—but to restore dignity, rebuild confidence, and remind people that they matter.
Pave the Way exists so no one—man, woman, or child—has to feel alone in their fight to rise again.
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“I didn’t start this to change the world. I started it to make sure no one else had to survive it alone. That’s how change begins—with one open door, one hand reaching back, and one person refusing to let go.”
My Story
By Mahoganey Smart
I didn’t build Pave the Way to impress anyone.
I built it for the person I used to be.
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The one who was exhausted, scared, and trying to hold it all together.
The one living in a hotel room with four kids, pretending it was home while praying we’d make it to the next day.
The one smiling in public and breaking down in silence.
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In 2016, I lost my footing—but I never lost my fight.
There were no programs walking beside me. No hotline that answered every time I called. But I had a promise in my heart:
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“If I survive this, I’ll go back and help someone else survive it too.”
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That promise became Pave the Way Transitional Living.
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I didn’t just want to give people a bed. I wanted to give them a chance.
A plan. A path. A place where they could breathe again.
Where they could cry without judgment and rise without shame.
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Because I’ve been there—tired, broke, overwhelmed, trying to be strong while feeling like I was falling apart.
And I know what it’s like to feel like no one sees you.
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But I also know what’s possible when someone finally does.
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Today, I’m a mother, a survivor, and the Executive Director of an organization built from lived experience. Everything we offer—mental health support, transitional housing, job training, life skills—it’s not just programming. It’s what I needed back then.
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It’s what someone needs right now.
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And that’s why I still show up.
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For the woman holding her family together with hope and prayer.
For the man who’s lost more than people realize.
For the young adult sitting in their car wondering where they’ll sleep tonight.
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For anyone who needs to hear this:
You are not your circumstances. You are not alone. You are not too far gone.
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You don’t have to know every step.
Just take the next one.
We’ll be here—ready to walk with you.
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“Everyone deserves a place to land, a path to grow, and the strength to rise. That’s what I needed—and that’s what I built.”
Want to Reach Out?
If my story spoke to you, or if you want to connect, partner, or learn more about how you can support our mission—I’d love to hear from you.
678-683-8534