Mountain Projects celebrates 60 years of service, calls for community action
Mountain Projects is establishing The Patsy Davis Legacy Fund. File photo
As Mountain Projects celebrates its 60th anniversary serving Haywood and Jackson Counties, the organization is marking a season of both reflection and action. Executive Director Patsy Davis, who has led the agency for 27 years, will retire this summer.
Her departure is commemorated with the launch of the Patsy Davis Legacy Fund, a new initiative to support safe, affordable housing in Western North Carolina.
The Patsy Davis Legacy Fund will provide emergency repairs, weatherization, safety improvements, and support for home construction — addressing one of the region’s most urgent needs.
While celebrating its accomplishments, Mountain Projects also warns of deepening threats to core services. Federal and state budget proposals may slash funding for essential programs like Head Start, Section 8 Housing, LIHEAP and the Healthy Opportunities Pilot (HOP). These programs serve hundreds of families, seniors and children across the region with housing, health, nutrition and emergency support.
Despite these efforts, demand is growing — over 500 families remain on the Section 8 housing waitlist, and 75 seniors are waiting for in-home care.
In response to ongoing flood recovery needs, Mountain Projects is inviting faith groups, civic clubs, nonprofits, and local businesses to join the Homes for Hope initiative, a collaborative housing effort for displaced families in Haywood County.
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From its founding in 1965, Mountain Projects has expanded from a modest community action agency to a lifeline for thousands. Programs such as Senior Nutrition, Weatherization, Haywood Transit, Foster Grandparents and Self-Help Housing continue to evolve to meet the needs of a changing population.
As Davis steps down, she leaves a strong team and a resilient organization ready for its next chapter.
“I may be retiring,” Davis said, “but the mission goes on. I have faith in this community. Together, we’ve built bridges no funding cut can tear down.”
