In this kickoff episode of the new Hometown Heroes podcast from The Bridge Business Media, co-hosts Adam and Elisa introduce their vision to highlight community members making a difference. They welcome Kristen Walker, Director of Pathfinder's Northwest Arkansas branch, an organization providing critical services for intellectually and developmentally disabled adults. Kristen details Pathfinder’s offerings, spanning residential facilities to waiver case management allowing at-home care. She outlines eligibility criteria and clarifies commonly misunderstood parts of the process, like securing spots on lengthy waitlists. Kristen then explains her journey into the disability services field, crediting a lifetime of exposure through family ties to Pathfinder. Spotlighting her current role, Kristen describes the typical weekday program with nearly 100 regular attendees. She emphasizes Pathfinder’s new space and opportunities for community members to get involved by volunteering to lead activities. From gardening and fitness to Dungeons and Dragons and WWE wrestling, she welcomes any group with passion to share. Kristen also discusses plans to expand their life skills training coffee shop and increase attendance. As a Medicaid-funded nonprofit, growth depends on maximizing client participation. But with this comes the reward of changing lives by providing purpose and friendship. Kristen says despite demanding roles, staff feel they rarely “work” because "our people make it magical." Overall, the episode embodies Hometown Heroes' goal to applaud unsung individuals improving the region while connecting them to more people eager to help.
