Q: Reflecting on 2024, what are you most proud of?
A: 2024 was an exciting year for our community. It was a year when so many things came together. Programs we started as part of our 2021 strategic plan truly hit their stride, and two in particular come to mind. Functional Family Therapy (FFT) made incredible progress this year. We grew our team and extended our reach, supporting over 160 families dealing with some very challenging behavioral and mental health situations.
We also expanded our maternal and infant support with the launch of Healthy Families Metro Atlanta™. This second region will allow us to serve even more mothers and babies during those critical early years. Our team’s work in these programs is about so much more than providing services—it’s about helping families build strong, lasting foundations. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished together.
In addition to expanding our family support programs, we grew our community training services through our partnership with Resilient Georgia and Dr. Ken Ginsburg, author of Reaching Teens. With his endorsement, we developed a training series that equips youth-serving professionals to address various behavioral risks and mental health issues from a strength-based perspective, and this month, we’re hosting a full-day summit with Dr. Ginsburg as our guest presenter.
We also invested significant time and attention in assessing our youth services. Partnering with Together Georgia, we conducted focus groups with youth transitioning from foster care. These insights will help shape our planning for expanding our Transitional Living and Independent Living programs. Hearing directly from the youth about their struggles, hopes, and dreams affirmed our belief that our youth services programs must equip these young people with practical life skills in addition to supporting their mental health and emotional resilience.
One young man said something that resonated deeply: “We just need a minute.” That clarity inspired our vision for a training center at our future campus in Avondale Estates, where young people can prepare for independence in tangible and meaningful ways. Seeing these programs flourish this year was extraordinary.
Q: Looking ahead, what excites you most about the future?
A: I’m excited about solidifying and sharing our expansion plans with the community. The potential of the new campus we envision on the former Avondale Pattillo United Methodist Church property fills me with hope—it could become a blueprint for other churches, demonstrating how excess property can be transformed into spaces where parishioners actively serve others and embody the hands and feet of Christ.
We have started renovating our residential campus in Oakhurst, and later this year, it will begin operating at full capacity, doubling our ability to house and support youth. We plan to offer art therapy, recreational therapy, and advanced vocational and life skills classes. I can’t wait to see how this space allows us to enhance our program support.
None of this would be possible without the unwavering support of our donors and funders. Your generosity fuels our ability to dream big and act boldly, turning vision into reality for the families, children, and young adults we serve. We are profoundly grateful for your belief in our mission.
