Home for neighborhood matriarch will provide stability for young mothers CHRIS 180, an Atlanta-based nonprofit organization dedicated to providing trauma-informed holistic health services to children, youth and families, held a groundbreaking ceremony to...
We all need rest to function well in each area of our lives. Sleep, exercise, video games and spending time with loved ones are a few examples of activities commonly used to recharge. But sometimes, what you think is a break is actually a form of escapism that saps...
Often when the term Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is used, it is associated with members of the military, especially war veterans. As times change and people become more familiar with trauma and its impact on each of our lives, we are starting to recognize...
Michelle’s Story When Michelle lost her housing, a friend told her about CHRIS 180 and our Drop-In Center. The Drop-In Center provides a range of free services for youth ages 16-24 who are experiencing homelessness. These services include meals, life coaching, job and...
Children are small people with very big emotions. Although they can show you what they are feeling, most children have yet to attach a name to their feelings and have not learned healthy ways of dealing with their emotions. As children grow, they face many challenges...
For Johnny Brown, Fatherhood Session Coordinator at CHRIS 180’s Violence Prevention Program, helping fathers is a calling. “All of us are on this journey of being fathers,” Johnny shared. “We work with participants to learn the life skills to be able to work, stay out...
On June 8, 1981, a new nonprofit organization named Georgia CHARLEE opened its doors to fill gaps in the foster care system. Georgia CHARLEE – now known as CHRIS 180 – was organized by a purpose-driven group of women from The Junior League of Atlanta, Inc. (JLA), who...
Valancia Abdullah considers it her calling to care for youth who some may think of as “challenged.” After working with special needs students at Atlanta Public Schools, in 2000, she joined CHRIS 180’s foster care program. She serves as a Resident Assistant. The kids...
We stand with our Asian American colleagues, partners, clients and all affected in the wake of the horrific mass shootings in Atlanta and Acworth. This act of terrorism has produced additional anxiety and unease in the AAPI (Asian American Pacific Islander) community,...
Did you know that children are now seen as the silent victims of the opioid epidemic? CHRIS 180’s HERO Program (Helping Restore Children and Families Affected by the Opioid Epidemic), was created to provide direct services, psychoeducational training and a community...
The beginning of the year is full of traditions, even during a pandemic. From New Year’s Day, the MLK Holiday Weekend, and just a few weeks later, February kicks off a month-long celebration honoring Black History. The commemoration allows us to pause, acknowledge and...
I closed my laptop at 5:00 p.m. on a Friday and did my now very familiar quarantine routine of moving from my makeshift desk at the kitchen table to the couch in the living room. I scrolled through Netflix (and Hulu, HBO & Amazon) before finally just putting on...
Nonprofit celebrates 40th Anniversary in 2021 CHRIS 180 is pleased to announce the addition of seven new members to its board of directors, who will serve over the coming years. They include Lori Chennault, Senior Vice President & Sourcing Officer,...
Over and over I’ve heard people remark that they were so ready for 2020 to be over. And with the start of the new year, we are all looking forward to a better 2021 - a new beginning, a path to recovery. At the same time, there just might be some things that we...
‘Tis the season to pause and reflect on the past year as a new one approaches, and oh what a year it has been! 2020 started off as a promising new decade, with exciting goals, dreams and resolutions. But as we all know, a few months into it, all our hopes and plans...
Are you facing a pain filled holiday because someone you love has died? It is hard to get into the holiday spirit when your heart is breaking and your life is different because of a death. It is easy to want to wish away the last 16 days of this horrible year....
Wish List for Toys and Presents We offer parents in our community the opportunity to shop for presents for their children. Often during the holidays, parents stress about how they will provide a special experience for their kids while also keeping up with the normal...
“The expectation that we can be immersed in suffering and loss daily and not be touched by it, is as unrealistic as expecting to be able to walk through water without getting wet.” Rachel Naomi Remen Screeching tires. Smell of burnt rubber. Windows breaking and metal...
Since early spring, many of us feel disconnected from our friends and family because we have been unable to spend time with them. And while it is important for us to practice social distancing, the price is high when it comes to the connection many of us crave. This...
If this year has taught me anything, it is that there is a lot of stuff I cannot change. That realization has brought on frequent feelings of powerlessness, helplessness and frustration. It has also sometimes brought about anger, sadness and a downright desire to just...
“A child is not looking for a perfect parent, but to feel loved and understood. We are blessed to be a step along the journey in the growth of a new family” -Emily Thompson, VP of Community Programs CHRIS 180 Happy National Adoption Month! While the month of November...
