poseful but is also often due to poverty, mental illness, addiction or other factors that prevent parents from being able to provide for their children even though they want to. In a practical sense, this can mean a community rallying to gather furniture and clothing necessary to provide adequate care for a child whose
Foster care is kind of ground zero in a way for many of the societal problems we talk about. Andy Cook
parents can afford housing but not furnishings. Though much of the help that the FAMs engaged by Promise686 provide is financial or logistical, Cook emphasized that it is often a feeling of support and community that makes the biggest difference for parents. “At the end of the day more important than the meal that is brought is the person’s presence at the door. The sense of not being in isolation during this journey, that is big,” he said. The gravity of the situation for children and caregivers engaged in the child welfare system can’t be overstated. Conditions within the foster care system produce symptoms of PTSD on par with those of combat veterans. Statistically speaking, children who age out of the foster care system without being adopted are far more likely to suffer from addiction and depression, and enter the prison system as adults. “Foster care is kind of ground zero in a way for many of the societal problems we talk about,” said Cook. Promise686 is headquartered in a century-old farmhouse on Holcomb Bridge Road. With a staff of only 17 employees and an annual budget of $3,000,000 for 2022, the organization has managed to expand its reach beyond Gwinnett County and across the nation. It currently works with 1,017 churches in 25 states, and in a given year it serves around 7,000
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children through its ministry. In the next two years Promise686 hopes to expand to meet the needs of 10,000 children. It will also be relocating to a new building with amenities that will better suit its needs. Cook and the team at Promise686 hope to build an infrastructure that can eradicate obstructions that prevent prospective parents from choosing adoption and foster care. They seek to educate and deputize churches and their congregations at a local level to provide immediate and lasting support to families and children. Beneficiaries of their services can be members of those churches or simply part of the communities around them. Additionally, preventing the removal of children from their biological families adds an element of protection that can intercept trauma and negative outcomes before they ever occur. Cook spoke of the challenges prospective parents face when choosing adoption or foster care. “I see this space as a zero-entry pool, and yeah there’s a deep end. We have made the mistake in our country of identifying potential adoptive parents and putting them in that deep end of the pool and saying, ‘Oh and while you’re treading water can you hold this child and care for it?’ We have lost parents really quickly and that has really hurt children. The attrition rate of foster parents in America is about 50%, but when a team from a local church wraps around them, the retention rate goes up to 90%.” While the systemic problems Promise686 tackle daily are huge and often overwhelming, to the children touched by their efforts it can mean the world. “It’s amazing what our community can do in rallying around families who are the first line of defense for a child,” Cook said. “The dream for our organization is that we would continue to grow and serve more children, and the hope is that we would be super strong in Gwinnett County and Peachtree Corners.” Those interested in learning more and getting involved can visit promise686.org/fams or sign up for the upcoming Promise Race, a mission-focused, experiential 5K in Johns Creek on April 23. More information and registration can be found online at promise686.org/race. ■
Peachtree Corners Magazine ■ February/March 2022 ■ LivingInPeachtreeCorners.com
Assistance League to Mark 40 Years of Partnering on Charitable Programs
The Assistance League of Atlanta this year marks its 40th anniversary of charitable programs in the metro area. Partnering with many schools, hospitals and other nonprofits, the group serves around 50,000 people a year. And since 2016, it’s all been organized at its headquarters in Peachtree Corners. “The organization is totally volunteer. We have no paid employees,” said Ellen Frank, the chapter’s board president. “When you realize how complex it is, it’s kind of amazing we don’t have a paid executive director or any staff.” Known for its Attic Treasures thrift shop in Chamblee, the Atlanta group is one of 120 nationwide chapters of the California-based Assistance League. Members of the local
chapter — currently numbering around 250 — pay $75 annual dues, of which $25 goes to the national organization for training, support and marketing. All chapters determine their local partnerships, but also participate in the national’s signature program, Operation School Bell, which provides school clothes to students in need. “As you can imagine, Atlanta, as a major metropolitan area, is a contributor, a major contributor, to our efforts as a national organization,” said Matt Zarcufsky, the mother organization’s executive director. He praised the Atlanta chapter as “a group of very committed volunteers.”
By John Ruch
Photos by George Hunter
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A history of giving
The Assistance League’s roots date to 1890s Los Angeles and charitable work by philanthropists Anne Banning and Ada Edwards Laughlin. In 1919, they formalized their organization as the Assistance League of Southern California. The
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