My Page (& Goal) is still open for your help!!!

Please Join Me in Supporting Side by Side

 A Georgia Nonprofit Supporting Adults with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

Our Board of Directors is personally matching every dollar we raise on December 1st!

Many of you know that I've been busy since retiring from American Cancer Society last winter - it truly seems like a lifetime ago, for many reasons!  I have been involved with Side by Side as a volunteer, donor and board member for more than two decades going back to the very earliest of my career in Atlanta.  Earlier this year I moved from the board of directors to staff and have been even more impressed by what this organization can do with the handful of staff and limited funding; even more impressive are our members & their caregivers who live with their brain injury and related health, cognitive and emotional issues daily.  [See above picture that is both staff and members - I missed picture day.]  It was challenging back in "normal" times but COVID has had even more of an impact on this community.  Here's our short COVID story:

COVID-19 forced the closure of our on-site brain injury support services twice since March 13, 2020, for six weeks each time. For our program participants, pivoting to socially distanced or virtual services requires cognitive flexibility that is often crippled by TBI when the frontal area of the brain is damaged. Fortunately, our Brain Injury Specialist staff are fluent in pivoting – in this case, providing cognitive support regardless of the situation  - so we responded quickly to guide our members as they struggled to understand another new reality.

• The On-site Program (the Clubhouse): Currently we are open 5 days/week, serving 3-7 members on-site, rotating members and staff to limit exposure, and following very strict cleaning, hygiene and air flow practices.  Since re-opening in June, 23 members have returned to onsite socially-distanced services.
• Continuing Telehealth: In addition to on-site services, we continue to provide virtual telehealth services through both Zoom Groups (more than 350 to date) and individual support calls (more than 950 to date). Many members live in group care homes or with elderly family members so are not taking the risk to attend in person. Others live alone and were languishing without face-to-face contact, so they attend in person for daily structure and support.
• Deliveries: Door-step visits from a familiar and friendly face provide needed supplies to maintain physical and mental health. From filling individual needs of groceries, masks, and entertainment (especially important for those without internet access) packages to homemade cookies and bouquets of flowers from Side by Side’s accessible gardens; 175 personal visits from staff have been a big hit with our members and families.

I know it's tough for everyone this year but I'm going to ask anyway!  The other option is our AmazonSmile charity wish list (https://smile.amazon.com/hz/charitylist/ls/1GI12AC2HS1NK/ref=smi_ext_lnk_lcl_cl)  which lists our most urgent needs right now and also commonly used supplies in our Business, Kitchen and Maintenance Units.

THANK YOU so much for supporting this important organization!!