MACON, Ga. — Just after the end of the Civil War, The Methodist Home opened their doors in 1872 as an orphanage. Currently, they serve about 55 children, teens, and adults from ages 6 to 21 years old.
"I got here at The Methodist Home and got caught up in the ministry, and 37 years later, I'm still here," said Dr. Jeff Lawrence, VP of Programs and Services.
Lawrence says the ministry is special, and this year, they have a reason to celebrate.
"In 2022, we are celebrating 150 years," said April Mouton Beal, Chief Development Officer.
Since 1872, The Methodist Home has helped children from different backgrounds. The ministry has become a place to educate children, provide security, and help them have a smooth transition into adulthood. Lawrence says the wellbeing and care of the students and staff is important.
"We are connected to The Sanctuary Institute of New York. That means we are working to provide a sanctuary an organizational trauma-informed setting here," Lawrence said.
The Sanctuary Institute is an nonprofit organization that offers training to help agencies like The Methodist Home with vulnerable adults and children.
One of the programs that the ministry has is called EMBRACE. It stands for "Establishing Mother and Baby Relationship in an Affectionate and Caring Environment." They help teen girls who have children. They help the moms finish school and parent, while breaking the generational cycle.
"There's just an outpouring of love for this agency that we see day after day, month after month, year after year," Lawrence said.
The ministry offers health resources, daycare services for the staff and teen moms, and help the children apply to college.