FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 14, 2022
December 14, 2022
Jonathan’s Path, a new non-profit organization has obtained 501c3 status and is ready to serve Middle Tennessee foster teens.
As the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services is facing scrutiny – by lawmakers, the media and others over how it treats the kids in its care, a new nonprofit organization is determined to affect change. Jonathan’s Path fills a huge void of consistency teens face in foster care including, housing, support, direction and love. As the only organization in Middle Tennessee that offers stable placement and full wrap-around services from the moment a youth enters foster care all the way through young adulthood, Jonathan’s Path is committed to assisting local branches of the Department of Children’s Services by supporting their goals to improve the lives of teens in foster care.
“Teens specifically are the hardest age group to find stable foster home placement. With the number of teens coming into the system and the decreasing number of foster homes willing to become permanent placement for teens, our mission is urgent and necessary,” states Carrie DuRard, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Jonathan’s Path.
Trauma due to an unstable environment has been shown to have a negative impact on teens for the rest of their lives. Multiple placements in foster care have also been found to lead to delayed permanency outcomes, academic difficulties, and struggles to develop meaningful attachments. Jonathan’s Path will provide immediate and permanent placement for teens in foster care, reducing the repetitive trauma caused by lack of foster homes.
“It’s more than just having a permanent home; it’s about creating family units that these teenagers can count on with unconditional support. Without a vision for their future and a stable support system, a child will return to the past. We want to break that cycle,” says DuRard.
The organization plans to grow and expand, but there is an immediate need for help in the following areas: monetary donations, land, and housing. There are also open positions for board members and volunteer opportunities available for those who would like to contribute time to this organization.
About the nonprofit:
Jonathan’s Path is an active 501(c)(3) organization giving Middle Tennessee youths (12+) currently in or aging out of foster care a chance to dream, a path to walk down and a place to call home. No paths are the same, but the love, stability, and support from Jonathan’s Path will be constant for every youth.
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