Dale Smith
Director of Behavioral Health
Martin was on probation and lived in a mobile home in a very rural area of Northwest North Carolina. He was having trouble in multiple areas, including significant conflict with his parents. Martin was a 15-year-old who didn’t trust his parents or any other adult. When he came to the Children’s Center, I told Martin that his past is just that—the past—and that he deserved a fresh start.
See Martin's Story
Zach Barth
Youth Coordinator
Sam did not have a good situation at home. When he arrived at the Children’s Center, he said there was no food at home. Home for Sam was a hotel room where his family used a coffee maker to prepare what little food they had.
See Sam's Story
Mackenzie Gillespie
Strengthening Families & Incredible Years Coordinator
The Department of Juvenile Justice referred Janice to the Children’s Center. After we saw her, we quickly recognized that Janice had both financial and mental health issues. Janice was very standoffish during our first session, and she made it clear that she didn’t want to be at the Children’s Center. However, within a couple of weeks we developed a trusting relationship with her.
See Janice's Story
Kim Guarda
Residential Youth Coordinator
Pam came to the Children’s Center when she was 16. She arrived along with one of her siblings, a brother, who had been living with their parents and three additional siblings in a hotel room for some time. Pam’s family resolved disputes by fighting. For Pam, fighting was the only way she knew to resolve any situation. Fighting was a normal part of life for her. We worked with Pam very closely to teach her ways of dealing with issues other than fighting. It took a while but eventually started working.
See Pam's Story