The mission of the Eden Center is to offer support and resources for families torn apart by addiction, abuse, neglect, and other difficult circumstances. Their hope is to restore relationships by keeping parents and children safely connected.
oftentimes make the process of reuniting families more difficult. Stemming from the biblical location where things were “perfect and healthy,” Eden was thoughtfully chosen for the center’s name. “We are trying to restore families to how they were before things took a negative turn,” Wilkerson says. “We want
Their goal is to help build the necessary skills to create a healthy and happy home. And their purpose is to save families. Based in Ashland City, The Eden Center for Families, Inc. opened its doors in April of 2022. Since then, it has been giving misguided parents a second chance. In a short time, The Eden Center has already added a multitude of community services, helped many families thrive in less-than-ideal situations, and made plans for further growth and outreach to better serve Cheatham County. Over the span of life-long Ashland City resident Margaret Brady-Wilkerson’s 12 years working in juvenile court, she encountered countless situations with families separated by challenging circumstances. Her belief that families should stay tightly bonded during separation is what ignited her idea to start the center. Wilkerson’s hope is to make a substantial change within “the system” that will help close the gaps that
to help get them back to Eden.”
Because traditional supervised visits are generally held in public places, they can be awkward, cost prohibitive, and even chaotic. Wilkerson felt that if families could meet in an actual home, visits would be more relaxed and effective, giving families the opportunity to share meals, play games, and talk in a more intimate environment. Visits in this “home- away-from-home” environment also allows parents to practice their skills so they can be implemented when children are able to return home. To further the reach of the center’s helping hand, it was recently approved to be a DCS safe house . Inspired by a visit to neighboring Robertson County, she felt that Cheatham County would benefit from having a location where displaced children can stay while awaiting a foster home. While there, these children will get food, clothing, and a sense of security in an uncertain time.
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