“We want to be a one-stop-shop; if we don’t offer the service someone needs, we want to have relationships with a provider who does,” says Wilkerson. One of their success stories that can attest to the center’s unwavering dedication is that of a mother who lost her children due to addiction. She spent a great deal of of time working on herself with the help of The Eden Center; she is now drug-free and well on the path to regaining full custody something that might have been otherwise impossible without the persistence and resources of the center. “Families didn’t get into the situations overnight, and they won’t be fixed overnight,” Wilkerson says with conviction. “We are here for the duration.” Eventually, the plan is to move the ever- expanding center to a larger location within the city limits that will allow them to serve more than one family at a time. They also hope to add a social worker or psychologist and raise more awareness about the county’s at-risk children. These are lofty goals for a virtually self-funded organization, but they will certainly be attainable with the help of donations, more volunteers, and the continued commitment of its leaders. At The Eden Center, no person is beyond redemption; no family is too far gone.
Also seeing the need for more localized parenting classes and someone to assist with supervised visits, Wilkerson recruited the services of Kandi Trice, a domestic violence coordinator with nearly two decades of experience. Trice, also trained in law enforcement, eagerly came aboard the team at The Eden Center as the supervised visitation and safe-exchange supervisor. To better serve the center, Trice also recently became a certified facilitator for Nurturing Parenting education classes. To make the team complete, Wilkerson’s sister, Gwen Brady, has been using her accounting background to assist the organization with its bookkeeping. The pair of sisters grew up on Dry Fork Road, an area of the county that has been historically impoverished. “These are our friends and neighbors,” Wilkerson reflects. “We rode the bus with them, went to church with them, and played sports with them. This community made us who we are. Now, in the midst of an opioid crisis, there is tremendous need…literally right out our back door. The blending of various strengths, backgrounds, and areas of interest of the center’s core is the reason The Eden Center will continue to grow and thrive.” In an attempt to offer as many services as possible, The Eden Center also has a licensed social worker who can do home studies for the adoption process. It also provides ample meeting space for other organizations to utilize, and they plan to add a batterer intervention class in the near future.
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