Making Lives Whole.
Palmer Home for Children is a faith-based organization that provides a family and community to children in need regardless of race, gender or background.
Palmer Home’s Mission
Palmer Home provides superior care for children while introducing the love of God through our service to each individual child. Palmer Home ensures restorative environments where children feel safe, connected and supported. Whether on campus or off, each child served by Palmer Home has a safe place to call home with trustworthy, supportive adults to guide them as they grow and develop into all that God created them to be. Palmer Home provides holistic care to each child based on their unique physical, emotional, spiritual and educational needs.
Whole Child Initiative
Our proprietary approach to care provides a trauma informed, holistic, and relationally centered foundation and guides all that we do. We seek to help vulnerable children overcome trauma and position them to thrive in home, school and community life. Whole Child Initiative operates through four core principles:
Whole Story
Children’s needs are best understood and met in the context of their history and the impact it has on their life. Taking into account their full story allows us to respond appropriately.
Whole Child
Children with a history of trauma have unique physical, emotional, educational, social, and spiritual needs. Each of these must be addressed for healing to begin.
Whole Team
A collaborative team of caregivers, staff, community professionals, and the child’s family members come together to develop a trauma responsive plan of care.
Whole Caregiver
Healthy relationships with children require healthy caregivers. We equip our caregivers with regular training, relevant resources, respite and ongoing support.
Leading By Example
Each member of the Palmer Home family plays a vital role in ensuring each child’s needs are met. Our staff and volunteers receive Whole Child Initiative training.
Meet Our Team
President And CEO
Drake Bassett, President and CEO of Palmer Home for Children, joined our family in 2012. For more than 20 years, he has worked with organizations to improve performance and achieve goals. In addition to his experience as CEO, he has held leadership roles as Chief Operating Officer and Chief of Human Resources at Nielsen Corporation. Drake thrives on building great relationships with staff, community, and clients. In his time at Palmer Home, Drake has launched a number of innovative programs, and he is constantly evaluating how we can better rescue and restore the lives of vulnerable children. Drake has been married to his wife, Kelley, for 32 years. They have four children and four grandchildren.
VP, Marketing & Communications
Financial Comptroller
VP, Development
VP, Children's Programs
Director, HR
Director, Whole Child Initiative
VP, Compliance & Support
Board Members
Board Members
Karen Carlisle
Chair
Carlisle Corporation
Memphis, TN
Robert H. Clark
Vice Chair
Clark Beverage Group
Starkville, MS
Trip Hairston
Secretary
Nephrology Associates, PC
Columbus, MS
Alan Walters
Treasurer
First Commercial Bank
Jackson, MS
Amy Brown
Attorney - Sedgwick
Hernando, MS
Dolph Bryan
Retired Law Enforcement
Starkville, MS
Harold Clark
Clark Beverage Group
Starkville, MS
Tim Edmondson
Edmondson Farm
Vardaman, MS
Larry Edwards
Real Estate Development
Jackson, MS
Melinda George
IMC Companies, LLC
Memphis, TN
Charles Guest
Attorney
Starkville, MS
Dr. Daryl Guest
Starkville Surgical Associates
Starkville, MS
Dr. Andrew Martin
Martin Oral & Facial Surgery
Starkville, MS
Tom McCann
Retired USAF Pilot
Peachtree, GA
Rick L. Powell
Harris, Madden & Powell Insurance
Memphis, TN
Dr. Russ Russell
Russell Orthodontics
Columbus, MS
George Sousoulas
Stephens, Inc.
Memphis, TN
Board Emeritus
Board Emeritus
Charles Berry
Columbus, MS
Dr. Robert R. Black
Tupelo, MS
Gray Flora, III
Oxford, MS
Jack Forbus
Starkville, MS
Dewitt Hicks
Columbus, MS
Rev. Thomas Kay, Jr.
Aliceville, AL
Charles McElroy
Starkville, MS
Everett C. Owens III
Aliceville, AL
Jon Reeves
Olive Branch, MS
Donald Sanders
Aliceville, AL
Lee Tyner
Oxford, MS
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