Our New Direction: A Note from Our CEO
One of the main goals of Palmer Home has always been growth. Growth for our children, growth for our campuses, and ultimately, growth of our mission. For more than 120 years, Palmer Home for Children has been rooted in one mission: To provide superior care for children while introducing the love of God through our service to each individual child.
If you’re reading this, it is because you believe in this mission. And for that, we are grateful. Over the years, you have contributed to our long, rich history of serving children. Because of you, our ability to provide superior care has grown every year and with every new child that steps through our doors.
You’ve been with us as we opened the doors of our Hernando campus. You’ve been with us as we adopted the Jonah’s Journey ministry. And now, we invite you to join us as we grow in a new way.
Join us this summer, as we unite our Columbus and Hernando campuses. Although this means we will no longer be housing children on the Columbus campus, we will continue to serve vulnerable children from Columbus and surrounding areas. We currently open our doors to children from across the state, and we will continue to do so on our Hernando campus.
You may be asking: How does this allow Palmer Home the ability to serve more children? A simplified organization allows us to invest in programs that will reach more children and serve them more effectively. This allows our foster care program to grow exponentially throughout Mississippi and Tennessee for our children prepared for a long-term family environment. We will also be able to focus on transitional services for our young adults to prepare for independent living and explore new services to holistically serve children.
Looking forward, we are eager to construct the Wellness Center in Hernando which will include classrooms, a full-size gymnasium, and a counseling suite with space for art and play therapy. We are excited to serve more children through this new direction.
Throughout our growth, we have looked to strengthen our model of care. Within this new model there will be three focuses; evaluation, programs, and outcomes. All of these are supported by our Whole Child Initiative.
At Palmer Home, our number one goal is to provide the best possible care for our children, even if that means making some changes. This model will increase our ability to do that, and to serve more along the way.
Staying true to our values and our rich heritage requires us to make bold decisions to create the brightest future possible. We want to serve more children, serve them better, and always be good stewards of the trust placed in us. This new direction sets us up for growth, and I am confident this will enable us to serve more children while honoring the mission we have embraced for over 120 years.
As we move forward in our plans we will continue to keep you well-informed. We are thankful for your continued support and trust and look forward to continuing to make a positive impact on the lives of children.
– Drake
