Dear Friend,
I want to thank you for being part of our family at The Children’s Haven. Because of
supporters like you, more than 700 children received care, connection, and hope in
2025. This year marked the 10 th anniversary of The Children’s Haven and the year
we served more children than ever before. Your generosity ensures that children
experiencing foster care—and families at risk—feel supported and loved.
While we were blessed by this community to have the resources needed to support 700
children and their families, this number indicates a growing need that we take to heart.
At the state level, prevention funding was cut by about 40% across the board. One of
our programs was directly affected. As you always do, you rallied behind us this year to
make sure kids and families are supported, safe, and loved. Thank you.
The need remains urgent. At the end of 2025, over 3,500 reports of abuse and
neglect were made in Cherokee County. Your support allows us to meet families at
critical moments and provides the compassionate, evidence-based care they need.
Positive Childhood Alliance Cherokee received 140 referrals for services for families
needing parent coaching and support. The small, but mighty team provided 812 in-
home visits to 73 parents and 122 children. Our team meets families weekly for six
months—one of the few programs in Georgia offering this level of support. The results
are extraordinary: 100% of parents improved parenting skills, and 99% of
families avoided foster care involvement.
Our Wellstar Family Visitation Center held more than 1,100 supervised visits,
offering parent coaching, life-skills support, and opportunities for meaningful connection.
We prioritized family time and helped maintain and strengthen bonds while families are
separated due to foster care involvement.
Chin Up Mentoring connected 49 teens with 37 trained mentors through life-skills
classes in cooking, mindfulness, first aid, and financial management. Chin Up Mentoring
ensures that middle and high school students have someone in their corner cheering
them on. Even after their required participation ended, 20% of teens chose to
continue, underscoring the meaningful relationships they’ve built.
Today, approximately 350 children in Cherokee County are experiencing foster care.
Our 160+ CASA volunteers advocated for 545 children last year. With your support,
we expanded our CASA team and trained 31 new volunteers, helping ensure no child
navigates the foster care system alone. These volunteers cumulatively drove 63,480
miles to show up for these kids and support their cases.
We are committed to strong governance and financial stewardship. The Children’s
Haven earned top ratings from GuideStar/Candid, Charity Navigator, and Great
Nonprofits, and once again achieved Accredited Charity status from the Better
Business Bureau—an honor shared by only a handful of nonprofits in Georgia.
Thank you for believing in our mission to promote the health and happiness of children
impacted by abuse and neglect. As we look ahead to a new year, we carry hope—hope
for safety, stability, and a brighter future for every child.
With gratitude,
Marcie Smith
Executive Director
The Children’s Haven
