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CountyLineOctober2011www.CountyLineMagazine.net12Imagineforamomentbeingasmallchildinyourfamilyshomeandsuddenlyyouaretakenawayfromtheonlyonesyoulove.Notbecauseofanythingthatyoudidbutbecauseoftheactionsofyourparents.Yourparentsarehookedondrugsoralcoholdonothaveajobandhavebeenneglect-ingorabusingyou.Formanythisisanunthinkablesituationandmostpeopledonotliketothinkthiscouldbehappeningintheirneighborhood.Butthehardfactisthatitdoesandcontinuestohappeneverywhereandinallwalksoflife.Thisdoesnotjusthappeninthepoorandunderprivilegedfami-liesbutcanhappeninanyfamily.Childrenneedloveandtoknowtheyhaveasafeandlovinghomeinordertogrowintothewonderfulyoungpeopletheyweremeanttobecome.JessesHousewasestablishedin1998followinganeedsassessment.TheoriginalhomewasdonatedbytheLarryMorrisfamilyandwasnamedafterhisfatherJesseR.Morriswhodiedin1992.Hewashighlyrespectedbyallwhoknewhim.Hewouldhelpanyoneinneedandworkedhardtoprovideasafeandsecurehomeforhisfamily.ThesearetheguidingexamplesforallinvolvedwithJessesHousetoday.Theoriginalhomewasonlyabletoserve7girls.In2004JessesHousemovedtoalargerfa-cilityandthecurrentcapacityis12.ThemissionofJessesHouseistoprovideemergencyandlongtermcareforadolescentgirlsages7to17whohavesufferedabuseordelinquencythatgrewoutofahardandunstablefamilylifeandtobeplacedinasafenurturingandtherapeuticenvironment.ThesegirlsarereferredbyDepartmentofFamilyChil-drenServicesDepartmentofJuvenileJusticeandForsythCountyJuvenileCourt.Thegirlswhoareknowntobeusingillegaldrugsorpregnantwillnotbeaccepted.TheshelterservesthegreaterAtlanta1998JessesHousewentfromserving24girlsin1998to52in2010.Uponarrivalatthesheltereachgirlisevaluatedtodevelopatreatmentplantomeetherindividualneeds.Residentsnotonlyreceiveasafeplacetosleepandstaybutalsoreceivemanyservices.TheyincludemedicaldentalandvisionassessmentsandcareschoolenrollmentandweeklytutoringGEDprogrambehaviormanagementfamilyandindividualcounselingpsychiatriccarelifeskillsservicesactivitiesbasiccareandnutrition.Therearemanyvolunteeropportunitiestohelptheresidents.Youcanbecomeamentororhelpwithgroupactivitiessuchasdanceormusic.Youcanmakemonetarydonationsordonatefoodclothes-unteerservicesarealwayswelcomefromareaphy-siciansdentistspsychologistsoreducators.Therearealsomanyopportunitiesforplanningvarious-byLisaBurkeareaandNorthGeorgia.Sinceitwasrstopenedintnessactivitiesrecreationaltherapycommunityorschoolsuppliestonameafew.Professionalvolfundraisingeventseachyear.Pleaseconsiderbe