| Our 2025 Annual Banquet was another powerful evening of being reminded of how Christ is changing lives here at The Joy House. For those of you who were unable to join us please consider checking out the entire livestream or at least some of the testimony videos we’ve provided for you in this E-News. A significant portion of our annual budget is realized from giving around our banquet. If you haven’t given please consider if the Lord would have you give at this time to continue making a difference in the lives of those we serve. Remember that the return on your investment is changed lives. |
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BANQUET RECAP
“What if The Joy House never existed? Would you be ok with that?” This was the question asked by Eddie Staub, Founder of Eagle Ranch in Flowery Branch, GA, to the approximate 400 attendees of The Joy House Annual Banquet as they reflected over the last 24 years of The Joy House’s impact. Joy House Executive Director, Steve Lowe, introduced Eddie as a “great mentor” who has invested in his life encouraging Lowe to continue to serve the north Georgia community via the Joy House since 2001. Eddie commended Lowe on his perseverance and his team at The Joy House for “taking their stewardship of [the Joy House] mission seriously.” The ministry’s mission is to provide Christ-centered restorative care to struggling teens, families and individuals.
The banquet took place at YoungLife’s SharpTop Cove on Tuesday, April 29th. Guests gathered to learn more about The Joy House and support the nonprofit, which includes three residential homes and a community counseling center.
There are three parts to the Residential Program: home life, a self-paced accredited school, and therapy. Lowe explained that the character-driven program benefits teens who thrive in a home-like environment. The Residential Program has served over 200 teens including residents from 22 Georgia counties. Over the last five years, Cherokee County residents represent the majority of the families served with over twenty percent of the teens coming from this county.
The Counseling Center has offices in Ellijay and Jasper and under the new leadership of their Director, Andy Craddock, serves people of all ages in all seasons of life by “walking beside” them offering Christian friendship and discipleship. They have served clients as far south as Holly Springs and as far north as Blue Ridge. Whatever the client is struggling with they focus on introducing the idea or reminding their clients in the belief that they are a “child of the King”.
Both the Residential Program and Counseling Center collect client fees based on what the client can afford and will never turn someone away due to finances. This is why the banquet and other fundraising efforts, including a Pickleball tournament and Golf Tournament, are critical to their bottom line. Participation slots, volunteer opportunities and sponsorships are available for both.
Several moving testimonies were shared from both the Residential Program and Counseling Center. Local worship pastor, Slater K., expressed how grateful he was that The Joy House is easily accessible to the community and how the counseling he has received there has helped him overcome unwarranted shame and guilt for struggling with anxiety as a ministry leader. Former resident, Riley and her mother, Jessica, testified that The Joy House was divine intervention for their family with Riley stating “I really do think the Joy House saved my life.” Lastly, Angela, current girl’s home resident stated that The Joy House helped “change [her] point of view of [her] past” and she is looking forward to graduating and pursuing a career in emergency medicine as a way to give back to others in crisis. These testimonies and more can be viewed online at The Joy House’s YouTube channel or Facebook page.
The evening raised approximately $90,000; however this is short of their goal for the event. With the ministry’s commitment to offering services based on ability-to-pay, they must continue to partner with the community for financial support. If you want to join the mission of helping The Joy House to continue to exist, thrive and serve the north Georgia community, visit thejoyhouse.org online, text “GIVE” to 770.692.3722, or send a Venmo to @TheJoyHouse. For more information about The Joy House, visit thejoyhouse.org, call 706-253-7569, or email info@thejoyhouse.org. |
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| We’re looking for the next great leader of our school who is passionate about Christ, teens and education. If you are a teacher who wants to return to the roots of education impacting individual students, this may be a great opportunity for you. This is a small classroom setting where you really have the opportunity to build meaningful relationships with the students and help them realize their God-given potential. |
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As a teaching assistant at the Joy House Academy, I have the pleasure of working with students in different grades with various subjects. I mostly teach in English but also Social Studies and Science occasionally. I can’t say that I have a favorite subject to teach or a favorite part of my work.
I enjoy getting to know the students while helping them educationally. It is a joy to be able to encourage students as they settle into the self-paced learning environment, finding their own patterns of study to accomplish the assignments. It is also particularly rewarding to help students understand portions of their school work that give them difficulty and to watch as they grasp the concepts and skills.
Probably the most satisfying part of teaching at the Joy House Academy is seeing the students realize the sovereignty of God, as He and His Word are taught in each subject with Biblical principles, mathematical reasoning, American and world history, and scientific facts. English, Math, Social Studies and Science are important elements of education, but the knowledge of scripture and of God’s presence throughout every aspect of life will give the students the most important foundation for living in this world and for eternity. Helping students to learn that in school is probably the best part of being a teacher at the Joy House Academy. |
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| We’re looking for our next great husband and wife team to serve as house parent’s in our boys' homes. We need a couple who have a demonstrated passion for teens and for Christ. This is a vocational opportunity filled with great challenge and great reward. Interested couples can find all the necessary details at the link provided and how to apply. We would be blessed if our partner/friends can share this in your social networks and pray with us for the Lord to bring us the exact rightcouple. |
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