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Connection
Matters

From The Founder

Some issues are hard to ignore, especially when they keep moving into your heart and home. For my husband, Steve and me, the issue we can’t ignore is children and young adults without stable, trustworthy family. In 2007, when we first entered the foster care/adoption world, we were a small family with one biological daughter. Our reasons for adopting were simple: we wanted to add to our family and our daughter, Kristan, wanted a sister. We had no idea how much our lives were about to change.

Today, we have eight young women who call us mom and dad. They are each unique individuals with beauty, purpose and potential. But they didn’t always believe that about themselves. Six of our daughters have entered our lives between the ages of 11 and 18; each have faced more rejection, abuse and neglect in their lives than any person should. Their stories are heartbreaking.

Through our family’s journey, we’ve discovered a burning passion in our hearts for youth and young adults who have no one to belong to. We’ve experienced first-hand the power of belonging. The simple things like calling home for a recipe, having someone to call when you’ve gotten a speeding ticket, knowing that there’s someone in this world who knows what your favorite meal is and will cook it for you…. every child deserves those things.

The issue of youth and young adults without anyone in their life to lead them, love them, guide them and believe in them is real. We know, it’s moved into our home seven times over and we’re eternally grateful.

Connections Homes is about belonging. Our sons and our daughters deserve to belong to someone – forever.

We can’t tell you how much we appreciate each of you that have said “Yes!” to joining us in this journey. Together, we’re going to change lives forever. We wouldn’t want to do it alongside anyone else.

God Bless You!

Pam Parish
Connections Homes
Founder & CEO

Pam Parish

Founder & CEO

Our Family

Board of Directors

Robyn Smith

Chief Human Resources Officer

Executive Vice President of Human Resources
Jackson Healthcare

Henry Jackson

Vice Chair

President
Buckner Children & Family Services

Julia Amendola

Board Member Emeritus

CPA & Firm Manager
Worth & Associates

Joe Thomas, Jr.

Past Chair

President & Managing Member
Five Star Realty Partners, LLC

Deborah Ausburn

Board Secretary

Litigator and Counselor at Law
Taylor English Duma LLP

Casey Deyton

Treasurer

Senior Director
Philanthropic Financial Services, Chick-fil-a Corporate

Tom Rawlings

Director

Principal
Child Welfare & Justice Transformation

Isaiah Burgin

Director

Program Manager
Google LLC

Allison Bramlett

Director

Executive Pastor
Covenant Church

Pam Parish

Director

Founder & CEO
Connections Homes

National Advisory Council

Lynn Johnson

Former Assistant Secretary
U.S. Administration of Children & Families

Joshua Christian Oswald

Child Welfare Advocate & Foster Care Alumni

Bob Caldwell, Jr.

President
Grace Management Group

Tony Mitchell

Chief Operating Officer
Christian Alliance for Orphans (CAFO)

Nathan Gooden

CFO
Amazon’s Echo/Alexa Division

Dan Reed

Partner
Praxis Capital

Chrissy Strohmeyer

Co-Founder & Managing Partner
Sourced

Our Team

Filter

Pam Parish

Founder & CEO

Audrey Rodgers

Vice President of Programs

Daniel Rodgers

Chief of Staff

Kenda Hembrough

Vice President of Development

Kristan Bhandari

Vice President of Operations

Tynesha Anderson

Director of Engagement

Judy Simmons

Operations Manager/Staff Accountant

Paige Henderson

Executive Assistant to Founder & CEO

Victoria Garcia

Executive Director of Georgia

Davida Allen

Relationship Manager

Kelsey Thomas

DGA Community Coordinator

Kristal Hill

Director of Community Engagement

Missy Bailey

Relationship Manager

Jamie Mcafee

Executive Director, Tennessee

Shawana Black

Director of Relationship Management, Texas

Margaret Hoffer

Don’t Go Alone Director,
In Partnership with
Project Belong

Tyree Smith

DGA Youth Coordinator

Our Values

Connections Homes was founded on Jesus’ words from John 14:18, “I will not leave you alone (comfortless, orphaned), I will come to you.” As an organization, we believe that no one, especially a young person whose life circumstances are no fault of their own, should be alone in life. Our values as an organization move us continually forward in finding loving, lifelong family like relationships for youth who are alone due to broken family systems.

Our values reflect our heart.

We honor God and others by demonstrating love and compassion in all we say, do and practice as individuals and as an organization.

We empower one another to be the best version of ourselves possible in this world by sharing our experiences and trusting one another with responsibility and ownership that leads to success.

We practice accountability by taking ownership & responsibility for our commitments and following through with our actions.

We value relationship with others and acknowledge the importance of maintaining good relationships through communication, togetherness and mutual respect.

We model transparency in our lives by being up front and open about our actions, intentions, and expectations.

Statement of Faith

1

About the Scriptures:

We believe the entire Bible is the inspired Word of God and that men were moved by the Spirit of God to write the very words of Scripture. Therefore, we believe the Bible is without error. We believe in one God who exists in three distinct persons (the Trinity): Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:19; John 10:30; Ephesians 4:4-6) (1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Timothy 3:16-17)
2

About Jesus:

We believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. That He became flesh to reveal God’s love to humanity and to become the Savior of the world. We believe in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His death and resurrection, and that He will someday return in power and glory to claim His bride the Church for eternity. (Matthew 1:23; John 1:1-4; John 1:29; Acts 1:11; Acts 2:22-24; Romans 8:34, 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Philippians 2:5-11; Hebrews 1:1-4; Hebrews 4:15)
3

About Humanity:

We believe that all people were created in the image of God to have fellowship with Him but became alienated in that relationship through sinful disobedience. As a result, people are incapable of regaining a right relationship with God through their own efforts. (Genesis 1:27; Ezekiel 37:27; Isaiah 59:2; Romans 6:23)
4

About Salvation:

We believe that the blood of Jesus Christ, shed on the cross, provides the sole basis for the forgiveness of sin. Therefore, God freely offers salvation to those who place their faith in the death and resurrection of Christ as sufficient payment for their sin. (Luke 24:46-47; John 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 3:23; 2 Corinthians 5:10-11; Ephesians 1:7, Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:4-7)
5

About Loving People:

We believe that God created all human beings in His image, that human life is sacred from conception to its natural end. That every person should be treated with love, compassion, kindness, respect, and dignity following Christ’s example. (Psalm 139:13; Isaiah 49:1; Jeremiah 1:5; Matthew 22:37-39; Romans 12:20-21; Galatians 6:10)
6

About Caring for Orphans:

We believe God has called the Church to care for at-risk and lonely children and youth who are today’s orphans. That He places youth in Mentoring Families so they can experience the unconditional love of Jesus Christ. (Psalm 10:14; Psalm 68:6; James 1:27)
7

About the Holy Spirit:

We believe that the Spirit of God leads people to faith in Jesus Christ. That once an individual becomes a Christian, that the Holy Spirit imparts new life to them and empowers them to live godly lives. (John 3:5- 8;Acts 1:8; Acts 4:31; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 2:14; Galatians 5:16-18; Ephesians 6:12)
8

About the Christian Life:

We believe all Christians should live for Christ and not for themselves. By obedience to the Word of God and daily surrender to the Holy Spirit, every believer should mature and be conformed to the image of Christ. (Galatians 2:20; Romans 8:29; Philippians 1:21)
9

About Sexuality, Marriage, and Family:

We believe God’s plan for human sexuality is to be expressed only within the context of monogamous marriage between one man and one woman. That the family unit is foundational to God’s plan for humanity, and that God has ordained marriage as its centerpiece. (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:5-6; Mark 10:6-9; Romans 1:26-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9.)

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