Connection
Matters
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
Board of Directors

Robyn Smith
Executive Vice President of Human Resources
Jackson Healthcare

Henry Jackson
Senior Vice President
Buckner Children & Family Services

Julia Amendola
CPA & Firm Manager
Worth & Associates

Joe Thomas, Jr.
President & Managing Member
Five Star Realty Partners, LLC

Deborah Ausburn
Litigator and Counselor at Law
Taylor English Duma LLP

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

Tom Rawlings
Principal
Child Welfare & Justice Transformation

Pam Parish
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
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.