Meeting with the Towne Lake Business Association
On Wednesday, Glenn Keen, founder and CEO of Circle of Friends, was able to present and speak with the Towne Lake Business Association about Circle of Friends, its mission, and where Circle of Friends is heading in 2023.
Glenn was able to reflect on the past year, and determine that what stood out most to him about Circle of Friends in 2022 is that the need is still very real in Cherokee County for socialization, employment, and housing for neurodiverse young adults in our community.
Glenn went on to highlight the “wins” of Circle of Friends in 2022 - the things that are pushing Circle of Friends to the next level. Fundraisers like the Second Annual Cornhole Tournament which took place in August raised about $16,000 and the A Place in this World Inaugural Gala that was hosted in November brought in about $80,000 were huge wins for the organization. Bringing on board two new bright minds in 2022. Kaitie Griggs, Café and Social Media Manager, came on in May and has boosted the supportive employment aspect of Circle of Friends with her experience with neurodiverse individuals from Glisson Camp and Retreat Center, in Dahlonega, Georgia. Nick Carberry, VP of Operations, was hired in September. Nick has experience in corporate business management and has brought direction and structure to the organization. Kaitie and Nick together, have helped build up Circle of Friends’ consistent networking, marketing, and social media presence. Circle of Friends website received an update, making it easier to navigate to find information. Most importantly, recently, the organization received a very generous donation that will spark the growth that Circle of Friends expects to see in 2023.
The mission of Circle of Friends remains the same - to provide this support to those in our community living with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The mission itself is based on a problem-oriented community assessment, and the mission is big. We can’t solve every issue, so having the discipline to focus, and change the mindset of the community is necessary. If anything, Glenn believes that the vision is clearer now than it was in 2019. With the successes of 2022, Circle of Friends is optimistic about what 2023 looks like.