Compassion House reaches out to families with festival

Published 8:00 pm Monday, May 17, 2021

Without the aid of Compassion House’s various services, Ashley Slaton doesn’t know if she ever would have been able to find her way back to the right path in life and regain custody of her children.

It’s “their love and compassion for others, always willing to help any family needing help” that stands out most to Slaton about Compassion House, she said. Compassion House enabled her to “get back on my own two feet,” and two years ago she reclaimed custody of her “little princesses,” Ariel, 10, and Jazmyn, 8.

“I lost custody of them three years ago,” she said. At her nadir, “I lost my car and my home.”

“It was a hard experience to go through, of course, but very rewarding,” because she emerged better and stronger than ever, she said. That’s due to the support she received from Compassion House, as well as her fiancé, Austin Taylor — they’re set to marry this July —who “came along with me and did everything with me.”

Slaton is so grateful to Compassion House that she gives back, including helping lead a “Thrivers” family support group that meets every other Friday at Compassion House.

“It’s for families (who) have come through (like we have) and are thriving, now,” she said. “We meet as a group, have food, and play games, instead of going out partying and being around bad influences.”

Triumphant stories like Slaton’s are a main reason why Linda Clark has devoted the past 14 years to Compassion House, said the director and chief executive officer, adding, “I love it.”

Compassion House, a nonprofit serving Whitfield and Murray counties, aims “to restore a stable and loving relationship between struggling parents and their children who have been taken into state custody and placed into foster care,” according to its website. At Compassion House, “children and their parents are provided a safe environment for emotional healing from abuse, neglect and separation.”

A “family defines who a child is,” according to Jonathan Sloan, the director of the Whitfield County Division of Family and Children Services. “When they’re removed, you hurt that child in ways you don’t even know.”

“Children, they want their parents, and the best thing you can do for children is help their parents be the best parents they can be,” Clark said. “That’s what we do.”

Currently, “upwards of 250 people benefit from Compassion House’s services every month,” including children and their extended families, and more information on Compassion House can be found online at compassionhouseinc.com.

“We don’t just work with separated families,” however, Clark said. “We try to strengthen families” to prevent breakups.

“We go into their homes, and we have classes on” parenting, marriage and relationships, anger management and restoration from trauma, she said. “We also connect (clients) with other agencies, if needed, (such as) for substance abuse issues.”

In order to raise funds for services, Compassion House offered a family fun fest recently at the Burr Performing Arts Park with games, music and food.

“We’ve done other events, but not outdoors in Burr Park like this, and we’re really excited for families to have something to enjoy,” Clark said. “We’re going to try to make this an annual event.”

Robin Chambliss; her daughter, Kayla Southerland; and her grandchildren, Alyson, 9, and Lukas, 2, hope that happens, as they were impressed by the festival.

“I was at the park with my kids the other day and I saw this,” Southerland said. “I thought we could do this.”

The “games were really cool,” said Alyson, who got her face painted, among other activities. “I won candy.”

Chambliss had heard for years about the work Compassion House does in the community, and one of her relatives has taken advantage of Compassion House’s services, she said. “They get families back together, and it’s a good cause.”

Miranda Cash “really enjoyed myself” at the festival, and “it’s a really great cause,” she said. “Compassion House helped a friend of mine get her kids back.”