Editor’s note: This article was updated with an image of the three individuals The Foundation of Wesley Woods will honor at its upcoming Heroes, Saints & Legends Awards gala.
Mother’s Day is a special Sunday at United Methodist churches in north Georgia, when offerings traditionally are directed to benefit The Foundation of Wesley Woods.
“The Wesley Woods Mother’s Day offering helps provide financial assistance for housing and meals to residents who have outlived their resources,” Sharon Spears, a member of the Wesley Woods board and of Oak Grove United Methodist Church in Decatur, said in a social media post. “This allows residents and their families to experience peace of mind knowing that they do not have to leave their home.”
The offering also helps pay for chaplains, nurses and wellness programs.
The foundation is also looking ahead to its upcoming Heroes, Saints & Legends Awards gala, an annual event that recognizes individuals who have “enriched Atlanta’s community through a lifetime of achievement and commitment to leadership, service and philanthropy,” said Wesley Woods, which supports about 1,800 residents in 10 communities for older adults across North Georgia.
This year’s Heroes, Saints & Legends honorees are Renee Lewis Glover, founder and managing member of the Catalyst Group and former president and chief executive of the Atlanta Housing Authority; and Glenn and Susan Warren, advocates for Wesley Woods and Atlanta’s broader philanthropic community.
Diane Vaughan, president of the Foundation for Wesley Woods said, “Glover’s transformative initiatives in reimagining Atlanta’s public housing communities, coupled with the Warren family’s long legacy and profound impact on Wesley Woods residential communities, epitomize our commitment and compassion for underserved older adults.”
Glover also serves on the board of Fannie Mae and Habitat for Humanity International. The Warrens are involved with the Atlanta Speech School, Candler School of Theology, Good Samaritan Health Center, Northside United Methodist Church and other organizations and nonprofits.
This year’s gala will be the foundation’s 35th and will be held Sept. 19 at Flourish in Buckhead. Over the years, the gala has raised more than $8.2 million for the Foundation of Wesley Woods.
The non-profit Wesley Woods was founded by leaders in the United Methodist Church and provides various levels of care for its residents, including assisted living, independent living, memory care and skilled nursing.
The foundation helps fund wellness programming, pastoral care and charitable financial assistance for housing and meals. Those services help residents maintain independence to delay or prevent the need to seek more costly and intensive levels of care, according to the foundation.
Wesley Woods is encouraging additional sponsorships for the event. Vaughan said, “Event sponsorships play a crucial role in the success of Heroes, Saints & Legends, and in turn, enable our older adults to thrive.”
More information about the honorees, the Foundation of Wesley Woods and the Heroes, Saints & Legends Gala is available at wesleywoods.org/heroes. Tickets will be available for purchase in July.
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