I thank God each day for Side By Side Brain Injury Clubhouse. Our daughter has gained back much of her self-confidence since becoming a member of the Clubhouse. Her brain injury has left her with some facial disfiguration, short term memory loss, loss of vision in one eye and left side paralysis. The Clubhouse has helped her realize that she is not alone with the struggle to become a useful member of society. She has found a warm, supportive family of employees and other Club members. She has attended camp, an international conference, real world work experience, community volunteer activities and monthly peer group sessions giving her the exposure she could never have gotten anywhere else!!
The Clubhouse has helped me as caregiver through its monthly caregivers' meetings. We have a place we can meet and share common experiences and concerns. I have made new friends and found a great support group. The guest speakers have been knowledgeable in areas that are so relevant to coping with my new normal. For instance, I had never heard of a Special Needs Trust until the attorney talked with us about it. It has given me a new comfort level knowing I will be able to provide for our daughter after our death. The medical specialists have helped me understand many of the behavior and emotional changes seen in our daughter since her brain injury.
The staff is always willing to listen, advise and seek answers to my questions. Their primary concern at all times is the well being and safety of the members. I have never found or heard of a more supportive place for brain injury adults to thrive and become all they can become. This is a very special organization that serves the needs of a growing adult population with special needs. My prayer is that God will continue to open more doors so that Side By Side Brain Injury Clubhouse will be able to grow its program and facility to meet these special needs in our communities.
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I was introduced to Side By Side about 8 months ago by my daughter's psychologist who felt it would be ideal therapy for confidence building, providing a social outlet and giving her a sense of purpose and reintroduction to the work force. About two and a half years earlier, she had experienced an acquired brain injury after what was supposed to have been a routine surgery.
Our experience with Side By Side has proven to far exceed all expectations. The staff, volunteers and board members are so perceptive, patient and genuinely care about each member. They constantly pour into the lives of the members, giving them hope for a better tomorrow. Getting up early three days a week to report to work has been an excellent source of motivation because she knows others are expecting and relying on her to complete the tasks assigned. Being with others who are experiencing similar disabilities (mobility, memory, thought processing, etc.) have helped her verbalize and face her limitations without feeling that she is the only person going through a "make over or new normal. " Learning about and meeting others who have been successful in starting a new life after brain injury has given her an "I can attitude."
Side By Side offers monthly caregiver meetings where those of us serving as primary caregivers have an opportunity to share and learn from each other. Frequently guest speakers from various fields of study and experience including finance, social services, psychology, medical professionals in the areas of healing and understanding brain injuries to name a few, are invited to provide guidance, resources and support as we adjust to our new life challenges.
I have the utmost confidence in leaving my daughter in the care of Side By Side. I know she is happy there in a caring, learning environment and is gaining more independence. It has allowed me to start back picking up the pieces of my life that I had to drop when my daughter was injured. A brain injury affects the whole family, not just the injured member.
I do not know of any organization more deserving of support, whether as a volunteer or financial support, than Side By Side. It has made an immense difference in the lives of families throughout the state of Georgia. I would encourage everyone to prayerfully consider how you can best become a supporter of this life changing organization.
Review from Guidestar
I am a professional in the healthcare field and frequently refer clients to Side by Side for ongoing recovery after rehabilitation therapy. I cannot say enough great things about this organization. The care and respect all the staff provide to fellow professionals, members, families, and one another is truly amazing. Their efforts in empowering and engaging members and educating the greater community have made an enormous difference for members, families, and our overall community. Side by Side really is a Great Nonprofit!
Review from Guidestar
I love Side by Side Brain Injury Clubhouse Inc. It is a great Brain Injury Program for people. We love to work one with the each other. There are three Work Units . In the Business Unit we take care of the money, Member Bank and Handle Lunch Money. We have a Lending Bank for those that are short on Funds. We handle Making Birthday Cards for present & former members. Kitchen Unit prepare the meals for the day with staff & members working from recipes, serving the food, washing the dishes pots & pans skillets, cutlery, sinks for vegetables, sink to rinse pots pans plates, cutlery. Drying racks for pots, pans, plates, glasses, silverware. Maintenance Unit keeps the Building clean in side & outside with the grounds to be maintained. By mopping, sweeping, dusting, make sure the Dining Room is in order for Eating & game Night & Meetings. Mark sure the Lawn is clean Shrubbery is trimmed, Flowers are Planted, picked & put on tables for decoration. Mopping the Dining Room, Bathrooms Cleaning the windows, dusting the furniture in the Sweeny Suite & Staff Offices, Laundry Room, Bath Rooms. We have a lot work to do at the Clubhouse we enjoy it very much.
Review from Guidestar
During my almost two years at Side by Side, I had the opportunity to work alongside members in all three of the units, learn from members and staff alike, and developed numerous friendships which I have maintained to this day. The Clubhouse is independent living in all of its glory, and my experience there shaped who I am today and who I strive to be tomorrow. I will always appreciate my time at the Clubhouse and try to visit whenever I am back in town.
Review from Guidestar
I was looking for a place to volunteer not far from home and Side by Side Clubhouse is not too far from home. And that's it! Very quickly, I felt extremely welcomed. The atmosphere is warm and cheerful. The love and the care are palpable. And I don't mean from staff and volunteer to members, but all around. And this is my favorite part. There's no way to tell who is staff, who is a volunteer, who's a caregiver, who's a member and who's a translator. It is a true community of bright people working and socializing with a very uplifting and supportive philosophy for and from all.
Review from Guidestar
I am a member in the business unit where we conduct the administrative responsibilities, such as answering the phones, bookkeeping, money A&R, correspondence to donors, volunteers and sponsors, we also provide a "Reach out" to those members who are not able to return to the clubhouse for a period of time due to hospitalization or other medical concerns or due to lack of financial funding.
The clubhouse has given me a better outlook on my "new normal" life as it is for me now as well as bigger and brighter expectations for my future
Review from Guidestar
My son has been a member of the clubhouse about a year after his accident and he still attends. The clubhouse provides him a fulfilling component of interaction, learning, and meaning to his life (and mine) that cannot be measured with words. He was a striving college student full of life who could not return to that environment (or a regular work one) because of his severe challenges. The clubhouse provides him a place that gives meaning to his life, while also challenging him to do more.
Review from Guidestar
It has been my privilege to volunteer in a variety of ways at Side by Side Brain Injury Clubhouse. The members are happy individuals who thrive in this most respectful, interesting, and uplifting environment. The staff is unfailingly dedicated. The members learn and grow in ways that are difficult to adequately describe. I can think of no other setting more positive or deserving of one's support than Side by Side Brain Injury Clubhouse!
Having worked as a rehabilitation counselor for people with catastrophic disabilities for more than 20 years, I have come to appreciate that the Side by Side Brain Injury Clubhouse is a true gem within the field of rehabilitation and community support for people with traumatic or acquired brain injuries. By providing a place for people with brain injuries to come daily to be productive, to share a laugh, to support each other, to learn from each other, and to teach each other, the Side by Side Clubhouse is unique in the way it makes its members feel "normal" and wanted and safe and valuable. So many of these characteristics easily get forgotten in someone who has a brain injury and is no longer the same person they were before the brain injury. The Side by Side helps its members to regain their sense of self and to move forward, with the support and love and care of the other members, its staff and volunteers, family members, and even the community. I have seen firsthand the good work of the Side by Side Clubhouse in helping members meet their needs and become productive and contributing members of society again. The Side by Side Clubhouse impressed me so much so that I chose to spend 4 years studying its program and outcomes and getting to know its members and staff in order to successfully conduct my dissertation research. But not wanting to disconnect my ties to the Clubhouse after my research was finished, I accepted an invitation to serve on the Board of Directors to further the good work of the Clubhouse and to ensure its future in providing quality, community supported, and real-world services to a much needed (and growing) population of people with brain injury. With over 1.7 million people each year in U.S. who get a traumatic brain injury, programs such as the Side by Side Brain Injury Clubhouse have a necessary and needed place in our community. Support to keep the Clubhouse vital and continuing is crucial and is where the most positive results will occur - to help someone like you or me who has received a brain injury to live as normal a life as possible.
I worked at Side By Side Clubhouse as an intern earning my masters degree in vocational rehabilitation counseling. This facility provides for individuals who have suffered chronic traumatic injuries (TBI) a place to come to daily where they are able to socialize and engage in work related activities in a setting where they are accepted by their peers and are able to receive appropriate rehabilitation assessment and services by the staff. The socialization aspect is very important because TBI's often affect individuals' appearance and personality; this can have a dramatic effect on their ability to socialize. The result is that often individuals with TBI's are marginalized in society. This facility provides a place for socialization which contributes specifically to their healing and ultimately to overall quality of life. It allows for respite for the families of the members because they bare a serious responsibility towards members' daily well-being. If this is all that Side By Side provided it would be enough to be a great non-profit organization but in addition, the professional staff provides counseling and rehabilitation services, service coordination with the member's medical team and other relevant parties, and case management services. The result is that the environment is created here where individuals with TBI's have available to them the resources necessary to achieve their personal, career and independent living goal. Side By Side therefor, serves us all by improving our society's overall quality of life.
The members of the Clubhouse are some of the most intriguing, gifted, and giving people that I have ever met. They touched my life everyday with stories or recovery and gratitude. Despite surviving traumatic brain injuries, they are productive members of society. The members run the clubhouse. In addition, they contribute to the community in so many other ways. In fact, the members give back more than most of us. And they give back with a smile. The staff is equally committed to the community in Stone Mountain as well as the community at large. Both the staff and members invest in and take pride in their community by volunteering and supporting community initiatives. They help with landscaping; provide art work for community fairs and day care centers. In these economic times they too need financial support to keep the clubhouse going. Let’s give as much as we can to keep this vital group alive and active in our communities.
Over the past 2 years I have interned and volunteered at Side by Side Brain Injury Clubhouse. The members and staff at Side by Side have truly perfected the clubhouse model. When you go to the clubhouse as a member, staff, intern, volunteer or just a visitor, you are treated as family. Productive activity gives the members a sense of accomplishment, ownership and confidence. As a professional (who was trained under the best at the clubhouse) I understand more about the human spirit and science of the brain/body. The members at the clubhouse taught me just as much (or more) than I taught them. Atlanta is so lucky to have a place like the clubhouse to assist, advocate for and empower the brain injury community.
Clubhouse is a very special place full for love, hope, and support. The staff are wonderful people and treat members with the great respect and dignity. The members are committed to their role in the Clubhouse and are very supportive of one another. Clubhouse offers such a needed service in the community and allows members productive and meaningful activity. The friendships that are made and the opportunity to give back is very impressive. We are lucky to have such a great organization in Atlanta!
My daughter has been a member of side-by-side clubhouse for a number of years. The clubhouse has been a wonderful place for her to relearn socialization skills that were lost due to her TBI. She has been offered a chance to learn job skills that have served her well in several part-time jobs she has held while still attending the clubhouse. She has gained dignity and respect through her interactions with staff and club members. Most of all she has a community of friends who work together for the good of each other and the clubhouse. The clubhouse has been a lifesaver for my daughter. I am so impressed with all the dedicated staff and volunteers. I wish that there were more clubhouses around the state to provide the wonderful services my daughter receives.
Side by Side Clubhouse and its staff are phenomenal! With excellent attention to detail, one-on-one interaction, and a smile, the staff go above and beyond the call of duty to serve their members. Each member's inner potential is revealed, their individual personalities are celebrated, and, best of all, they are so appreciative of the Clubhouse and remain very engaged. Traveling sometimes more than two hours to get the Clubhouse, members are committed to their services, and staff do not disappoint. All that is needed now are MORE Clubhouses! There should be at least three more in GA.
Side By Side meets people where they are and restores dignity and purpose to people living with the long-term effects of brain injury that continue long after medical treatment has done all it can. Side By Side gives members a reason to get out of bed in the morning and a place to go to be productive members of community. At the Clubhouse, they are able to contribute their abilities to productive activity, as well as stretch and strengthen those skills toward potential broader participation in community. Side By Side provides a personal support community in which individuals are valued as they are, rather than seen only for what they have lost. Side By Side provides respite to families of brain injured individuals while doing so much more than just parking the injured in a day care facility. I was constantly moved by how the clients focused on the positives rather than the negatives in their lives, on what they could do rather than what they could not, and by how thankful they are for the experience of Side By Side. I grew both personally and professionally by working side by side with members and staff.
Side by Side is an in incredible organization that provides hope to many survivors and families who have suffered a brain injury. It is a program that allow these folks to improve on all aspects their lives as they relearn to become productive members of society and/or to live a quality of life. It is inspiring to see the work that goes on which provides the needed structure and support to allow people with brain injuries reach their goals. It is a place where commaraderie and fellowship take place which is imperative in accepting their new journey. Kudos to the staff and especially the executive director who has dedicated her life to this program and what is has become!!!
The Side by Side Clubhouse is a treasure that we are fortunate to have in our metro Atlanta community. Side by Side is so much more than another "brain injury facility". For the rehabilitation community, it is a great option for those persons who may have completed their need for skilled therapies but still have a need to do something productive and structured. For the members of the Clubhouse, Side by Side becomes a community of support and respect, and akin to family. I only wish there were more Side by Side's in other cities. It fulfills such a need for those who may find themselves in between their pre-injury life and their post-injury future.
Side by Side represents a testament to the strength of the human spirit. The staff's dedication to the growth of every member can only be compared to that of a member's family. Side by Side's dedication is limitless because the staff truly believes in every person there. New members often come in frustrated by their condition and circumstances. However, under the no non sense optimism of the Side By Side staff as well as the support of other senior members, spirits are renewed.
I have worked in rehabilitation for 30 years with the last 20 with individuals who have sustained brain injuries. It is by far the most respectful environment I have ever worked or volunteered. It is wonderful to experience the respect staff give members and members give staff. The staff role is to assist rather than "be the expert". The members teach the staff and other members as as much if not more than the staff teach the members. The compassion the staff and members give one another is a beyond description. I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to be part of the Side by Side family.
This program cherishes and illuminates the hearts and souls of everyone it touches. It enables unique collaboration among people who others identify as having disability break stereotypical bounds to create opportunities that personally enrich each participant's life and the lives of other people around them. It inspires others to do the same, whether you are a member, staff, donor, or simply an admirer.
I worked in post acute brain injury rehab at Shepherd. Side by Side was just starting up and provided a place for folks to find meaningful work and skill enhancement following our program. I have since relocated but follow the progress of many of my former clients who attend Side by Side. They achieve at levels we would not have expected and finding/living life with a brain injury! In addition, volunteer and sometime paid work is found. This is an invaluable resource!
My husband began attending Side By Side 1 1/2 years ago and after a long 9 year journey with brain injury, Side By Side was a breath of fresh air. The ways Side By Side has contributed to my husband's quality if life are too numerous to mention here. Not to mention when he is helped it benefits our whole family. There is no other place like Side By Side that in this region that knows, understands and advocates for adults with brain injury like Side By Side. I also volunteer there some and have gotten our local woman's club involved there.
my son received a traumatic brain injury in the year 2000 and after 1 year at shepherd center he was referred to side by side - from his arrival there they have worked deligently to help him improve social skills, computer skills, and any things else that they see where he needs help. from a boy whose parents were told he would never walk, talk, and be a complete vegetable - he walks, talks, and carries on conversations that are amazing. anytime that side by side sees or hears of something that can help - they are quick to contact us in order for my son to take advantage of the situation. ray just recently lost his father who was his primary caregiver and side by side was right there "by his side" in helping him work thru this trauma - ray loves it there - it is the one therapy that he never wants to stop - everyone is wonderful and have given him so much self worth ..... all i can say is that i have so much to be thankful for in the fact we found them and they were able to enroll ray .....
My daughter has been nservred by this charity for nine years. Her lefel of confidence has improved 100%. Her Social skills have improved 100%.
Side by Side has been a fabulous support to my husband and me. After my husband was "finished" with rehab following his brain injury, I felt we were really having a hard time moving forward. Side by Side has offered support in providing a meaningful work day for my husband as well as numerous contacts for other kinds of help when needed. I am so grateful to be able to say that the club members and staff are our friends. Side by Side rocks!
This is a class act. It really does preserve the dignity of the members. It is well run by members, volunteers and staff. The place is tastefully furnished and spotlessly clean. I am an OR nurse, and I know Clean!
The commitment of the Side by Side staff is exceptional. When I visit the Clubhouse, I am always amazed at the dedication the staff have to the members. When funds were tight, the staff went without pay increases and some even dropped their hours to help. Whenever I make a donation or help out in any way, I get a wonderful thank you note from a member to say what it meant to them.
My employer is a member of the board, as his assistant I maintain contact with the staff of the clubhouse on a regular basis. I know that patients that he has referred to the clubhouse have improved their quality of life from the quality of services, programs and compassionate assistance they provide to survivors and families of traumatic brain injury.