Sharing adventure with Atlanta’s youth since 2018
The Julie’s Dream mission is to give children in under-resourced communities in Atlanta the hope and love of Jesus Christ through awe-inspiring wilderness experiences and outdoor adventures.
Julie's Dream was founded at a time when many in the outdoor community began shining a light on the inequities that exist in accessing outdoor recreation and wilderness spaces Youth from all backgrounds are spending less and less time in the outdoors each year, but exposure to the outdoors is more limited for youth of color and those of lower socioeconomic status. Julie’s Dream seeks to overcome the barriers that inhibit youth from low-income communities and youth of color from experiencing the transformative power of the outdoors
To ensure continuity in our programs, we partner with Atlanta nonprofit organizations (our “Partners”) who serve under-resourced youth year-round, primarily in the areas of academic support and community enrichment. Our programs are for children in grades 3 through 12, and over 95% of the youth we serve are children of color and qualify for free or reduced lunch. Several of our youth have experienced homelessness, family violence, incarcerated parents, neglect, or other trauma.
Using our Program Framework and Guiding Principles, we work with each Partner and tailor outdoor programs specifically for their needs While each Partner serves underresourced communities, each community is different. We work closely with our Partners to provide experiences that serve their youth well and enhance the incredible work they do in their communities.
Julie’s Dream focuses on providing awe-inspiring outdoor adventures and wilderness experiences due to the profound impact these experiences have on every aspect of child well-being, including mental, physical, social, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual health; and a child’s ecological literacy and stewardship of the natural world. There is a growing body of research showing the incredible positive effects nature experiences can have on young people. Exposure to nature can help relieve depression and anxiety, boost concentration, improve social skills, improve academic performance, and even help heal trauma.
Julie’s Dream is the realization of Julie Muir Harlan’s vision to create opportunities for Atlanta’s children to experience the joy of outdoor adventure and the beauty of the God’s creation
Julie was raised in Atlanta, graduated from The Lovett School and Wake Forest University, and served as Executive Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer for Novare Group.
Her gracious and thoughtful nature infiltrated her work life, and she was instrumental in creating and championing Novare’s community service days, Bible studies, and social outings Her desire to share God’s love and serve others was boundless
She was devoted to her prayer life and earnestly worked to deepen her faith and make a difference in the community Julie especially loved the Agape Youth and Family Center (which eventually became the first Julie’s Dream partner), and her family served dinner there every other week for several years. She had a profound love for learning, respect for all people, and a wonderful sense of adventure. She instilled a love of travel and the outdoors in her boys, Charlie and Smith, the lights of her world.
After a life-changing trip to Mt. Rainier with her husband, Chad Harlan, Julie was inspired to create an organization to take at-risk and under-resourced Atlanta youth out west to experience the joy of mountaineering and the beauty of the wilderness. In late 2016, Julie started the process of forming a yet-to-be-named nonprofit organization with the goal of an early 2018 launch date She continued this work even after her cancer diagnosis She was driven by the hope and joy she knew these children would gain by experiencing God’s amazing creation and challenging themselves in new ways She knew these adventures would forever impact their young lives.
In 2017, Julie lost her battle with cancer. Determined to carry her dream forward, Chad continued the founding work with the help of Blake and Catherine Young and numerous friends and family members. He named the new organization “Julie’s Dream” in her honor. Julie’s Dream has served the youth of Atlanta since 2018, and within its first five years of operation, served over 500 youth with lifechanging outdoor programs. Julie’s amazing legacy continues to impact over 200 youth each year through outdoor adventure and time in nature
Our mission is to give children in under-resourced communities in Atlanta the hope and love of Jesus Christ through awe-inspiring wilderness experiences and outdoor adventures We plan each and every experience with these Guiding Principles in mind
1. Using Nature to Facilitate a Relationship with God. God is the creator of the universe, and we are made in his image. Peace with God means an intimate relationship with God and the recognition of God as the source of all beauty, including nature. Our programs use nature as the conduit to help us look to God for our source of peace and strength and to his son, Jesus, as the source of our salvation.We believe the natural world is a gift for us to enjoy, appreciate and carefully maintain; not a possession to exploit and destroy
2. Standing in the “Adventure Gap.” Julie’s Dream seeks to overcome the systemic barriers that inhibit youth from under-resourced communities from experiencing the transformative power of the outdoors. People of color have been underrepresented in the world of outdoor adventure, both in the media and in the national narrative, especially in technical activities such as mountain climbing. Often the history of outdoor leaders of color has been ignored and forgotten. Julie’s Dream offers an entrée into outdoor recreation for those youth who may not have otherwise visualized themselves paddling a canoe or climbing a mountain and for those who may not have the financial means to do so
3. Challenging and caring for our bodies. While not all our activities are strenuous, we believe that challenging ourselves physically outdoors is considered key to maintaining good health, developing resilience and self-esteem, and achieving a peaceful state of mind. By walking, biking, paddling, swimming, rafting, or propelling ourselves by other means, we immerse ourselves in the landscape and learn how to navigate it firsthand. We also believe in the importance of educating youth on the role of healthy food, proper hydration, and taking care of our bodies
4. Nurturing a sense of awe and wonder. Awe is critical to our well-being just like joy, contentment and love. Research shows it has tremendous health benefits that include calming down our nervous system and triggering the release of oxytocin. The experience of awe is the feeling of being in the presence of something vast that exceeds our current understanding of the world. It is the feeling of being overwhelmed by something larger than the self as we gaze into the stars or stand on the top of a mountain. God is the ultimate subject of awe, and He gives each of us the capacity for awe. This is the only way that we can truly see him
5. Disconnecting to connect. Julie’s Dream programs are a time to put away electronics and turn off the distractions By allowing ourselves time to tune into nature, we relieve stress and connect with our friends and loved ones
6. Goal setting while avoiding competition with others. Life is full of competition and comparisons – from school to organized sports to social media. Our programs allow youth to challenge themselves but not in competition with their peers. We encourage setting and achieving goals for the purposes of developing self-esteem and leadership skills. By removing competition, we help shift the focus from “self” to God and others and facilitate finding our worth in Him
7. Developing new skills. We aim to inspire a genuine curiosity about the natural world and a desire to learn useful skills through hands-on experience. Outdoor programming naturally lends itself to developing leadership skills as well. We provide the space and time for children to grow and develop into young leaders in their communities; and we envision a new generation of Atlanta youth who will have hope for a different future through a meaningful connection to God and to the outdoors. Our hope is that Julie’s Dream “graduates” will return as chaperones and leaders of future Julie’s Dream trips to continue the cycle of improving the lives of Atlanta children
8. Keeping it simple. Our overnight programs are experiences and not vacations When not camping or backpacking, we seek accommodations that are simple, clean, safe, and comfortable – but not luxurious. While camping or backpacking, we provide the equipment necessary to facilitate a comfortable and safe outdoor sleeping situation.
9. Facilitating preparation. Julie’s Dream maintains a gear bank of clothing and equipment to ensure that each child is prepared for the activities we provide for them. We reuse our clothing items and equipment both to help remove the financial barrier to accessing the outdoors and to reduce our impact on the environment
10. Developing a sense of place and broadening horizons. We find joy in everyday nature experiences locally and in the Southeast and in discovering awe-inspiring landscapes in other parts of our country. With collaboration with our partners, we use place-based learning, an instructional approach that focuses on developing a sense of place and learning through exploring the local environment. We broaden horizons by providing opportunities to travel to other regions of the country for outdoor adventure and wilderness experiences
Awareness of social and cultural background
Establishing supportive social networks
Developing meaningful relationships
Improving our communities
Creating safe and inclusive spaces
Optimism, empathy, self-esteem, self-acceptance
Ability to experience and cope with feelings independently and with others
Fostering inner resources and resiliency
Knowing when to ask for help
Understanding expectations
Walking/Hiking
Rafting and paddling
Alone time outdoors
Mountain climbing
Backpacking
Journaling outdoors
Horseback riding
Outdoor self-care
Group games
Conservation
Fitness
Strength
Prioritizing sleep
Nutrition
Personal hygiene
Hydration
Finding purpose, value, and meaning in life
Recognition of God as the source of all beauty, including nature
Thinking critically, reasoning objectively, and exploring new ideas and points of view
Curiosity about the natural world
Responsible decision-making
Love of learning
Expanding skills
Ability to cope with the stresses of life
Realize personal abilities
Understanding how social, natural, and built environments affect health and wellbeing
Environmental Environmental
Treating the natural world as a gift to enjoy, appreciate and carefully maintain; not a possession to exploit and destroy
Group Devotionals
Time in green space
Alone time outdoors
Rock climbing
Learning and working well alone and with others
Contributing to the community
Leave No Trace
Camping
No cell phones
Awe-inspiring views
Gear bank
Healthy meals
Animal experiences
Nature crafts
Ropes course/zipline
Biking
Central to the Julie’s Dream mission are awe-inspiring outdoor adventures and wilderness experiences. For these types of experiences to be provided safely and effectively, participating youth must be adequately prepared and comfortable in the program environment. Set forth below is the general framework of Julie’s Dream programs by age of the participating child. These programs grow with the child, and it is our hope that the children we serve will participate in our programs in the long term and not in a one-off manner.
Goals
Nature education
Provide resources to partner staff on outdoor curriculum
Example Activities
Weekend day field trips
Horseback riding
Example Locations
Georgia Aquarium
Healing Hearts and Horses
Grades 3-5
Age appropriate spiritual
curriculum
Increase time outdoors
Comfort and trust with staff
Preparation for overnight trips
Instruction on nutrition, health,
Grades 6-7
Environmental stewardship and hydration
Self-confidence
Personal responsibility
Leave No Trace principles
Increased physical challeges
Independence and goal setting
Academic responsbility
Grades 8-9
Grades 8-9
Leadership skills
Physical prep for summer trips
Environmental action projects
Time for journaling and reflection
Grades 10-12
Increased physical challeges
Advanced leadership skills
Independent outdoor skills
“Summit” experiences
Summer: Adventure Camp Canoeing
After-school and in-school
enrichment time
Nature Arts and Crafts
Longer day hikes
Ropes courses
Introduction to biking
Prep for summer activities
including weekend overnights
Summer: Adventure Camp and 1-2 night local and regional trips
Encampment Training
1-2 night local backpacking and
camping weekend trips
Southeast whitewater rafting
Introduction to mountain biking
Fall, Winter, and Spring Break trips
Summer: 3-6 night remote trips
Advanced whitewater rafting
High elevation climbing
Summer: Rock climbing
3-5 night regional trips
3-6 night remote trips
Gibbs Gardens
Fernbank Museum
Sweetwater Creek State Park
Stone Mountain
Chattahoochee Nature Center
Cloudland Canyon
Cumberland Island
Tallulah Falls
Amicalola Falls
Blue Ridge Mountains
Chattanooga
Treetop Quest
Nantahala River
Smoky Mountain National Park
Nolichucky River
Asheville, NC
Brevard, NC
White Mountains
Coastal Maine
Rocky Mountain National Park
Mt Rainier National Park
Collegiate Wilderness, CO
Olympic National Park
Kennebec River, ME
North Cascades National Park
Caroline Lombard, JD Executive Director
Caroline joined Julie’s Dream in 2021 after serving since 2018 as a volunteer and as a member of the Advisory Council Prior to this role, she practiced law for fifteen years, including ten years in the Office of Legal Affairs at Georgia State University. While at GSU, she summited Mt. Rainier with the University’s president and a group of faculty, staff, and alumni – an experience that led her to work towards making the outdoors accessible to everyone Caroline holds a J D from Mercer University’s Walter F. George School of Law and an undergraduate degree in Biology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Emily joined Julie’s Dream as a Program Coordinator in 2023 Emily studied Human Development and Family Science at UGA with focused research on adolescent development and holistic well-being. After graduation, she served in full-time ministry with the UGA Wesley Foundation and then joined the staff of a summer camp in Maine It was her experience at camp that sparked a new sense of ministry as she hiked, mountain biked, kayaked, canoed, sailed, camped, and shared the gospel with several youth under the remote, starry skies of Maine.
Siobhan (pronounced “shiv-on”) joined Julie’s Dream as a Program Coordinator in 2023. After graduating from UGA with a degree Fashion Merchandising, Siobhan spent four years in analytics working The Home Depot and REI Siobhan has a passion for missions that began during her time at UGA For several years, she spent her summers serving and leading on the mission field in Cortez, Colorado, serving both the local community and the Ute and Navajo Tribes. During these mission trips, she led devotionals, community outreach, and prayer, and provided guidance and mentorship to youth
1. What fees are associated with Julie’s Dream programs?
All Julie’s Dream programs are provided at no cost to participants or Partners. Additionally, Julie’s Dream maintains a Gear Bank of clothing, footwear, and equipment, that provides all necessary items to participate in each of our activities.
2. How do you ensure the safety of participants?
The health and safety of our participants are our top priorities in all Julie’s Dream programs First, we have a robust policy on Preventing Abuse and Neglect, developed with the assistance of the MinistrySafe program (ministrysafe com) This policy and its corresponding procedures govern all volunteer and staff interactions with our youth and require extensive background screenings, training sessions, and processes to protect both children and adults. Our staff undergo additional training in preventing abuse and understanding trauma.
Second, we have extensive policies and procedures concerning physical safety during our outdoor programs Our staff are certified in Wilderness First Aid and as American Red Cross Life Guards They are equipped to safely lead many of our activities (e g , hiking, camping, backpacking) For activities involving more risk or special skills (such as rock-climbing and whitewater rafting), we engage properly licensed, insured, and screened guide services to lead our youth alongside our staff.
3. What about children who cannot swim?
Youth may participate in all Julie’s Dream programs regardless of their ability to swim. Julie’s Dream requires Personal Flotation Devices in all activities involving ankle-depth or greater moving water and knee-depth or greater flat water We believe the ability to swim is a crucial life skill that every child should be granted the ability to learn, and we engage private swim instructors for youth who have an interest in learning to swim.
4. Do you serve youth who do not identify as Christian?
We are a Christian organization and our programs involve devotional time, journaling, and time for reflection. However, if a child does not identify as Christian or a parent/guardian or the child is not comfortable with the spiritual component, the child may still participate in our outdoor programs without participating in devotional time
6. How can I volunteer?
There are several volunteer opportunities available, regardless of your outdoor experience. Our opportunities are updated often and can be found on our website. Julie’s Dream is always looking for volunteers to:
Chaperone day, weekend, and week-long adventure trips
Prepare sack lunches for day trips
Prepare and serve meals on overnight trips
for our youth AMC has nable operations and
Crawford Path from the AMC Highland Center in Crawford ern end of the Presidential Range between Mount Pierce and Mount Jackson. We also spend a couple nights at AMC’s Joe Dodge Lodge where we can access beautiful waterfalls and the incredible views of Square Ledge. We give our feet a break and venture up the Mt. Washington Auto Road where the 6,288-foot mountain always brings the drama with its crazy weather and incredible views.
W E S T E R N N O R T H C A R O L I N A
In less than a half day, we can reach the beautiful playground of Western North Carolina. Among the many experiences we provide, our trips to Asheville, Brevard, the Smoky Mountains, and the Nantahala River, have been fundamental to introducing our middle and high school youth to new skills and overnight programs. On these excursions, our youth whitewater raft, hike, bike, and enjoy the beauty of this region. The Nantahala Outdoor Center assists us in guiding many of these summer experiences.
Many of our youth see the Appalachian Trail for the first time as we hike popular sections of it during our North Carolina trips We explore the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and hike around Clingman’s Dome; and when we need to rest, we pick up our tubes to float Deep Creek On our trips to Brevard, we stay at Ridge Haven where we can hike, canoe, and play games in the field We hike Black Balsam Knob, visit the variety of waterfalls in the area, and mountain bike in the Pisgah National Forest
tewater rafting, rock clim backpacking guide service located rk chooses our multi-day Collegiate Wilderness and guides the experiences alongside our staff Teens who take part in th participated in several previous Julie’s Dream programs and are ready for this next-level challen heavy packs towards beautiful streamside campsites to hiking up to alpine lakes above 12,000 feet, they push themselves, encourage each other, and are rewarded with breathtaking views and a solid sense of accomplishment
Upon returning to Noah’s Ark Basecamp, they climb their way through the Browns Canyon Adventure Course, a massive ropes course on the banks of the Arkansas River. Noah’s Ark encourages youth and adults in their faith through outdoor adventure, and they always leave a lasting impression on our teens. This experience always ranks as our most popular among our teens.
M A I N E
After a short and easy flight, our youth are transported to “Vacationland” where a beautiful coast, rushing rivers, towering mountains, exciting crags, and dense forest wilderness await. Our time on the Maine coast includes sea kayaking around Malaga Island, rock climbing in Camden, exploring Fort Scammel and the lighthouses in the Portland area, biking on Peaks Island, and so much more.
We have partnered with the Chewonki Outdoor Classroom for a week of learning on the coast and the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Medawisla Lodge located in the 100 Mile Wilderness. Medawisla is located within a designated International Dark Sky Park, with skies almost entirely free of light pollution. Less than 1% of the continental United States enjoys this designation, and the Medawisla location is the only Dark Sky Park east of the Mississippi River. Stargazing at Medawisla is an awe-inspiring experience, and its wilderness location provides for plenty of moose sightings and gorgeous hikes The Kennebec River is located nearby and provides an exciting whitewater rafting challenge!
