This past year has seen so many hopes and dreams for Refuge come to fruition. Over the past 12 months 4,057 people have found their refuge from the storms of their daily life in our counseling offices, waiting rooms, and in the company of our therapists.
Through over 39,000 sessions, kids, teens, adults, and families have come in facing some of life’s most challenging problems: anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship issues, and so much more and have been given the strength and tools to overcome them… truly transforming themselves and their pain as well as their families, and communities. Our 70+ counseling staff provide a process that allows people to become free of the burdens, barriers and shame stories they carry so they can live “fully alive” and untethered.
Over the course of the last year, we began a partnership with the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services that allows many of our clients who are without insurance and meet other eligibility criteria to come to Refuge for free. This year we also placed two counselors into hospital emergency rooms, in partnership with our local hospital, to help those who are suicidal to feel seen and cared for in their crisis. We partnered with The Amen Clinic to expand brain health scans and services to clients. We introduced new modalities, such as music therapy and virtual reality therapy and expanded our Neurofeedback team.
And of course, the construction of our future home is at long last nearing completion and we have raised the necessary funding we need to move in this fall. These are just a few of the things that have been accomplished in this last fiscal year.
In addition to those lofty accomplishments, our Staff, Board, Partnership Council, and Donors have continued to work tirelessly to care for people right where they are, and offer dignity for anyone on the economic spectrum and provide a place where Refuge can be “a shelter and shade from the heat of the day, and a refuge and a hiding place from the storm and the rain.”
When you give to The Refuge Center you partake in a ripple effect that spans over 18 counties and the entire state of Tennessee, transforming invisible wounds and injuries into places where the light shines through the brightest. The vast impact of YOUR generous and selfless support makes this life-changing work possible! Thank you for making such a difference in so many lives and communities, we are so deeply grateful!
Amy Alexander, CEO and Co-Founder
4,057
39,225 of clients utilize our sliding-fee scale 89% were children and teens 761
COUNSELING SESSIONS
TRUE COST PER SESSION $112
AVERAGE COST PAID PER SESSION $71
Average number of sessions 21.4
Since opening our doors in 2005, we have provided over 317,000 sessions
“It has been like going from a dark room to outside in the sunshine to have these tools, to have hope. They have taught me to love myself just as I am. Every day. I always have hope that tomorrow is going to be better. I have never had that before. Hope Grows at The Refuge Center because it’s accessible to everybody. They truly care. There’s always hope when you come to The Refuge Center, always.” - Female Client
OUR IMPACT
57 Mental Health Speaking Engagements in the community
290+ new Donors, 756 total donors
Added a fourth Neurofeedback Specialist
2 Therapists in Emergency Room daily
Raised required $9.1M to move into permanent home
Added 6 new collaborative partners
Worked with the State of TN so that eligible clients come to Refuge for free
Received a grant to provide services to those affected by opioids
Launched a new website
Launched Virtual Reality Therapy
“Coming to therapy has made me realize how wonderful people can be and how incredible it is when we hold space for one another. I don’t think I have ever experienced somebody sitting in a room with me and saying, ‘This is your hour and this is for you and I’m going to be here no matter what comes up.’ The fact that another human is willing to sit and look me in the face and walk me through that is incredible.”- Male Client
EVENTS
Raised a record $420,000 at our annual “Hope Grows” fundraiser, with close to 600 in attendance.
Partnered with Dr. Amen and the Change Your Brain Foundation for a songwriter night called “Melodies for Minds.” All proceeds benefit eligible clients to cover the cost of a brain scan at The Amen Clinics and up to a year of counseling at Refuge.
Hosted 3rd Annual Refuge Invitational to raise operating funds and awareness. Held at Westhaven Golf Club.
Hosted a Comedy Night at The Franklin Theatre with comedians Ken Davis and Jeff Allen benefitting our Capital Campaign
Hosted a Capital Campaign Fundraiser at the home of Refuge supporter, Cordia Harrington
Hosted our “Live Intentionally” Speaker series with this year’s theme “Critical Conversations for Crucial Times”
“The counselor at The Refuge Center, met me where I was with kindness and compassion and walked me through the hardest season of my life. I feel like a new person and I’m so thankful”- Female Client
WAYS TO HELP
The Refuge Center exists to offer excellent, accessible, and affordable mental and emotional healthcare services in support of a transformational impact on communities.
$3, 919, 376
Total Revenue
Counseling: 65%
Grants: 6%
Donations: 9%
Events/Fundraisers: 15%
Other: 5%
$3, 917, 276
Total Expenses
Program services: 86%
Administrators: 7%
Events/Fundraisers: 7%
Every $40 raised is a session for a child, teen, or adult client who needs one.
Become a FaithBuilder or DreamBuilder at refugecenter.org/support
FAITHBUILDERS
The Refuge Center FaithBuilders believe so deeply in our mission that they are monthly donors. These recurring contributions mean the mission continues, and more of our neighbors in Middle Tennessee can afford to seek this life-saving care. With a recurring and monthly gift, FaithBuilders make transformation possible by providing a life-changing counseling session for each $40 given.
DREAMBUILDERS
The Refuge Center DreamBuilders believe so deeply in the mission for our permanent home and the lives that will be changed there that they are monthly donors.
CONNECTIONS LUNCH
Held at our office on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of each month at 12pm. These lunches provide the opportunity for us to meet those in our community, offer tours of our space, watch a client story video, share about the programs and services of Refuge and enjoy a meal together. Time is also carved out to give our guests the opportunity to share about their own work. Sign up at refugecenter.org/connect
Let us speak to your church, small group, or workplace around the topics of mental health! Request a speaker and see our list of topics at refugecenter.org/request-a-speaker
Support our mission THANK YOU!
“Because people can come here and they have such great access to care, they can work through whatever it is they have going on in life, and become more hopeful, become more healthy, and become more fully present to the other people in their community.”- Donor
