RIGHT ON THE MAP: The Lilly Project is one of the multiple residential facilities that will be located on the 35-acre property.

THOMASVILLE- A fundraiser was held last Friday afternoon by Gabriel Rising, a local program, taking the first steps toward support for special needs adults, low-income seniors, homeless women and children and disabled military veterans.

Gabriel Rising, the wholly owned subsidiary of Genesis House International, Inc., a 501©(3), recently acquired the Rosehaven Building #215 at the former Southwestern State Mental Hospital campus to facilitate their mission to offer a home and future for residents.

“We are in a contract with SW2020 who initiated the buy from the state, we were in the deal together,” said Executive Director Jackie Knight. “We were the chosen buyers by the PDA to purchase this property, the state had given Thomas County the ability to choose its own buyers, as opposed to them bidding it out to strangers coming and doing whatever.”

Knight said that when the property became available, she was one of the first at the table, initially wanting the whole facility, but compromising and obtaining Rosehaven.

“So I was at the table first, I wanted the whole facility, but they wanted some more housing development, which they do need,” Knight said. “So they told us to work together. I got this building, which is 68,000 sq. ft. and 35 acres.”

She shared her gratitude at the fundraiser for Governor Brian Kemp’s aid in obtaining the property, although she isn’t sure if he realizes how much he helped.

“I don’t even know that the governor knows how much that he helped, because he had made a mandate that there better be something that served the community on this property,” she said. “Stephen Cheney and the PDA really stood to that.”

Knight said that Gabriel Rising is a large endeavor that seeks to operate residential programs as well as life skills programs, employment programs, culinary training programs, and many more that support the day-to-day life of residents, both recreationally and professionally.

Admitting to being surprised by the enormity of the 35-acres she now has to work with, Knight said that she was going to put it to use and found no sense in letting it sit.

“We’re also going to do some housing for homeless vets and disabled vets and some low income senior housing,” she said. “There’s no point in letting it sit.”

Focusing on the residential program first, Knight said that it will be broken up into four different housing developments, which will in total be known as the Villages at Gabriel Rising.

“This whole place is going to be called the Villages at Gabriel Rising,” she said. “There’s going to be four different villages that encompass our whole thing.”

Some programs the residency will consist of include the Lilly Project, which provides transitional housing for homeless women and children, and A Place of Our Own: Briar Glen, which will consist of 15-20 affordable one and two bedroom tiny homes designed for the elderly.

Knight said that the desire for Gabriel Rising began when she adopted her son, Gabriel, who was diagnosed with hypotonia at a young age, and became more and more driven for programs that would facilitate future independence and opportunities for her child and those like him.

“I’m a mom trying to do something for her kid,” she said. “Gabriel Rising is both my personal passion and a necessary calling.”

The fundraiser, Knight said, would aid in the sustainability plan that would allow Gabriel Rising to continue on through the future and establish programs over the next few years, beginning with the Lilly Project.

“That’s why I decided on this fundraiser,” she said. “This fundraiser is about sustainability, it’s about being able to put the women over here and they’re doing a sliding scale so I can have some income to pay these bills. I have one bill and its utilities. Until April 2024, when I owe my mortgage, the whole thing, I don’t have anything except for utilities on this building and a $1 a month.”

Coming this far, after years of effort, Knight said that she thought it was wonderful how far her drive and intentions had gotten her, each step getting her closer to Gabriel Rising becoming a haven for those that were less fortunate.

“It’s amazing,” she said. “I said I was going to do it and I’m doing it and so it’s amazing. I got this because of what I’m doing.”

Additionally, Knight said that support of the community in attaining her goal had been vital and thanked the major support from those like Stephen Cheney from Thomasville National Bank, Doug Silvas from Silvis, Ambrose, Lindquist & Coch, P.C., and many others.

“Those people have been behind me,” she said.