A Full Circle of Hope: Kellin Foundation at Lindley Park Baptist Church
Greensboro News & Record newspaper clipping from 1962 found in the Greensboro Mental Health Society anthology.
You know how sometimes, you find a thread from the past that suddenly makes everything click into place? That happened to us here at the Kellin Foundation when we stumbled upon an old newspaper clipping from 1962. It was like a whisper from the past, hinting at the journey that years later would come full circle.
The article, titled "Mental Health Program to Begin," detailed a meeting at Lindley Park Baptist Church hosted by the Greensboro chapter of the Mental Health Society, a nonprofit that had been in operation in the area since 1940. They showed a film on shyness, followed by a talk from Dr. R.W. Whitener, a local psychiatrist. The aim was simple yet profound: to educate the community about mental health. This little event planted the seeds of awareness in our community, right there in the halls of Lindley Park Baptist Church.
Over the years the Mental Health Society became the longest running mental health non-profit in Greensboro – growing and evolving, first into the Mental Health Association of Greensboro, before rebranding as Mental Health Greensboro in 2018. Fast forward to 2022. That’s when we, the Kellin Foundation, merged with Mental Health Greensboro, combining our missions to provide comprehensive mental health support to our community.
And then, in a twist of fate that felt almost destined, Lindley Park Baptist Church, the very place where those first seeds were sown, decided to close its doors in 2023. But instead of just closing up shop, they gifted their building to us at the Kellin Foundation. This act of generosity brought everything full circle, connecting our past with our present in a powerful way.
When we found that 1962 newspaper clipping in a historical scrapbook, it was like a sign. Our President and CEO, Dr. Kelly Graves said it best: "I teared up and got goosebumps, like the world was telling me this was meant to happen". It was as if the universe was affirming our path and connecting the dots in the most meaningful way.
Today, that very church has become our new home, the Hope Hub. Here, individuals of all ages will be able access mental health services and a comprehensive support system under one roof. From housing assistance to employment resources, once renovated, the Hope Hub will be a sanctuary of healing and hope, continuing the tradition of caring that began within the walls of Lindley Park Baptist Church over six decades ago.
As we carry forward this torch of service and compassion, we’re reminded of the fated connections between past and present. The caring spirit of Lindley Park Baptist Church lives on, not just in memory, but in the tangible acts of support and healing that define our mission at the Kellin Foundation. This is our story, a story that has come full circle, woven together by the threads of community and the its historical commitment to mental health.