Joann and I are off to the Highpoint Furniture Market this morning but before we head out, I had to share an event that we attended this week that is still on my mind 3 days later.  Thanks to our designer friendsVicki Bolick and Kerry Howard, our attention was drawn to an amazing organization called No Longer Bound.  The event, held at the VERY cool event space Terminus330 in downtown Atlanta, was called Design with a Story and what a story it is!

The No Longer Bound campus is located in Cumming, GA and was founded by Michael Harden a Vietnam Vet who returned from his tour of duty with a new battle to fight - an addiction to cocaine. In 1991, No Longer Bound became a 501 3(c) non profit organization with the following mission:

No Longer Bound offers a 12-month long, residential, regeneration process to rescue addicts, regenerate men, and reconcile families. We believe addiction to be a symptom of a life damaged by wounds of rejection, formative misbeliefs and the resulting disintegration of meaningful intimate relationships. The regeneration process at No Longer Bound involves resolving wounds of the past, repairing damaged belief systems, restoring relational health, and facilitating lasting intimacy with God, Self and Others. We believe this process of regeneration is the prescription for life long freedom.

Joann and I had the honor of listening to the personal stories of recovery and victory of several of the men at No Longer Bound.  This particular event was created to bring attention to the impressive woodworking abilities of the men at NLB.  Yes, this furniture will most definitely become part of our designs!

This is what I loved most aboutNLB.  These men enter the program broken and addicted.  During the next painful and joyful 12 months, they discover the root of their addictions, the comaraderie and support of other men, a love and belief in the Lord and also a trade - a skill they can use to build a life after their program is complete.  NLB has programs for these men such as theNLB Boutique(handcrafting furniture),NLB Studios(print design, website design, logos etc.), Photography, Culinary and more.

Of course no event is complete without hanging out with friends like Betsy Riley ofAtlanta Home Magazine.

The food and flowers were gorgeous.

I had never been toTerminus.  It was the perfect rustic, cool event space to display the furniture lovingly created by the men of NLB.

I am forever changed by witnessing the strength of these men. I can only imagine how broken one must feel to enter a 12 month program like this. However, the joy in the room was palpable as these men not only celebrated the fruits of their labor and recovery as reflected in the furniture but shared the stories of their journies and successes. 

If you'd like to make a donation to No Longer Bound, please click HERE. 

Blessings,

Kelly