the Joy House

Restoring Lives and Families

The Joy House ministry was born in the hearts of Steve and Wendy Lowe and Rick and Mary Bell in the 1990s while they were working with teens through a local church in North Georgia. The Lord blessed them to share their lives with troubled and hurting teens, and through this experience, they came to realize that many of them needed more than what could be offered through their positions in the church.

After discovering other successful Christian residential programs that were working to restore teens and families, they felt that the Lord was calling them to begin a similar ministry in North Georgia and that this was a task that only God could accomplish. The Lord confirmed this calling by bringing in other key community leaders who aided in making this vision a reality. This group met as the first board in December 2000. The Lord moved in a mighty way over the next several months, and their doors and hearts were opened to the first teen and family in July 2001 in a leased facility in Pickens County.

The vision from the beginning was to have a campus that would allow The Joy House to serve 40 to 50 teens and families. In 2005, the Lord provided the debt-free purchase of nearly 30 acres for a campus nestled in the foothills of the mountains in Jasper. In 2006, the existing home on the property was renovated, houseparents were hired, and the boys home opened.

The first capital campaign began in the fall of 2006. The following year, major infrastructure was completed along with a new home for the girls. With the opening of the new girls home, the operation was consolidated to the purchased campus in January 2008.

A new boys home was completed in 2012 with a dedicated space on the terrace level to house The Joy House Academy. Currently, the Teen Residential Program can serve seven boys and seven girls. The Joy House is seeking to expand by building a second girls home with their Second Home for Second Chances campaign.

In 2012, a community Counseling Center was launched to provide Christ-centered counseling to families and individuals struggling with difficult life issues. During 2018, more than 240 families were served through the Counseling Center.

Since its inception, The Joy House has been privileged to partner with many struggling teens, families, and individuals to provide hope and healing through Christ. This mission continues to be their passion, as they seek to follow Gods plan for the ministry. Visit TheJoyHouse.org to find out more about this local 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. All donations are tax deductible.

PO Box 247, Jasper, GA 30143