Robert, a person served by RHA in Augusta, Georgia, had been estranged from his brother for two years. No one knew where he was. Robert and his brother are both deaf, and Robert’s brother had gone into the system many years ago. Robert had been asking about him for a while and had missed him very much.
Augusta Area Administrator Tonya Self discovered through her part-time work with another agency that Robert’s brother had entered that program. After following proper channels and making sure that Robert’s brother was open to being reunited, his brother’s program was invited to attend the Augusta Unit’s Friends and Family Day in June and Tonya encouraged Robert’s brother to go.
The Family and Friends Day event was sponsored by the Augusta Masons. Through donations the August Unit was able to create a festive Hawaiian luau — complete with a roasted pig that volunteers funded and cooked.
As Robert’s expression shows he was very happy to be reconnected with his brother. The reunion was something Robert had identified as one of his dreams in his individual support plan and his team helped make it happen.
Since their initial reunion on Family and Friends Day, and with the help of Group Home Supervisor Tiffany Churchwell, the brothers have continued to see each other regularly and this year they plan to spend their first Thanksgiving together since they were very young!