Martin, GA — Tucked away in the beautiful foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, you will find a serene place of hope and healing for teens in crisis. Founded in 2001, Shepherd’s Hill Academy has offered therapeutic services to teens and their families from across the country and around the world.

20 years later, the nonprofit organization not only celebrates two decades of healing, but a new and exciting venture.

In 2016 the new construction of Highway 17 essentially split the property of Shepherd’s Hill Academy in half. The once quiet, peaceful, pristine landscape now echos traffic sounds, sirens, tractor-trailers, and machinery. As the therapeutic program continued to grow, despite this eyesore and less-than therapeutic obstacle, the leadership team began planning and dreaming of a new campus.

On April 15, 2021, the official groundbreaking took place for the new campus development, beginning with plans to build a multi-purpose dining hall. Today, the sounds of heavy equipment and machinery bring a new emotion; joy and excitement as the land is being prepared for construction.

The leadership at Shepherd’s Hill Academy is excited about the new project. “This is so significant because it is perfect timing! It’s our 20th year! We have been transitioning away from the 4-lane highway since the moment the road opened. This is a monumental move for us. The groundbreaking represents a whole new campus.”

The groundbreaking is also an opportunity for growth of the organization. Plans for additional buildings are also underway. These buildings include school buildings for both the boys’ and girls’ wilderness programs.

The Director of Operations commented that “from a logistics standpoint the new buildings offer immense opportunity. We can now serve all of our students more efficiently. The new building also provides independent classrooms to continue to grow our program. We have plans for a STEM-based sustainable development program and farm-to-table experiences with our garden.”

This new opportunity allows Shepherd’s Hill Academy to serve students in more ways than ever. From program expansion to additional services, students reap immense benefits. From a therapeutic perspective, the added structure, logistics, and overall feel of the campus will greatly impact the healing nature of the program. Staff will also be positively impacted as their day-to-day operations will be enabled to run more soundly and smoothly.

Not only will the new construction at Shepherd’s Hill Academy benefit the program directly, but this addition will bring much-anticipated services to the local communities as well. The leadership team is excited for the opportunity to have an event space to host parenting classes and courses, digital addiction resources & events, and even community meal opportunities.

Shepherds Hill Academy also invites the community to come and celebrate their 20th anniversary together. Save the date for August 21st and keep an eye out on the SHA website and Facebook page for more information.

As Shepherd’s Hill Academy ventures into the next 20 years, they invite the local community to partner with them in this unique venture. “In the immediate future, we are asking for prayer first and foremost. We are also seeking businesses and individuals willing to support us financially through in-kind or monetary tax-deductible donations.” Volunteers are also needed as the campus continues to grow and flourish. If you are interested in being involved with this exciting opportunity, please contact SHA at 706-779-5766 or email office@shepherdshillacademy.org

To learn more about the groundbreaking, new dining hall plans, and details about the property construction, visit www.shepherdshillacademy.org/buildtogether

About Shepherd’s Hill Academy
Shepherd’s Hill Academy is a Christ-centered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization offering therapeutic services to teens in crisis. Located in Martin, GA, SHA features a nature-based model combined with accredited academics and therapeutic services to offer hope and healing to teens around the globe.