b'Weve had an excellent response from Thomas County, including attendance by various council members at our events. Without the warm support of the community, I, and we, would not be where we are today. Im grateful for the Southern hospitality I have experienced in this special place.- COURTNEY KELLEIGHThrough her work with Georgia Pines, Kelleigh started OutreachOur long-term goal is to implement this model and acquire Angles, a domestic nonprofit organization focused on assistingadditional properties in the region to serve different underserved individuals and reducing the suicide rate withindemographics such as the elderly, she says. We are always South Georgia and North Florida.looking for volunteers in all sorts of skilled areas. Connecting with various local agencies and established mentalEstablishing Outreach Angels and Project Sunlight was made health facilities, Outreach Angels sponsors events and programs,possible through an abundance of local support. Weve had an such as the teddy bear program, that lessen the negative impactexcellent response from Thomas County, including attendance of social isolation.by various council members at our events, she says, noting that Halcyon Home, a local nonprofit that offers similar services, With assistance from a cadre of volunteers, Outreach Angelshas been highly supportive. Without the warm support of the provides virtual and mobile crisis de-escalation techniquescommunity, I, and we, would not be where we are today. Im to address various mental health crises, including psychiatric,grateful for the Southern hospitality I have experienced in this psychological, physical, and spiritual, specifically for individualsspecial place.who lack financial resources to seek help. Growing up in Saratoga Springs, New York, at 11-years-old, Gaining help along the way, Kelleigh teamed up with ChrisKelleigh was inspired by her mother, a former Miss New York Sheffield, a native of nearby Cairo, Georgia, and formerrunner-up, to enter her first pageant. defensive back for the Pittsburg Steelers and Detroit Lions, who now serves as an Outreach Angel celebrity ambassador. As Miss Georgia United States, Kelleigh values the pageants outreach, which makes it possible for her to promote the He has done an exceptional job promoting and getting theimportance of mental health awareness. More people are word out about the organizations existence and goals, she sayslistening, especially on social media channels, she says, but of Sheffield, who operates Lion of Judah, a transitional homeadmits most people are initially curious about the Miss United focused on preventing recidivism for people released from theStates Organization. It really is telling what peoples interests are prison system.when you get 400 likes for posting a picture and four likes for an Moving forward, Kelleigh is working on Project Sunlight, a sheltereditorial about community mental health care, but at least the for housing-insecure women facing mental health issues.information is reaching more people.As part of Outreach Angles, Project Sunlight is scheduled to beoutreachangels.orgfully operational in 2022, with six to eight women (18 to 24 years old) struggling with housing instability and varying levels of mental illness. 42 SG MAGAZINE| WINTER 2022 BUSINESS + CULTURE43'