treinhard@renewalhouse.org or 615-255-5222 ext. 106 to learn more about this volunteer opportunity.

Celebrating Families!™ is a parenting skills training program designed for families in which one or both parents are in early stages of recovery from substance-addiction and in which there is a high risk for domestic violence and/or child abuse. Following are the program's three primary goals:

• Break the cycle of substance abuse and dependency within families,
• Decrease substance use and reduce substance use relapse, and
• Facilitate successful family reunification.

Celebrating Families!™ provides weekly instruction focusing on a healthy lifestyle free from drugs and alcohol. The meal at the start of each Celebrating Families!™ session is essential as it helps the participating families relax and sets the tone for the important education and healing work that follows. After the family dinner, parents and children participate in separate 90-minute instructional group sessions devoted to a particular theme. The groups then reunite for a 30-minute activity to practice what has been presented and learned and to receive feedback on their performance.

At least 7,000 parents and their children in more than 20 states across the country have participated in Celebrating Families!™ since it was first implemented in 2003. The program is used by drug courts, dependency courts, residential and outpatient treatment services, and social service agencies. Impact studies have shown that Celebrating Families!™ improves participants’ parenting skills, strengthens recovery, and increases family cohesion, effective communication and overall resilience. 

Lela Eldridge Denson is our new Director of Finance and Administration. Lela is a native of Chicago, Illinois but has made Nashville her home for the past 23 years. Lela’s wide and varied experience is garnered from her position as auditor for Big 4 accounting firm, Ernst and Young, corporate accountant for companies such as LifePoint Hospitals and Homart Development Company, and eight years as Assistant Professor of Accounting at Volunteer State Community College. Most recently Lela served as Administrator for the District Attorney’s Office in Franklin Tennessee.

Lela is a Certified Public Accountant and received her BS in accounting from the Illinois Institute of Technology and her MBA from Middle Tennessee State University.

Lela is the mother of two adult children and currently lives in Hermitage, Tennessee. She can be reached at ldenson@renewalhouse.org or (615) 255-5222 x 119.

Tricia Reinhard is our new Director of Development and Community Partnerships. Professionally, Tricia has been a fundraising/fund development professional serving children and families for over 10 years. Her formal training is in Business Administration. She is both an accountant and a fundraiser. She knows how to raise money and manage it. Throughout her professional career, Tricia has served in many roles including: Business Owner, Officer Manager, Interim CEO, Development Assistant & Donor Database Manager, Special Events Coordinator, Assistant Development Director, and Development Director. She has also served in the unique role as Chief Development & Finance Officer.

As a fundraiser her experience includes: planned giving, major gifts, grant writing, corporate relations, board giving, board engagement, annual giving, special events, media relations, marketing, volunteer recruitment and development, creating program sponsorship packets, special recognition of donors and volunteers.
Personally, Tricia is married to Jason Reinhard, a Journeyman Painter. They are the proud parents of two Shih-Tzu’s Parker and Riley. She can be reached at treinhard@renewalhouse.org or (615) 255-5222 x 106.

 

Welcome, Lela and Tricia!
We are delighted to have you on board.