For metro Atlanta adults with intellectual disabilities who have aged out of K-12 schooling, there have been next to little options for building a community of friends — until today. Launched as a ministry of Peachtree Church in Buckhead, Wonderfully Made is a new nonprofit aimed at cultivating community among adults with intellectual disabilities by creating an authentic environment to interact, gather and connect over baking and other enriching activities
The nonprofit is helmed by Kitty Correll, co-founder and director of Wonderfully Made, co-founder Kelly Kannwischer who also serves as a Managing Director at Carter, a nonprofit consultancy firm, and Betsy Brown who owns a baking business and is a former elementary education and special education teacher. The organization aims to reflect the Bible verse Psalms 139:14, which states that all people are “fearfully and wonderfully made” by God, and adults who participate in the program are called “Wonder Makers”.
The format of the day program begins with fellowship time, then transitions into physical and creative activities. Wonderfully Made can accommodate 12 Wonder Makers each day, with a maximum capacity of 24 participants in the program at any given time. The day program will run from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Wonder Makers will be accompanied by assistants trained in caring for adults with intellectual disabilities, as well as volunteers. There is a sliding scale tuition for enrollment beginning at $400 per month.
“Our church community was founded over 100 years ago to support children and families, so we are proud to be building upon this foundational mission to extend our support to families caring for vulnerable adults with intellectual disabilities,” said Kannwischer. “We have received an outpouring of love from the Peachtree Church family since announcing Wonderfully Made, with church members signing up to volunteer and backing our vision by providing the space for our program. As we officially launch the program, we welcome volunteers and supporters from our metro Atlanta community. With their help, Wonderfully Made will be able bolster our work to help adults with intellectual disabilities feel seen, valued and known.”
Wonderfully Made is also gearing up to launch a bakery, in which Wonder Makers will help bake delicious treats — namely cookies — for members of Peachtree Church and local businesses in the community who purchase batches from the organization to sell in their stores. Set to launch in January 2025, the bakery will be housed in a donated space in The Lodge building at Peachtree Church and is seeking funding to assist with the build-out of the bakery. The nonprofit is also actively seeking retail partners to sell Wonderfully Made cookies in store starting next year.
“I spent 10 years teaching children with intellectual disabilities in an inclusion program, so I know firsthand just how important an organization like Wonderfully Made is for them as they become adults,” said Betsy Brown, Director of Community Engagement and Program Lead at Wonderfully Made. “This is an environment where they can make new friends while participating in activities that give them purpose and bring them joy, including helping me test recipes for our forthcoming bakery. I’m excited to welcome our Wonder Makers to a space tailored just for them.”
For more information about Wonderfully Made, please visit wonderfullymadecommunity.org.
Inspired to form Wonderfully Made after recognizing a critical need for an engaging gathering place for adults with intellectual disabilities, Correll, Kannwischer and Brown are on a mission to alleviate the loneliness epidemic impacting Wonder Makers and their families.“When my nephew with Down syndrome graduated high school, the place he once had to hang out with friends and participate in fun activities was no longer there. The feelings of loneliness many of us have experienced at some point are substantially stronger among those with intellectual disabilities because the opportunities for community are few and far between,” said Correll. “Wonderfully Made was founded because we recognized that adults with intellectual disabilities deserve a place where they can meet with others, be a part of a group, feel a sense of belonging, and know that like anyone else, they are ‘fearfully and wonderfully made’.” With the day program, which is located on the Peachtree Church campus, Wonderfully Made offers a space for adults with intellectual disabilities to nurture organic relationships through social activities, including baking, arts and crafts, sports, music, and service. The organization welcomes adults from the metro Atlanta area of all religious backgrounds and Wonder Makers are not required to be a member of Peachtree Church to participate.