Wellroot Family Services, one of Georgia’s longest-serving child welfare organizations, formerly known as The United Methodist Children’s Home, announced it has entered into a Purchase and Sale Agreement with Decatur First United Methodist Church (Decatur First) to acquire the property known as Avondale Pattillo, located at 3260 Covington Highway, Decatur, GA 30032 for $4,875,000.
Decatur First obtained the property in 2022, when the congregation of Avondale Pattillo United Methodist Church merged with Decatur First with the approval of the leadership of the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church. The Decatur First congregation voted on May 19 to approve Wellroot’s proposal to buy the property.
“Wellroot is overjoyed to learn that the Decatur First congregation is in support of our proposed purchase agreement,” said Allison Ashe, president and CEO of Wellroot Family Services. “We want to express our profound gratitude to Decatur First for their faith and trust in our organization. We are eagerly looking forward to the expansion of our mission to serve children and families in crisis, and together, continuing to live out the hands and feet of Christ and extend the love of Jesus to the entire community.
Wellroot’s intent for the seven-acre property is to create a dynamic, healing, multi-use community campus serving children, youth, families, and the wider Avondale/Decatur community. Future plans include consolidating Wellroot’s organizational headquarters on the site in addition to establishing long-term developments supporting Wellroot’s programs in multiple areas, including family housing and youth housing.
The Avondale Pattillo campus is strategically located to serve the needs of the Avondale/Decatur community, particularly in the area of employment. The site, while near local jobs, is also ideally situated less than a half-mile from the Kensington MARTA station and I-285, providing easy access to the greater metro Atlanta area
“Wellroot’s vision for Avondale Pattillo is indicative of our organizations’ shared commitment to community service and support,” said Rev. Dalton Rushing, senior pastor at Decatur First. “Wellroot has been and continues to be our long-term, dedicated partner in fostering positive change and providing vital services to those in need.”
Wellroot will next enter the due diligence phase, and the plans for the future of Avondale Pattillo are expected to take shape across the next few years. Please visit Wellroot.org to learn more.