One Shared Purpose

Helping more people access care when they need it most.

On June 2nd at Illiana Christian High School in Dyer, Indiana, friends, donors, sponsors, school partners, community leaders, staff, and board members gathered around one shared purpose: ensuring that professional counseling remains accessible for every family in our region, regardless of their ability to pay.

Because of your support, New Leaf Resources can continue promoting healthy relationships, personal growth, and healing through professional counseling, education, and consultation from a Christian perspective, just as it has for more than 40 years.

The Mission Your Support Makes Possible

Every number points back to people.

Behind each number is a person, a family, a student, a couple, or a neighbor who does not have to walk through hard things alone.

Featured Video

Impact Together 2026

Watch and hear from the New Leaf community about what it means to come together around counseling, healing, and care for our neighbors.

40+ Years of Faithful Service

Honoring the legacy. Carrying the mission forward.

Clinical Director Judy Farwell opened the evening with gratitude and history, pausing to honor the founders whose faithfulness made New Leaf Resources possible. What began as a response to a need within the faith community has grown into a place of healing, restoration, and hope, serving individuals across all backgrounds and walks of life.

Today, New Leaf's therapists are licensed master's-level clinicians who pursue ongoing training each year to serve individuals and families experiencing anxiety, trauma, addiction, grief, and relational struggles. The commitment is to both clinical excellence and compassionate, Christ-centered care.

"Your support makes it possible for us to continue offering healing and support in some of life's most difficult seasons."

Judy Farwell, MA, LMHC, LCPC, Clinical Director, New Leaf Resources

Highlight of the Evening

Meeting students where they are: the Illiana school partnership.

One of the most compelling moments of the evening was a conversation with Neil, a school counselor at Illiana Christian High School, and Becky from New Leaf Resources. Together, they illustrated why in-school counseling partnerships are one of the most effective ways to reach students who need support.

Neil shared that Illiana's student population has grown to nearly 670, with two counselors splitting a caseload of 320 to 340 students each. When students show persistent signs of anxiety, depression, or other mental health needs, the school needs trusted referral partners.

Becky described how NLR recognized a critical gap: students who couldn't access therapy in the evenings due to sports, jobs, family responsibilities, and transportation. The solution was bringing therapy into the school day, including group work for grief, anxiety, and other needs. New Leaf therapist Deanna Ramirez partnered with Illiana to lead a grief group and, by popular demand, returned to lead an anxiety group that spanned both semesters.

Client Testimony

Riley's Story: Finding hope, healing, and purpose at New Leaf.

Riley August, 19, a recent Illiana graduate now preparing for college and studying to become a therapist, shared her story with the room. For years, Riley struggled with anxiety that felt constant and unexplained, moving through therapists and appointments that left her feeling unheard and misunderstood. She also battled unexplained physical symptoms from middle school through high school, including dizziness, difficulty breathing, and panic attacks.

Everything changed when she found New Leaf Resources. For the first time, she felt heard. Her therapist, Denise, consistently told her she was unique, that what she was going through had a greater purpose, even when Riley couldn't see it herself.

Eventually, her physical symptoms were diagnosed as pectus excavatum, a chest wall deformity that had been pressing against her heart for years, explaining the intensity of her panic attacks. Following a successful surgery and a rare emergency complication requiring a second procedure, Riley recovered. Her rare case taught her surgeon something he had never seen in his career.

A Word from Our Community

The next generation is paying attention.

The evening also featured a video message from AJ Padanzo, a young professional and New Leaf community ambassador, who spoke to why mental health giving matters to his generation and why organizations like New Leaf are exactly the kind of mission younger professionals want to support.

Night One Photo Highlights

Gathering, program highlights, sponsor recognition, and community connection at Illiana Christian High School.

“Lord, we desire to continue making a community impact, family impact, church impact, and school impact. We desire to see Christian counseling throughout this region remain affordable and accessible. Help us continue in this mission that started years ago, and do more than what we thought was imaginable.”

Leroy Childress, Executive Director, New Leaf Resources

Sandy Pines Pavilion · Wheatfield, IN

Night Two: Rescheduled

Our Sandy Pines evening has been rescheduled. We will share the new date as soon as it is confirmed. We look forward to gathering with you again, and we are grateful for your continued partnership and patience.

Announcement coming soon.

What Impact Together Means

"Impact Together means meeting people where they are with acceptance, kindness, and curiosity as we seek to learn and grow in this world together."

Crystal Garcia-Paul, MSED, LMHC, LCAC

Continue the Impact

The dinner is over. The impact continues.

Your gift helps New Leaf continue providing reduced-fee counseling for individuals and families who need care but may not be able to afford the full cost. We hold every resource with deep gratitude and faithful stewardship.

Give to Support Counseling Access 

You can also text any dollar amount to (708) 726-3589 to give.