Meet Julie Carter | President of Family First Villages

We had the good fortune of connecting with Julie Carter and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Julie, how did you come up with the idea for your business?
My older sister was born with a rare genetic disorder so even though she is 45 she’ll never be able to drive a car or live on her own. In 2020, I began to research what would happen when I was no longer able to care for my sister. I was surprised to find limited housing options near us, and even more surprised to learn that 96% of special needs adults in Forsyth County (where we live) still live at home with a parent or family member because there are limited housing options. As I have continued to do research and meet with dozens of families in our county, I have realized there is an overall lack of options for special needs adults when they graduate from high school. With a county that reports 9,000 open IEPs, I often wonder what’s going to happen over the next decade as these children graduate and lose their free support services. For several years now, I have been asking myself “What if?” What if life can be better for special needs families?

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’ve spent over 20 years of my career working in Marketing and Communications for various nonprofits in the greater Atlanta area. I’ve been personally blessed with the jobs that I’ve done, and now that I’ve gathered so much experience I feel it’s time for me to branch out and start a company that is going to help hundreds of families. At the core of my heart, I want to help people who are marginalized and underserved. Special needs individuals and their families should have the same opportunities as everyone else, but they don’t. I want to help change the narrative that has held them back from living the fullest lives.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’m so boring. Ha! I rarely go to the city of Atlanta because I live in Cumming. But I do love to go see an outdoor concert at the Ameris Bank Amphitheater in Alpharetta. On a beautiful Saturday morning, I love to stroll around the Alpharetta Farmers Market. I love the whole area around Truist Park and the Atlanta Braves Stadium. I really enjoy Stone Mountain Park when we get a chance to go because of all the different types of activities and the history that’s there.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
None of what I do is possible without my parents, Tom and Rachel Wood. They taught me how to care for a special needs individual and all that goes into living a life with someone who struggles every day. I also could not do this without my husband, Darren Carter. He has been a huge champion for our efforts and is out in the field every day making connections for FFV. I also have to say a special thanks to Sharon Howell from the PowerUp social group that provides support for parents of special needs children, Carolyn Mains for all of her hard work trying to help me find a place where special needs adults can find meaningful employment, and Samantha Scalabrino who jumped on board to help with our new initiative Club 22.

Website: https://www.familyfirstvillages.com

Instagram: /familyfirstvillages

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FamilyFirstVillages