Highland Rivers Foundation’s Mothers Making a Change (MMAC) program helps mothers battling substance use disorders reclaim their lives, reunite with their children, and break generational cycles of addiction. Now, as their current housing is being phased out, they’re launching a $5.8 million campaign to build a safer, more unified facility—and they need our help to keep this life-changing work going.
In this conversation, hear how MMAC changed one mother’s life, what the organization is planning next, and why they chose to open a fund at Cobb Community Foundation.
________________________________________
Highland Rivers Foundation’s Mothers Making a Change (MMAC) is a transformative recovery program for mothers facing the challenges of substance use disorders. The program provides a safe, supportive space for healing, treatment, and rebuilding lives. With their current housing being phased out, they urgently need support to move into a new facility that will expand their reach and keep this vital lifeline open for up to 40 families. The goal is to raise $5.8 million by the fall of 2026. Your investment helps save lives, reunite families, and build brighter futures for generations to come.
What does the program offer?
It is typically a 6–9-month program, but the length of stay is individualized. The program offers comprehensive support, including individual and group treatment, coordination with primary care providers and OBGYNs, legal resolution, GED and employment assistance, and parenting education. Children under the age of 12 can live with mom while she is in the residential portion of her recovery. And those school-aged children of moms in both our residential and outpatient programs will stay in our therapeutic childcare room while mom is in treatment. Hear directly from one of the mothers whose life was changed by MMAC in this short testimonial.
Why does MMAC need new space?
MMAC is at a critical turning point. MMAC currently occupies more than a dozen individual units in an apartment complex. This fragmented arrangement has proven to be inefficient, and its location within a public complex has resulted in numerous safety and security risks to the women in the program. Without immediate action, dozens of mothers and their children may lose access to life-changing treatment and support. A solution has been identified: After nearly three years seeking a more suitable place for the program, Highland Rivers Behavioral Health has the opportunity to re-purpose a facility in Austell. The Austell City Council voted unanimously to rezone the property for a residential facility. This site was carefully chosen to not only replace the current setting but to enhance and expand the MMAC program. While the building has adequate space to house the program, substantial renovations are needed – adding bedrooms for the women in the program, an industrial kitchen, therapeutic childcare space, family meeting rooms, green space, privacy fencing and more.
What are some of the outcomes or the return on your investment?
The program has served nearly 3,000 women since 2009, and 100 percent of babies born in the program are born drug free. In the simplest of ways, it saves lives. Your support will save a life. The life of a mom. The life of a child. 100% of babies born in this program are born drug free. It will keep families together and reunify ones that are currently separated. It will break the cycle of addiction and poverty. So, your donation will not just impact the present, it will impact the next generation and all future ones. If we want to talk money, it reduces the costs to our criminal justice system and children and family services. And for every $1 invested in substance abuse services, there is a $4-$7 return on investment to the community. So, your donation has a 4x to 7x reinvestment impact on your community. Help us invest in hope and for a healthier tomorrow.
How can you support the program?
Want to support the MMAC’s mission to activate good in Cobb County? Make your donation on Cobb Community Foundation’s Giving Hub. Whether it’s a one-time donation, a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) from your IRA, or a gift of appreciated securities, every dollar makes a difference. You can even include the fund in your estate planning and help long after you’re gone.
Why did MMAC choose to establish a fund at Cobb Community Foundation?
As a relatively new foundation launching our first large capital campaign, partnering with the Cobb Community Foundation adds an important layer of oversight and accountability. Walking in step with CCF not only gives our donors confidence that their gifts are being used wisely, it also reassures us that we’re building our donor program the right way. The team’s guidance, thoughtful feedback, and genuine partnership have been invaluable. Most importantly, the mothers we serve are seeing their hope restored—through the strength and support of their community.
