Each goodbye at Vashti is layered—with gratitude, hope, pride, and sometimes tears. Recently, we celebrated two of our residential girls as they graduated from our program and reunited with their families. It was a day of reflection, joy, and emotional release as we said “see you later” to two remarkable young women whose journeys we’ve been honored to walk alongside.
For me, saying goodbye to EG was especially bittersweet. She was one of the first youth I met when I joined Vashti in April 2024. In many ways, we started our Vashti chapters side by side. Her creativity, warmth, and depth have left a lasting impression on all of us—especially through her artwork.
In November, I discovered an old, unused art workshop tucked away on campus and decided to revive it. I invited the girls to join me on Friday afternoons for open studio time—a space for healing, expression, and color. It quickly became more than just an art room. It became theirs. Watching them paint gifts for birthdays, holidays, and each other reminded me of the quiet power of creativity to heal what words cannot touch. Some girls even brought their own supplies to personalize their spaces—and left their artwork on the walls for the next girl to enjoy. A living gallery of resilience. Of course, the new girl is always welcome to paint over it if it’s not her style—because it’s her space now. That choice is part of the healing too.
Our residential program, like so many others at Vashti, is built on the foundation of trauma-informed care and connection. Our staff—from direct care workers to clinicians to our Chaplain—invest daily in the spiritual, emotional, and behavioral health of the children we serve.
We’re proud to share that our residential program maintains an 88% placement stability rate—meaning that 88% of the youth living in our care experience consistent, uninterrupted placement while at Vashti for an average of nine months.
That number isn’t just a statistic—it reflects the healing environment our team works so hard to create. For children who have often bounced from home to home or placement to placement, stability is the first building block for trust, growth, and long-term well-being. When youth feel safe, seen, and supported, they begin to open up, engage in therapy, explore their creativity, and rediscover their worth. They start blooming.
As I wrapped my arm around Haley, another long-term resident who stood beside me as EG departed, the tears came. The team told me moments like this would come—when a goodbye would hit hard. And this one did. But it also reminded me why I joined Vashti.
After surviving my own journey with domestic violence and being honored as the 2023 Agnes Furey Survivor of the Year, I promised to use my voice and my work to break generational cycles of trauma. I joined Vashti three days after receiving that award, knowing that I needed purpose, healing, and a mission I could pour my heart into. I found that here.
This month, as we prepare to celebrate six high school graduates—including C, who’s been with us since August and will sing at our ceremony—I’m overwhelmed with pride. I’ve watched these young women face hardship and grow. I’ve watched them lift one another up. I’ve seen what healing looks like in real time.
To those reading this who’ve never visited Vashti, I encourage you to come. Walk our campus. Visit our historic Bishop Hall, where local artists from Pines & Palms create beauty in a space once used as a Cuban cigar factory, orphanage, and charter school. Talk to our staff. Meet our youth. This isn’t an institution—it’s a home. One filled with color, compassion, and the unshakable belief that healing is possible.
To our girls—you carry our love and pride into this next season. We’ll miss you deeply, but we are cheering you on every step of the way. And to those still here with us: you’re not just surviving—you’re becoming.
This is what it feels like.
To care.
To heal.
To let go.
And to believe in what’s next.
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Audrey Copeland
Director of Marketing, Events & Development