Wildlife and nature

Animal shelters and rescues

Theater and dance

Rivers, parks and trails

Hunger and food

Schools and learning

Housing and homelessness

Community health

Mental health

Mentoring and foster care

Legal help and rights

Jobs and money help

Atlanta

The Triangle

Everywhere

The Collective Workshop

Royal Animal Refuge

Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta

Georgia Advancing Communities Together

Atlanta Writers Club

Cobb Collaborative

Bosleys Place

Jewish Fertility Foundation

In 2005 United Way’s Executive Director noted that while Forsyth County had a home for girls, none existed for boys. When Buddy Lang & Charlie Smith accepted the challenge, the vision for Bald Ridge Lodge (BRL) was born. Within months funding for the program and building was raised, and the first resident arrived August 2008. In 2023, BRL celebrated 15 years of serving young men. As we have expanded our services to support young men and their families & support systems, we have been blessed with amazing support from our community.
Our staff, board, and volunteers are looking to the future with plans to expand services to support the young men that we proudly serve and their families & systems of support both during and after their time in residence with us.
When Buddy Lang & Charlie Smith accepted the challenge to bring a boys home to Forsyth County, within months $80K was raised and $800K more was pledged upon award of 501(c)(3) which was received in March 2007. Once the building was completed, the first resident arrived in August 2008. Since that time our services have expanded to include Aftercare (2018) to support former Group Home residents after reunifying with family or aging out of care and an Independent Living Program (2023) to help young men transition out of Foster Care or homelessness.

Rock Solid Futures

Become a mentor to a young man

Host an activity for residents

Give

Have a "Spook-tacular" Time at Halcyon

Building From the Inside Out: Teaching Our Boys to Breathe

Volunteer Appreciation!

Kitchen Renovation completed!

Graduation Celebration!

Home Improvement happening here!

2026 Room Sponsors

Seeing your impact on our young men!

2025 Outcomes Report

Angela Dikes

Adria Koester

Ondrea Wojtowicz

Wendy Hamilton

Wendy Cates

Laura McGowan

Amira Adams

Terry exemplifies what it means to be a life-changing mentor. He has built relationships with several of the young men at Bald Ridge Lodge, showing them what it looks like to have a dependable adult who believes in them. Terry spends time playing basketball, building bonfires, grilling out. Terry has attended baseball games and gone roller skating (with video to prove it). He also takes several boys to church each week followed by lunch together. Concerned about their futures after leaving Bald Ridge Lodge, Terry organized a job fair to connect them with employment opportunities and to encourage them to begin thinking about their future. Swipe to learn more about his journey with BRL and how he impacts all the lives at the Lodge.

Terry Anderson has been a life-changing mentor at BRL, and we’re excited to spotlight the way he changes the lives of young men! His story is dropping tomorrow, so follow along and show him some love in the comments!

Thank you Nikki for all you do to show up for the boys at BRL. Nikki Tindol has been a consistent and caring presence in the lives of the young men at Bald Ridge Lodge. She is always willing to step in when needed and can be counted on to show up with a smile, a kind heart, and a genuine desire to help. Nikki is especially supportive during the Christmas season. She has helped shop for the boys, assisted with Christmas parties, and worked to make the holidays feel special and memorable. Her talent for shopping also shines when she helps the boys choose clothes and shoes that fit their needs and allow them to feel comfortable and confident. Beyond the activities and shopping trips, Nikki’s greatest contribution is her dependable presence. Her kindness, cheerful spirit, and consistency show the boys that they are cared for and that someone is willing to be there for them. To read about how she is changing lives, swipe to the 2nd slide!

The first volunteer we want to spotlight is Nikki Tindol! Tomorrow we’ll share her story, but for now, show Nikki some love in the comments for her genuine desire to help the young men at BRL!

All this month, we are celebrating THANKS FOR GIVING! We will be spotlighting some amazing people this month who make a BIG impact on the young men at BRL! Make sure you are following along so that you don’t miss a second of it!

What a SCARY GOOD Halloween weekend. Thanks to everyone for the treats to help us celebrate the weekend! From cupcakes to roasting marshmallows, our Halloween was no tricks and all treats!

This thankful Thursday we want thank our friends at Northside Hospital Forsyth for an amazing night at the Cumming Country Fair and Festival!

Home is more than four walls. It’s a place where you feel safe. Where someone knows your favorite snack. Where you can be yourself. Where you know someone will be there when you walk through the door. For children in foster care, that sense of belonging can make all the difference. 💙 At Bald Ridge Lodge, we’re committed to creating spaces where children and families feel supported, valued, and cared for. Because every child deserves a place to belong. #BaldRidgeLodge #EveryChildMatters #FosterCare #Belonging

Yesterday we attended the Altrusa Fall Luncheon & Fashion Show! Altrusa provides meals on “Tasty Tuesdays” and wraps Christmas gifts for our boys every year, so we love supporting them at their event every year! This year, our volunteer Marianna was a model in the show to support their organization! Thank you so much to Altrusa for all you do for BRL!

Today, we’re sending a HUGE thank-you to Marlow Landscaping Services for generously donating their time and hard work to help keep our grounds looking beautiful! Your kindness and willingness to give back mean so much to us. Thank you for helping BRL continue to be a welcoming place for the young men we serve! #ThankfulThursday #BaldRidgeLodge #CommunitySupport #GivingBack #ThankYouMarlowLandscaping

10 Days until Halloween at Halcyon! Have you secured your tickets yet? Ticket prices increase to $25 this weekend! Check out the Link in our Bio for Tickets!

Yesterday was Be Rich Kickoff at Browns Bridge church. They welcomed us and including us in their give serve love campaign! Browns Bridge has organized a way for you to serve with US! Visit the link in our bio to learn how you can volunteer with us!

Two of our boys are moving forward to new chapters, and we’re proud to celebrate their progress! At Bald Ridge Boys Lodge, our support doesn’t end when a resident moves out. Through our Community Based Services, we follow up with former residents to help ensure continued stability and success in their new adult living situations or family settings. Because success means building brighter futures that last! #BaldRidgeBoysLodge #SuccessfulOutcomes #CommunityBasedServices #StrongerFutures

This Thankful Thursday we want to thank Keller Williams for their donation and shopping spree for the boys! Stocking the Lodge is so helpful during the school year to help us set our young men up for success.

A new month brings new opportunities to show up for children and families in foster care. Whether you have the ability to foster, volunteer, donate, or simply help spread awareness, there is a place for you in this mission. Every act of support matters, and together, we can help children in foster care feel seen, supported, and loved. Let’s make October a month of showing up. 💙

Did you miss Rock Solid Futures? You still have a chance to support our young men at Polo Fields on Nov 9th. Polo Charity Classic link in our bio to register or sponsor!

Today we have SO much to be grateful for! From everyone who attended Rock Solid Futures to our amazing sponsors, volunteers, and supporters THANK YOU. Events like these are only possible because of people like you who believe in the futures of our young men. We are beyond blessed. #BaldRidgeLodge

Today we pause to remember. Twenty-five years ago, our nation faced one of its darkest days and what we saw in response was extraordinary courage, sacrifice, and love for one another. At Bald Ridge Lodge, we are reminded every day that it is the people who show up for others in the hardest moments that change lives forever. To every first responder, veteran, and family who carries the weight of that day we honor you. We will never forget. #NeverForget #September11

September is Suicide Prevention Month, and at BRL, we want to help raise awareness, reduce the stigma, and show that help is available! Our mission at BRL is to help young men have stronger futures and that starts with showing everyone that they aren’t alone. If you or someone you know is struggling, you can call or text 988 (the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) anytime in the U.S., or chat at 988lifeline.org. Support is always within reach.

Today we celebrate and thank our staff at BRL! These amazing people are here everyday to help support the futures of our young men!

Today we would like to use our #thankfulthursday to spotlight our final sponsor of our Rock Solid Futures Event! We are so grateful to Eclipse Networks and their support of the Lodge!

18 DAYS! The countdown to Rock Solid Futures is ON, and today we want to shout out one of our AMAZING SPONSORS, Bagwell Insurance Group! Your support is changing the lives of young men every day!

This thankful Thursday we want to show our appreciation for Buff City Soap for donating soap and laundry detergent to the Lodge! Items like these are always appreciated in a house full of teen boys!

Shoutout to our partners at Turner, Wood, & Smith for their support of our Rock Solid Futures Event! We are so thankful for all they do for BRL! #RockSolidFutures #CommunitySupport

This week we're thankful for the opportunity two of our young men had to attend the Ultimate Life Summit! Experiences like this are exactly why we do what we do, equipping boys with tools, inspiration, and perspective that will last a lifetime. #ThankfulThursday #BaldRidge #UltimateLifeSummit

Shoutout to our friends at Thrivent Financial for their incredible support of the Rock Solid Futures Event! It takes a village to build a future, and we are beyond grateful to have them in ours. 📸 Photo credit: JPEGs by JGlo!!! #RockSolidFutures #CommunitySupport

We are so grateful for the partnership and support of Northside Hospital Forsyth! Their commitment as Title Sponsor of the Rock Solid Futures makes our work possible. Thank you for investing in the future of our boys. 📸 Photo cred Jpegs by JGlo!!!

What an honor to be included in Forsyth County Community Foundation’s inaugural grants. On Tuesday Bald Ridge Lodge joined other FOCO nonprofits in receiving a grant and celebrating the work being done to make our community stronger.

Thank you so much to Denise Carleton for your generosity in providing backpacks for our boys. Giving them the chance to choose their own unique bag gave them a small but powerful piece of ownership and self-expression at a time when so much of their world feels out of their control. Starting a new school year is hard enough for any teenager, but for these young men, walking in with a backpack that actually reflects who they are helps them feel like they belong, like everyone else, not marked as different. That confidence can make all the difference in how they carry themselves through the halls this year. Your kindness reminds these boys that people outside their immediate circumstances see them, care about them, and want good things for them. That message matters just as much as the backpacks themselves!

It’s the first day of school! To all the boys of Bald Ridge heading back to the classroom, we are so proud of you! #BackToSchool #BaldRidge

Last Month, we recognized Youth Care Specialist Cathy as she celebrates 15 years of employment with Bald Ridge Lodge!

And just like that… summer is wrapping up! It has been one for the books… from lake days to field trips to checking off our summer bucket list, our young men have had an incredible few months. But as much fun as summer has been, we are SO ready to cheer our young men on as they head back to school! Stay tuned as we kick off the 2026-27 school year with the boys. #BackToSchool #BaldRidgeLodge

Two months away and the excitement is building! Have you grabbed your tickets yet for Rock Solid Futures on September 20th? Join us from 1 PM – 3 PM at Rock Solid Brewery for an incredible afternoon celebrating the futures being built right here at BRL. Don’t wait too long, you don’t want to miss the fun! Grab your tickets now at the link in our bio!

Nothing better than getting out on the Lake! Thank you, Mike Balboa and Deb Matz, for hosting us!

He arrived at Bald Ridge Lodge angry, resistant, and convinced it was just another place that wouldn’t matter. He was wrong. What he found instead was a household full of people who showed up the same way every single day. Staff who followed through. Volunteers who kept coming back. Adults who made it clear, over and over, that they believed he had a future worth investing in. Slowly, that started to matter to him. Today, when he talks about his future, the words come easily. He has plans. He has people. He has something he didn’t have when he arrived: hope that his future is actually his to build. None of that happened without someone showing up first. Our volunteers are often the first consistent, caring adult presence some of these young men have ever known. That relationship changes things. Sometimes it changes everything. Could that someone be you? We are looking for volunteers who are willing to show up, stay the course, and invest in a young man who needs to see what that looks like.

They're HERE! Tickets for our Annual Rock Solid Futures event are officially on sale! Join us September 20th from 1 PM – 3 PM at Rock Solid Brewery for an afternoon you won't want to miss. Grab your tickets now before they're gone at the link in our bio!

It’s that time of year! As summer winds down, we are getting our young men ready to head back to school for the 2026-27 school year. We want to make sure every one of them walks through those doors equipped and ready to succeed — and we need YOUR help to make that happen! Check out our Amazon wishlist at the link in our bio and see how you can make a difference this school year. Every item counts!

He walked into Bald Ridge Lodge at 17, overwhelmed, and overwhelming. Staff described those early days like keeping up with an active toddler who never ran out of steam. Today, walk into almost any high school sporting event in Forsyth County and something interesting happens. Someone calls his name. A player. A coach. Someone in the stands. He waves, gives a wide smile, and probably knows their record for the season. In five years, this young man went from having no community to speak of, to being known and loved by what feels like half the county. That does not happen without structure. Without consistency. Without staff who show up the same way every single day. Without volunteers who take a chance on a kid and keep showing up. Without donors who make all of it possible. He is moving into the next chapter of his life soon. He is ready. And he will tell you with complete confidence that he will make friends in his new home just like he did at BRL. This is what your support makes possible.

This Thankful Thursday, WE ARE BLOWN AWAY. 🙌 We put out Billy's college dorm wishlist and YOU showed up in the biggest way. The list is SOLD OUT… Every single item checked off! Billy is heading to college this fall with everything he needs to feel at home in his dorm, and that is because of OUR community. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Billy's story is just getting started, and you are a part of it. 💙

At Bald Ridge Lodge, we talk about how it takes a village. Our young men don’t just need a roof over their heads. They need people in their corner. People who show up, cheer them on, and remind them that they are worth fighting for. That is exactly what this community does every single day. Whether you’ve volunteered, donated, shared a post, or simply said a prayer for our young men, you are part of the BRL family, and we are so grateful for you. Together, we are building Rock Solid Futures. 💙

Happy 4th of July from all of us at Bald Ridge Lodge! Today we celebrate 250 years of America and we are so grateful to live in a country where every young man has the opportunity to build a bright future. Wishing everyone a safe and joy-filled Independence Day! #HappyFourthofJuly #America250

During National Reconciliation Month, we celebrate the families we’ve helped come back together. In 2025, Bald Ridge Lodge supported 2 reunifications with parents and 3 placements with relatives, doubling our reunification success from the previous year. Five young men are now home, where they belong. Behind each reunion is a story of healing. One young man watched his mom overcome her own struggles while he earned his diploma, removing the barriers that had kept them apart. Another spent years waiting for safety, and when his mom had the courage to protect their home, he was finally able to return. These aren’t just reunifications. They’re second chances. They’re proof that families can heal, and that young people are resilient beyond measure. Family connections are the foundation of long-term stability. We’re honored to be part of their journey home. 💙 #NationalReconciliationMonth #FamilyMatters #ChildWelfare #FosterCare #Reunification

As we enter July, we prepare to send our young men back to school. Your help is needed for equipping them with the resources they need this year to succeed! Check out our amazon wishlist at the link in our bio to see what we need to start the 2026-27 school year!

We were so thankful to be with United Way yesterday alongside other Forsyth County Nonprofits!

This week for BRL basics we wanted to spotlight our day to day lives at BRL! Living in a house full of young men can get a little wild, but at BRL, we are like a family, so whether we are out in the community or eating dinner around the table, our goal is to support, encourage, and motivate our young men to be the best versions of themselves.

This #thankfulthursday we want spread the love to Love Atlanta for the game day and cookout! We love how much our community pours into the Lodge!!

This week for our #whybrlwednesday, we want to spotlight Penne who helps to run the “Unique Uber” and serves as a life coach to some of the young men we serve! When we asked Penne what she loved about serving with us she said, “Once we are back in the lovely LODGE it always seems as though the solid relationship that was built during the movement and freedom of the van (i.e. GOING PLACES) continues as I interact with residents within a home environment. As far as being the LIFE COACH for the gentleman who have earned their independence to live on their own (Independent Living Program), it is my honor to help facilitate their SUCCESS! Again, one more UNIQUE opportunity to UBER each toward HIS ROCK SOLID FUTURE!”

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