The Eden Project Celebrates 10 Years of Service at Phoenix Dinner

The Eden Project celebrated ten years of serving veterans, first responders and their families Thursday evening with a packed house at the Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center.

The annual Phoenix Dinner brought together community leaders, partners, volunteers, supporters and members of The Eden Project community to celebrate a decade of service while looking ahead to what comes next.

The evening highlighted just how far The Eden Project has come since 2016. What began with a conversation between two friends over breakfast, one peer support program and six community partners has grown into an organization offering six programs and working alongside more than 30 partners throughout the community.

The celebration also provided an opportunity to recognize those who have been an important part of that journey.

Longtime volunteer and former board member Bruce Resnak was presented with The Eden Project’s Order of the Phoenix Award, recognizing his years of dedicated service and commitment to the organization and the people it serves.

The Georgia Aquarium was also honored as The Eden Project’s Partner of the Year, recognizing a relationship that has created unique opportunities and experiences for veterans, first responders and their families.

But some of the most powerful moments of the evening came not from awards or statistics, but from the people themselves.

Following the awards, three members of The Eden Project community joined founder Bren Briggs around an indoor fire pit for a panel discussion.

The setting was intentional. For generations, people have gathered around fires for warmth, safety, conversation and community. On Thursday evening, it became a place to share stories.

Panelists spoke openly about the challenges their families had experienced and the impact that relationships, peer support and community had made in their lives.

For panelist Yolanda Perry, that impact could be summed up in a single sentence.

“The Eden Project gave me back my husband. My kids got their dad back,” Perry told those gathered.

Her words captured the message at the heart of the evening.

“For ten years, we have said that relationships save lives,” Briggs said. “People hear our numbers and they hear about our programs, but tonight they heard directly from the people behind those numbers. That is why we do what we do.”

The Eden Project was founded in 2016 with a mission to provide world-class, community-based, holistic care to warriors and their support groups. Today, its programs include peer support, couples’ programs, alumni activities, community service, outreach and one-on-one navigation for veterans, first responders and their families.

The need for those services continues to grow.

Calls to The Eden Project have increased from approximately 30 per month to well over 120 per month. Briggs said that increase represents more than growing demand. It also represents growing awareness and trust within the community.

“People know we are here. They trust us, and they believe that when they call, someone will answer,” Briggs said. “That trust has taken ten years to build.”

As The Eden Project enters its second decade, Will Garner, emcee and Eden Project board member, shared another vision with those attending the dinner: establishing a permanent home where programs can be conducted, staff can meet privately with individuals and families, and alumni can continue building community.

The response was almost immediate.

Before the evening was over, four people approached Briggs with opportunities to explore providing space for The Eden Project through community partnerships.

“For years, I have envisioned The Eden Project having a home, but I never believed that meant we had to do it alone,” Briggs said. “I have always imagined a place created through partnership, where we could serve people while remaining connected to the community around us. To share that vision and then have four people approach me that same evening was incredible.”

Those conversations may soon lead to The Eden Project’s dedicated office and program space.

For an organization built on the belief that relationships and community can change lives, it was a fitting way to begin its next chapter.

The Phoenix Dinner celebrated ten years of what a community working together has accomplished.

Before the night was over, that same community was already helping build the next ten.