Press Release | Feb 16, 2021

The Austin Hatcher Foundation to Host Grand Opening Celebration

By Austin Hatcher Foundation
By The Austin Hatcher Foundation
The Austin Hatcher Foundation to Host Grand Opening Celebration

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (Feb. 16, 2021) – The Austin Hatcher Foundation is hosting a grand opening celebration for the new Education Advancement Center in downtown Chattanooga taking place 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Feb. 24-26.

The 3-day grand opening celebration will include in-person tours of the Education Advancement Center (EAC) located at 1705 S. Holtzclaw Avenue. This state-of-the-art facility, which officially opened in July 2020, houses all services at no cost to families.

The patients and families of the Austin Hatcher Foundation are provided with services including: Counseling (Individual, Trauma, Grief, Sibling, and Family), Industrial Arts (Shop Class), Occupational Therapy (Physical, Sensory, or Cognitive Development) Art + Music Therapy (Enhance Emotional and Physical Function) Family Programming (Day Camps, Parent Events, and Sibling Events), Cognitive + Behavioral Health Therapy, Sibling Support (One-On-One Counseling, Enrichment, and More), Academic Support  (IEP/504 Plan, Tutoring, and Virtual Learning), and Neurocognitive Testing (Measures Cognitive Abilities, Attention, Problem Solving, Memory, Language, IQ, Visual/Spatial Skills, Academic Skills, and Social-Emotional Function).

“The experience of childhood cancer goes beyond diagnosis and affects every individual family member personally and differently,” said Amy Jo Osborn, Austin Hatcher Foundation President. “Each individual family member needs unique solutions to the challenges they face. This Education Advancement Center houses evidence-based programs to provide the solutions and walk through every step of a family’s recovery journey, to cope in the present and thrive in the future.”

The foundation had to postpone its Grand Opening in 2020 due to the pandemic but are now ready to safely show Chattanooga the Austin Hatcher Foundation mission first-hand by allowing the community to come and tour. To schedule a tour during the open house, visit hatcherfoundation.org/tour. These tours will be one hour long and in small groups to ensure social distancing. (Masks and temperature checks are required)

A ribbon cutting will be open to the media to tour the space at 1 p.m. on Feb. 26. Special guests invited to attend this event will be contacted by foundation President Amy Jo Osborn. Open house tours will resume at 2:30 p.m.

Anyone interested in attending to take photos, videos, or interview staff must contact Paige Holloway at paige@hatcherfoundation.org or (423) 206-2829.