PRESS KIT
2015-2016
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Letter of Introduction ____________________________________________________________ 1
2. Lead Release _________________________________________________________________ 2
3. Jawbones vs. Sawbones 2015 Event Summary _______________________________________ 3
4. Organizational History __________________________________________________________ 4
5. Biographical Information on Leadership _____________________________________________ 5
6. Fact Sheet ___________________________________________________________________ 6
7. Side by Side on the Web and in the News ___________________________________________ 7
Side by Side Brain Injury Clubhouse | 1001 Main St. | Stone Mountain, GA 30083 | 770-469-9355 | www.sidebysideclubhouse.org
1. Letter of Introduction
Dear Sir or Madam:
The members, staff and volunteers of Side by Side Brain Injury Clubhouse thank you for your interest in our
organization. We hope you’ll find everything you need in this Press Kit, recently updated in September 2015. This
Kit contains:
 a lead release which introduces the reader to a member, his rehabilitative journey, and the special event
which raises money to help members like him
 a summary of our annual basketball benefit, Jawbones vs. Sawbones
 our organization’s history
 biographical information of our leadership
 fact sheets on traumatic brain injury (TBI), those we serve and our organization
 links to electronic versions of our recent publications and news articles
We invite you to review the information provided in this Kit. We hope you’ll learn more about our organization,
purpose and mission. We also hope you’ll be inspired to join our family of supporters and choose to commit a bit of
your time, talent, and/or treasure to our Clubhouse.
If you have questions we haven’t answered in this Kit or if you’d like to meet the members and staff who compose our
Clubhouse, please contact our Resource Development Director, Chris Pearson, at 770-469-9355 or
chris@sidebysideclubhouse.org. He’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have.
Thanks again and happy reading,
Cindi Johnson
Executive Director
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Side by Side Brain Injury Clubhouse | 1001 Main St. | Stone Mountain, GA 30083 | 770-469-9355 | www.sidebysideclubhouse.org
2. Lead Release
Side by Side Rebuilds Lives with Community Support
Greg began attending Side by Side in 20--, x years after he suffered a life changing brain injury from a simple trip and
fall down a flight of stairs. Now in in his early-sixties, he is unable to continue his career as a butcher due to leftsided paralysis and thinking problems like remembering what happened last week and figuring out how to do
everyday things like cook a meal.
Greg joined Side by Side so he could have friends who love and accept him for who he is NOW, and so he could do
things that help him grow stronger and be happy with his new life. At first, Side by Side staff and members supported
Greg as he learned to rely on the right-side of his body to walk, write, and carry things. He was introduced to onehanded tools so he could cut vegetables and dry dishes as he entertains colleagues in the Kitchen Unit with an
infectious laugh and wry sense of humor.
Now, several years later, Greg is enjoying his retirement years- “I earned it,” he professes with pride. He wishes he
could get out and visit friends more on the weekends, but he isn’t able to drive and lives in a rural area with no
access to public transportation. Greg hasn’t let retirement or weekend isolation get him down. He knows he’s valued
as a mentor to fellow members of Side by Side, where he signs up for at least 10 jobs each day and still finds time to
catch up with friends outside in the gazebo. He helps even more people by volunteering with a group from Side by
Side in a thrift store and food bank.
Greg’s family is happy he has colleagues and meaningful work to keep busy while they keep the home fires burning
with their own jobs. And as a bonus- they’re relieved and proud that he’s more productive at home now since
breaking the habit of always relying on others even though it may take a little longer to do things using only one hand
and leg.
Greg’s increased quality of life and independence is made possible by the generous support given by those who
believe in the mission and impact of Side by Side. Included in this family of supporters are those who sponsor, attend
and promote our annual basketball benefit, Jawbones vs. Sawbones.
We are excited to announce that our 5th annual Jawbones vs. Sawbones basketball benefit will be on March 12, 2016
at Decatur High. This lively family-oriented basketball benefit raises around $50,000 every year for Side by Side’s
scholarship fund which is accessed by those like Greg who need Side by Side’s services yet live with limited means.
We hope you’ll join us this spring in Decatur.
For more information about Side by Side, those we serve and our annual fundraiser, please visit
www.sidebysideclubhouse.org or contact Chris Pearson, Resource Development Director at 770-469-9355 or
chris@sidebysideclubhouse.org.
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Side by Side Brain Injury Clubhouse | 1001 Main St. | Stone Mountain, GA 30083 | 770-469-9355 | www.sidebysideclubhouse.org
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3. Jawbones vs. Sawbones 2015 Event Summary
This letter was written by Cindi Johnson, Executive Director, and summarizes the event and its impact.
Clubhouse Family:
I’d like to thank you again for your contribution of time and financial support that made Jawbones vs. Sawbones 2015
a resounding success. Maybe you’ve been wondering- what is the impact of my support- to the organization, to the
community? Read on for the answers to this important question:
Our Goals Were Twofold:
1. Raise awareness of the lifelong effects of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) – This could happen to me, to my
family. Our lives will be drastically different but still blessed, and we will need ongoing support long after the
wound heals.
2. Raise program scholarship funds for people affected by brain injury to receive support regardless of their
ability to pay membership fees
Goal: Raise Awareness- MET!
· 35% increase in benefit attendance
· 29 opportunities increased awareness of TBIs through media mentions
· 2,000+ new minds were exposed to Side by Side through social media networks
· 78 new supporters joined the Clubhouse community
Goal: Raise Program Scholarship Funds- MET!
· Proceeds will fund 400+ Clubhouse days filled with activities to rebuild cognitive, vocational and social skills will
be made available to individuals living with brain injury
· 6 new scholarships will be offered to families waiting for services
What’s Next?
Jawbones v Sawbones 2016 plans are underway. There was such positive feedback from the players,
media representatives, volunteers, sponsors and attendees that we fully expect this event to fill the gym
next year.
Side by Side needs $180,000 a year in charitable contributions to cover the current program scholarship
need. We hope to raise a good chunk of that through this annual signature event. Thank you again for your
support. You made a real difference in increasing the public’s awareness of TBI and in opening the
Clubhouse doors to individuals with brain injuries and their families. Now, they have a community to which
they belong and contribute, their caregivers receive respite and the family unit is strong and healthy as they
celebrate their new normal.
Gratefully Yours,
Cindi Johnson
Side by Side Brain Injury Clubhouse | 1001 Main St. | Stone Mountain, GA 30083 | 770-469-9355 | www.sidebysideclubhouse.org
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4. Organizational History
The idea for this long-term support program was planted in 1991 when Cindi Johnson and Mike McCord, both
rehabilitation therapists, volunteered to direct the Brain Injury Association of Georgia’s Camp Hardgrove. They soon
realized that people need more than three days a year of support, as well as a place to belong, contribute, and be
accepted for whom they are, and their families desperately need more respite from caring for loved ones with lifelong
disabilities. The consumer-driven Clubhouse model emerged as the perfect fit. This model began around 1948 when
a group of people with psychiatric disabilities gathered to support each other in an effort to minimize rehospitalizations. Having proved very successful with this population, the model was applied to people with brain
injuries and has been helpful in improving quality of life, including employment and independent living. After a period
of planning and building of support in 1999, the nonprofit corporation, Side by Side Clubhouse, Inc. was formed
through the generous financial support of the Shepherd Center and Emory Healthcare. Cindi Johnson became
Executive Director and Mike McCord signed on as Employment Coordinator.
In March 2000, Teresa Little came on board as Work Unit Coordinator and Side by Side opened its doors. Within a
year a second Work Unit Coordinator was needed and the members were given the choice of working in either the
Business Unit or the Kitchen Unit. As the program grew, Side by Side recognized the need for additional space and
found a way to lower operation costs. Through two generous grants, property was purchased that had the potential
for Side by Side to double its space and increase its capacity to serve adults disabled by brain injury as well as to
eliminate costly rent. A successful capital campaign raised a total of $1.5 million for building renovations and program
expansion. During one of the hottest weeks in Georgia’s history, the Clubhouse moved to the renovated and totally
accessible facility in the village of Stone Mountain where it opened its doors to members in August 2007, completely
debt-free.
The new facility allowed the establishment of a Maintenance Unit which provided members the opportunity to choose
hands-on tasks to keep the building and grounds clean and in good working order. At the same time, leadership saw
fit to invest in an outcomes management program. This program, referred to as Efforts to Outcomes (ETO),
rigorously analyzes program outputs and outcomes, which include member satisfaction, goal attainment, and living
and vocational skills progression. The results of this analysis guide Side by Side’s program implementation and
management. The full-time staff of ten’s expertise includes rehabilitation, vocational evaluation, quality assurance,
Spanish-English interpretation, business management and resource development.
The Clubhouse focuses all charity funds on expanding its capacity as a bridge of support for adults with brain injuries
as they transition from hospital patients to contributing community members. It serves 100 people annually, at least
60 a month. They hail from 14 metro Atlanta counties and identify with more than 10 different cultures at any given
time.
Future plans include an expansion of services and advocacy efforts both locally and nationally. In addition, the
Clubhouse hopes to support more of our nation’s returning wounded warriors. Simultaneously, the leadership team
is responding to a shift in its revenue stream as a result of the recent recession and changes in the healthcare
industry’s landscape. The solicitation of greater support from foundations, corporations, and individuals is needed to
maintain the Clubhouse’s current provision of high quality services and pave the road to expansion.
Side by Side Brain Injury Clubhouse | 1001 Main St. | Stone Mountain, GA 30083 | 770-469-9355 | www.sidebysideclubhouse.org
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5. Biographical Information on Leadership
Cindi Johnson is the founding Executive Director of Side by Side Brain Injury Clubhouse in Stone Mountain,
Georgia. She obtained a master’s degree in Psychology with a concentration in Behavioral Neuroscience from
Georgia State University in 1989. After a 15 year career as a cognitive rehabilitation therapist and administrator in
brain injury rehabilitation, Cindi directed her passion to the development of a Clubhouse model program for life-long
psychosocial, cognitive and vocational support.
Side by Side opened in 2000 as the only program of its kind in the southeastern United States for people disabled by
brain injury. As the organization grew to meet the needs of this population, Cindi led it through a successful $1.5
million capital campaign and Side by Side now resides in its own accessible, spacious facility.
Cindi is also active in shaping state and national policy to assist the 1.7 million Americans who sustain Traumatic
Brain Injuries each year. She is a board director of the International Brain Injury Clubhouse Alliance, a member of the
Brain and Spinal Injury Trust Fund Commission’s Advisory Committee and of an Advisory Committee to Georgia’s
Department of Community Health, and is a Certified Brain Injury Specialist Trainer. Cindi has authored several family
and patient education books about brain injury and published in professional journals on early and later effects of TBI
and stroke.
Mark Gannon is the Chairman of Side by Side’s Board of Directors. He has served since 2010 and been chair since
2015. Mark was recruited by Jim Long to become the new Chairman after Jim’s tenure. He was appointed to the
Rules & Mediation Committee of the Chairman’s Advisory Council in 1994 and has served as the Chairman of this
Committee since 2001.
His vision of the board is to continue to bring diversity to the board and to create more opportunities of engagement
amongst the board members and the communities Side by Side staff and board serve. He values his connection with
the community and continuously strives to dedicate his valuable time to giving back to charitable organizations.
Mark received his undergraduate degree from Marquette University in 1971 and his law degree from Emory
University in 1976. He is the Managing Partner of Savell & Williams, LLP where he has practiced his entire legal
career. Mark has served as the Chairman of the Atlanta Bar and the State Bar Workers’ Compensation Sections.
Side by Side Brain Injury Clubhouse | 1001 Main St. | Stone Mountain, GA 30083 | 770-469-9355 | www.sidebysideclubhouse.org
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6. Fact Sheet
Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
 Acquired brain injuries (ABIs) include all types of traumatic brain injuries and also brain injuries caused after
birth by cerebral vascular accidents (commonly known as stroke), and loss of oxygen to the brain (hypoxic
brain injury)
 A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is defined as an injury to the brain caused by an external force after birth
 Over 5.3 million people in the US live with permanent disabilities from acquired brain injuries (Traumatic
Brain Injury and Stroke combined)1
 Most common causes of TBI include strokes, car accidents, construction accidents, assaults, concussions,
falls, aneurysms
 Our nation spends over $60 billion annually on TBI related needs2
 Over 1.7 million cases of TBI are reported annually. Of them:
o 52,000 die
o 275,000 are hospitalized
o 1.265 million, nearly 80%, are treated and released from an emergency department3
 TBI is a contributing factor to a third (30.5%) of all injury-related deaths in the US3
 Estimated average percentage of annual TBI by external cause in the US (2000-2006)
o 35.2% falls
o 21% unknown
o 17.3% motor vehicle-traffic related
o 16.5% struck by/against
o 10% assault3
Snapshot of Side by Side Brain Injury Clubhouse Services during 2014-15
 114 members were supported at work and in the community. 81 members attended Side by Side between 4
and 240 days for a total of 7,025 visits. One of the 33 new members, were actually alumni members who
requested to return for additional support
 30 families participated in a new family support program and received 1,381 hours of service/support
 40+ members regularly volunteered or worked for pay in the community. On one site, they assembled more
than 108,000 meals for those in need
 Over 1,700 hours of service were contributed to Side by Side by local community volunteers
 98% of members met at least one self-determined goal each quarter that ranged from developing a monthly
budget to relearning how to making bank deposits
Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Report to Congress on traumatic brain
injury in the United States. Atlanta (GA): Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 1999, Dec.
2 Finkelstein E, Corso P, Miller T and Associates. The Incidence and Economic Burden of Injuries in the United States. New York (NY): Oxford
University Press; 2006.
3 Faul M, Xu L, Wald MM, Coronado VG. Traumatic Brain Injury in the United States: Emergency Department Visits, Hospitalizations and
Deaths 2002 – 2006. Atlanta (GA): Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury.
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Side by Side Brain Injury Clubhouse | 1001 Main St. | Stone Mountain, GA 30083 | 770-469-9355 | www.sidebysideclubhouse.org
7. Side by Side’s Web Presence
7.1 Website: www.sidebysideclubhouse.org
7.2 Facebook: www.facebook.com/SideBySideBrainInjuryClubhouseStoneMountainGeorgia
7.3 Jawbones vs. Sawbones 2016
http://www.sidebysideclubhouse.org/news-events/signature-event-2016/
This page hosts various pieces of material written about the event, fundraising opportunities, and ways in
which the community can get involved.
7.4 2013 – 2014 Annual Report:
..\..\Annual Report\2014\annual report FY13-14.pdf
The annual report reviews FY2012-2013, captures the accomplishments of Side by Side, and acknowledges
its family of supporters.
8. Side by Side in the News
8.1 “Local woman’s clubs raise $55k for side by side brain injury clubhouse”
http://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/news/2014/mar/29/local-woman8217s-clubs-raise-55k-for-side-byside/
8.2 “Jawbones and sawbones team up to benefit brain injury facility”
http://patch.com/georgia/decatur/jawbones-and-sawbones-team-up-to-benefit-brain-injuryfacility#.VCWk9fldWAh
8.3 “Recovery and Renewal: Life after a life-changing accident”
http://storycorps.org/blog-posts/recovery-and-renewal-life-after-a-life-changing-accident/
StoryCorps interviews several Clubhouse members and their families. Stories of recovery, resilience, and
triumph are told.
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Side by Side Brain Injury Clubhouse | 1001 Main St. | Stone Mountain, GA 30083 | 770-469-9355 | www.sidebysideclubhouse.org