Someone’s Gotta Say It
Growing with Gwinnett: Mosaic Georgia’s Next Chapter
By Marina Sampanes Peed
Executive Director of Mosaic Georgia
If you’ve ever planned an event—for family, friends, or work — you know how challenging it can be to keep things fresh. Last month, our team did just that, hitting it out of the park with our 5th annual Mosaic Masterpieces Art Auction and Happy Hour. In just two hours, guests not only immersed themselves in stunning artwork by professional artists, survivors, and community leaders, but they were also treated to a surprise announcement: Mosaic Georgia is moving to Lawrenceville!
This move marks another new chapter for Mosaic Georgia and Gwinnett County. Thanks to a significant partnership with Northside Hospital System, this relocation is more than just a change of address—it symbolizes growth, innovation, and a strong commitment to the Gwinnett community we’ve proudly served for nearly four decades.
This new facility in Lawrenceville is one-third larger than our current spaces in Duluth, allowing us to expand our services in crucial ways. With more medical exam rooms, forensic interview spaces, dedicated areas for family support and youth activities, and on-site law enforcement offices, we are poised to meet the growing and increasingly complex needs of our community.
With Gwinnett’s population now exceeding 1 million—nearly four times what it was when Mosaic Georgia began in 1986—the challenges we face have grown in both scale and complexity.
As technology and social media evolve, so do the threats of interpersonal violence, especially against our most vulnerable. Issues like child sexual abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and tech-facilitated abuse are on the rise. Moreover, daily stressors like unstable housing, limited healthcare access, disabilities, and chronic stress compound the trauma.
While stigma and shame still silence most people, increased public awareness means Mosaic Georgia receives more calls and referrals each year. When we do our job well, the impacts are invisible to those outside of the care provider/victim’s sphere. The cascade of positive changes that result from our trauma-informed care include:
- Fewer deaths by suicide and substance misuse
- Increased personal safety from abusers
- Improved mental health and coping skills
- Improved school/work performance
- More graduations
- Reduced absenteeism
- Greater productivity
The benefits ripple through every part of our community, improving the lives of everyone. If you work with, live next to, or love someone who survived abuse, our work affects you. If you have a child, or ever were one, if you were ever a student, employed, lived with a disability, or are retired – our work affects you.
This move aligns perfectly with our 2023-2027 strategic plan to keep pace with Gwinnett’s growth and enhance our ability to provide timely, comprehensive care. Being centrally located in Lawrenceville will not only make us more accessible to those who need us, but it will also place us closer to many partner agencies, streamlining our ability to coordinate care and resources for the individuals and families who rely on us.
To fully realize the potential of this move, we are creating a new Financial Mosaic to maintain and expand the resources proven to help people and their families put their lives on a healthy path. The bills don’t pay themselves. We rely on generous funders – government, foundations, businesses, civic and faith organizations, and individuals to fuel progress. Investing in this next phase for essential hard costs and capacity will enable us to serve our community better, more efficiently, and securely.
One must be optimistic by nature to choose this work. As we look to the future, we’re filled with both gratitude and excitement. The success of our recent Mosaic Masterpieces event is just the beginning. Together, we’re building on the strong foundation that Ann Smiley laid nearly four decades ago, ensuring that everyone in Gwinnett has access to the care and support they need to reclaim their lives. Because someone’s gotta say it: when we unite for the common good, there’s no limit to what we can achieve.
If you’d like to learn more about how you can support Mosaic Georgia’s capital campaign and be part of this exciting new chapter, please contact me, Marina Peed, at marinap@mosaicga.org. Your support will help ensure that Mosaic Georgia continues the tradition of the Gwinnett standard for dignity, respect, and resiliency for our community.
