We had a phenomenal leadership retreat with the Elevate-Derm Alliance team to kick off
2026! The retreat was full of camaraderie, team building, planning, and strategizing.
Amidst the meaningful discussions and activities, the Elevate-Derm leadership team
had the opportunity to hear from some amazing employees of the Sunrise Homeless
Navigation Center. Sunrise is a major provider of services for people in the Austin,
Texas area is experiencing homelessness, such as housing navigation, healthcare, and
substance abuse treatment.
The community engagement coordinators from Sunrise (shout out to Lindsey and
Jasmine) took the opportunity to tell us about the unhoused community in Austin. They
shed light on the homelessness crisis and dispelled misconceptions that are commonly
labeled on the unhoused. Their model of “meeting the person where they are at” is truly
touching. Sunrise is not only about finding housing for those in need, but also providing
full-service support, including meals, hygiene, and case management. Sunrise is able to
maximize its reach through its physical hub, mobile outreach, and hotline.
During the retreat, our group had the chance to make “now sew” blankets to donate to
Sunrise. It gave us an opportunity to reflect on the importance of philanthropy and giving
back to communities in need, all while tying blankets together. Blanket making was,
without a doubt my favorite activity of the meeting and had a truly meaningful purpose.
If you want to learn more about Sunrise, or make a donation of some sort, check out:
http://sunrisenavigationcenter.org for more information and ways to give!
Jenny Laminack resides in Alpharetta, Georgia, with her husband, Joey. She enjoys
traveling and hiking in her free time. She has worked as a dermatology PA since 2015
and has been with the Atlanta Center for Dermatologic Diseases since 2017.
