Share the Love: Honoring the Hearts Behind the Mission
February’s Share the Love campaign celebrates the donors and partners who walk alongside InCommunity and make our work possible. Their stories are personal. Their generosity is intentional. And their impact is lasting.
We are honored to spotlight three remarkable supporters whose love for this community continues to shape lives in meaningful ways.
Barbara Wilks
For Barbara Wilks, giving to InCommunity is deeply personal.
As a long-time resident and participant in our Art & Food Day Program in Marietta, Barbara’s sister Kathleen was a light to so many. She was known as an artist, a die-hard Braves fan, and a true lover of a good Bon Jovi song. Kathleen and her most recent roommate and dear friend, Hope H., were a dynamic duo whose bond brought joy to everyone around them.
After Kathleen’s passing in June 2025, Barbara knew she wanted to make a tribute gift to InCommunity in memory of her beloved sister.
Barbara’s connection to InCommunity goes back decades. Her family was involved early on, helping support the creation of group homes in the 1980s. But it was Kathleen who truly shaped Barbara’s lifelong commitment. Being more than ten years older, Barbara proudly earned the nickname Kathleen gave her: “sister-mommy.”
Barbara speaks with deep gratitude about the InCommunity staff who cared for Kathleen with compassion, consistency, and heart. From noticing health concerns early, to celebrating milestones, hosting parties, and supporting Kathleen’s work and achievements, the staff went above and beyond. Knowing her sister was safe, supported, and happy meant everything, especially during times when Barbara was also caring for her parents.
Giving back is Barbara’s way of honoring that care and encouraging the dedicated staff who do this demanding work every day. She hopes her support helps provide essential resources, from transportation to staffing, so individuals can continue to live full, joyful lives.
“The special needs community is very special to me,” Barbara shared. “InCommunity will provide happy lives and experiences for the individuals they support.”
We are deeply grateful for the love Barbara continues to share with the InCommunity family.
Josh Bailey & USI
At InCommunity, our work is made possible through relationships—through partners who believe deeply in dignity, opportunity, and full lives for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. When an organization chooses to support that mission in meaningful ways, the impact reaches far beyond any single moment.
USI is one of those partners.
As InCommunity’s insurance broker, USI helps protect the foundation that safeguards our people and our properties. But their commitment goes far beyond coverage. USI invests in InCommunity through generous financial support, hands-on volunteerism, and the time and energy of its team. They show up with intention, heart, and a genuine desire to make a difference.
That spirit is reflected in Josh Bailey, Senior Vice President at USI. Since getting involved with InCommunity in late 2021, Josh and the USI team have embraced opportunities to serve in ways that directly impact quality of life, volunteering at residential homes, supporting projects and events, and helping raise awareness for our mission. To USI, giving isn’t transactional. It’s a partnership.
For Josh, this work is deeply personal. As a cancer survivor with a servant’s heart, he is passionate about advocating for underserved communities and believes strongly in giving a voice to those who are too often overlooked. He hopes that USI’s support, both financial and hands-on, continues to expand awareness, strengthen resources, and positively impact the lives of individuals with I/DD and their families so they can live healthy, safe, and joyful lives.
At its core, USI believes in connection and collaboration, using its network to invite others into the work and help spread the good happening at InCommunity.
We are truly grateful for Josh Bailey and the entire USI team for being more than a service provider. They are generous supporters, trusted partners, and a meaningful part of our Share the Love story.
The Scruggs
For Julia and Wayne Scruggs, supporting InCommunity is rooted in something deeply personal: their son, L’Henry.
More than 30 years ago, the Scruggs family began what Julia describes as an intense and emotional journey to secure services for L’Henry. After years on a waiting list, advocacy, and persistence, including seeking help at the state level, they were finally able to move forward. Like so many families, they know firsthand what it means to hope, to wait, and to fight for the right support.
Today, L’Henry is both a resident and a participant in InCommunity’s Beyond Horizon Center (BHC) Day Program. Watching him engage in activities, build relationships, and live an active life in the community has meant everything to their family.
Wayne’s background in social work and their shared belief in helping others shaped their desire to give back. For the Scruggs, donating is not only about gratitude. It’s about partnership. They want to ensure their son, and others like him—receive the very best care and opportunities possible.
Wayne shared how much it has meant to see InCommunity truly live up to its name. From community outings to social activities, individuals are encouraged to live full and meaningful lives. “Everything costs,” he said. “It takes resources to provide this level of care.” They give because they understand what it takes, and they want to help sustain it.
When asked what message they would share with the individuals supported by InCommunity, Julia’s words were simple and heartfelt: you are loved. She spoke about the safe, caring environment and the dedicated staff who lead with compassion. “The people here care from the heart,” she said. “That’s one of the center poles of everything.”
The Scruggs hope their generosity will help expand services even further, including continued efforts to bring sign language instruction to nonverbal individuals. They believe strongly in strengthening programs so that every individual has the tools to communicate, connect, and thrive.
At their core, Julia and Wayne strive to live as sharing and caring people. They see those same values reflected in InCommunity. When they visit their son and walk into a home filled with the smell of dinner cooking and see individuals who are happy and well cared for, they are reminded why they give.
They support InCommunity because they want it to continue being a light—for their son, for other families, and for the entire community. And they hope their giving inspires others to share their resources as well.
Sharing the Love, Together
Each of these stories reminds us that InCommunity is more than programs and services. It is family. It is partnership. It is people choosing to show up for one another in big and small ways.
Barbara’s tribute honors a sister’s life. USI’s partnership reflects a commitment that goes beyond business. The Scruggs’ generosity grows from decades of advocacy and love for their son. Different journeys, one shared belief: individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities deserve to live full, joyful, and supported lives.
As we continue our Share the Love campaign, we invite you to be part of the story. Whether through giving, volunteering, or simply sharing our mission with others, every act of support helps strengthen this community.
Because when we share the love, we build a community where everyone belongs.