What do you get when you mix 17 years of service, a room surrounded by whales, and a heart of gold? You get Reese Wright receiving one of New Life Community Alliance’s highest honors at the 2025 DREAM Gala.
On Saturday, December 6th, hundreds gathered at the Georgia Aquarium’s Ocean Ballroom for the New Life DREAM Gala, a celebration of New Life Church’s 30th Anniversary and a fundraiser for NLCA. Amid the marine magic and mission-minded energy, one cheerful laugh rang above the rest: Reese Wright’s.
If you’ve been around NLCA or New Life Church, you likely know Reese. Her warmth is unmistakable, and her dedication is unmatched. That night, she was honored with The Alma Zachary & Emma Jefferson Commitment Award, a fitting tribute to a woman who has spent nearly two decades uplifting others.
Rooted in Service: Reese’s Journey with NLCA
Originally from New Orleans, Reese came to Atlanta at age 8 with her mother and brother following Hurricane Katrina. By 10, they had found a home at New Life Church, drawn in by the Seeker Service and its commitment to helping those experiencing homelessness. She and her mother began volunteering immediately, filing paperwork in the front office and assisting clients. “I’ve been on and off payroll ever since,” she remarks, equal parts humor and honesty.
In middle school, Reese looked after children while their parents sat in her mother’s chair at the Praise Salon. By high school, she was helping with food pantry intakes. Every season of her life has included NLCA.
Now at 27, Reese is practically a fixture. “New Life sees me seven days a week,” she says with a grin. Monday through Friday? She teaches in the Afterschool program. Saturdays? She runs the Praise Salon. Sundays? She’s at church. Her rhythm of service is her way of life.
Leading with Love in the Praise Salon
After the pandemic, Reese stepped into her first leadership role: running the Praise Salon her mother once led. Often working solo due to limited volunteers, she never turned anyone away.
“Even if it’s just me, I can do 3-4 heads a day,” she shares. “That’s more than it would be if no one showed up.” Although the weight of carrying the Praise Salon was sometimes heavy, Reese understood that her efforts mattered.
One moment stands out for her. One day, two elderly sisters walked into the salon, one struggling to manage her long, matted hair due to hand mobility issues. Reese spent four hours detangling and styling her hair. Once she was done, her client cried tears of joy that she spent her entire shift with her. That woman, whom Reese refers to as “Auntie,” still returns every few months, not just for hair care, but for the compassion that comes with it.
“If you look good, you feel good,” Reese says. “This is how people start a new life.” Reese led the Praise Salon until August 2025, stepping down to pursue her long-time dream of starting a cheer team at Capitol Heights Elementary School.
Building the Next Generation Through Education
While she’s a pro with a comb, Reese’s first passion is children. Today, she teaches at the same elementary school she once attended and serves as a lead teacher in NLCA’s Afterschool Program.
Launched in early 2023, the program offers free academic support, SEL training, field trips, meals, and enrichment. During the pilot, students showed major academic and emotional growth. Reese recalls children who passed their milestone tests after previously struggling academically. In addition to scholastic improvements, many parents and teachers expressed deep gratitude to the program for the socio-emotional changes that they saw in their children.
For Reese, those testimonies affirmed both the need for and impact of the Afterschool Program. Today, she continues to serve as Lead Teacher, often sharing its significance with stakeholders and funders to help the program grow in step with NLCA’s broader vision.
A Moment of Recognition: The DREAM Gala
When NLCA CEO Michael Bryant called to tell her she’d been nominated for an award, Reese was stunned. “Nominated for what? Who? Me?” she laughed. Volunteering had become second nature, such a rhythm in her life that recognition wasn’t really on her mind. “I don’t volunteer because I’m expecting an award; I do it because I truly love to help people.” But when she won, she was moved beyond words.
“I love making people laugh and feel seen through words of affirmation,” she said. “So when people gave me that love back, it really meant a lot.”
Though this wasn’t the first time Reese has been thanked for her service, this was her first public honor, a moment that reminded her how deeply she’s impacted the NLCA community.
Looking Ahead: Reese’s Vision for NLCA
“I love the Alliance and everything we stand for,” Reese says with conviction. She believes deeply in the brilliance of South DeKalb’s Black community and sees NLCA as a place that restores hope, dignity, and opportunity. “People just need someone to believe in them,” she adds.
Reese imagines she’ll continue leading the Afterschool Program until the right person is ready to step in. Her dream? To inspire the next young volunteer to carry the light forward. “If I’ve inspired someone to do what I do, to be a life, light, and joy like I try to be for The Alliance, that would mean everything,” she says.
“I just want to pour into others the way this community has poured into me,” Reese declares.
Want to follow Reese’s lead? There are so many ways to serve. Click here to discover how you can join the NLCA volunteer family.
