Christine Ganis, PsyD ‘03, has always felt a strong calling to support her community by using her mental health expertise. As the co-founder of Tambra Place, a nonprofit providing safe housing to homeless youth, she is advocating for change within Pinehurst, NC.
Inspired by her grandmother, Dr. Ganis pursued a career that showcases her passion for people. She shares, “My grandmother facilitated a college education for me. Her encouragement and my optimism for people propelled me towards the mental health field.”
After graduating as part of the inaugural class of PCOM’s Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology program, Dr. Ganis eventually relocated to North Carolina. “While working as a ‘community psychologist’, I felt increasingly compelled to help address the community’s unmet needs at the macro (climate, air, water, soil, biomass) and micro-level (individuals). During that time, I was recruited to provide psychological training for teachers at the local school. That’s when Tambra Chamberlain, the now co-founder and director of Tambra Place, gave a presentation on homeless teens,” Dr. Ganis recalls.
That presentation sparked the idea for Dr. Ganis and Ms. Chamberlain, alongside a team of dedicated staff and board members, to establish Tambra Place. Focusing on supporting young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 as they transition into adulthood and the workforce, Tambra Place assists with food, vehicles, housing, jobs, and values-based mentoring. The organization serves 22 high school seniors in the Moore County School District and 40-45 young adults in a neighboring county. “They learn how society functions so they can be better prepared to enter the working world,” explains Dr. Ganis.
With many factors driving homelessness in Pinehurst, Dr. Ganis utilizes her mental health background to address these issues with her team. One challenge is the affluence in her county, which often means these concerns are not as noticeable or easy to fix. “There are jobs available, but no one talks about how these kids are supposed to get to them,” she explains. “There’s no public transportation. If we expect 18-year-olds to work, how are they supposed to get there? And if they’re dealing with trauma, how can we support them?”
Dr. Ganis shares that, due to homelessness, many of these young adults also fall victim to human trafficking. She explains, “With these kids lacking resources like food, shelter, and stability, if someone comes along and offers them those things, they’re going to take it. It is a dangerous, recurring cycle that propels these kids into these areas of trauma and abuse.”
Many of Tambra Place’s young adult residents are referred by Moore County Schools and other counties due to family crises. “Social workers send them our way, or they come from domestic issues elsewhere,” Dr. Ganis explains. “Once they graduate, they’re often thrown into the world without the tools or support systems they need to succeed. That’s where Tambra Place steps in—to give them safety, stability, and the resources to thrive.”
Tambra Place provides young adults with housing similar to a college dorm; Multiple residents live in the home with a house parent overseeing daily life. “We maintain a group chat for the home so residents can let us know if they need household items, transportation to work, and so on. We do our best to provide what they need,” says Dr. Ganis.
As Tambra Place has grown, so has community support. She said, “We were gifted, by a local church, a girls’ home on their property to rent for a dollar a year and individuals and groups in the community donate money, food, supplies, and other essentials regularly.” Dr. Ganis says, “The community has really come together to support these kids.”
Since then, fundraising efforts proved fruitful, as Tambra Place opened a boys’ home, and are looking to the future for another girls’ home. Dr. Ganis shared, “The land was gifted to us for these additional homes, and now we can begin to expand our reach further.”
Dr. Ganis deeply believes in the power of connection and hopes that by raising awareness about Tambra Place, others will be inspired to take action. “We’re here to help guide anyone interested in starting something similar,” she says. “There are so many communities with young adults who need the kind of support Tambra Place provides.”
