Meet Ari Mathe’! Ari is a child welfare attorney here in Hall County, a volunteer and co-founder of Hall is Home for Kids, she serves as a member of the Newtown Florist Club Public Policy Committee and is an all around outstanding human being. Hall is Home for Kids has a signature project, Hall is Home for the Holidays, and there is still time to contribute to help make Christmas “magical for children in foster care, relative care and preserved in their families of origin who are connected to our juvenile court system.” Click here for more information on supporting Hall is Home for the Holidays: https://form.jotform.com/222444463942053.
We want to thank Ari for taking the time to talk with us about her love for serving Hall County’s children and letting us get to know a little bit about her life!
Q: Please tell us a little bit about your family.
A: “I have been married for 18 years to my best friend, Chet Mathe’. We are both from South Louisiana and met while in undergraduate at LSU. Chet moved to Georgia after graduate school to work for the CDC and I moved after law school, when we got married in 2004. We have two children, Abigail (who just turned 11) and Michael (who recently turned 5). We have lived in Flowery Branch since 2006.”
Q: Please tell us about your current career. What do you love most about what you do?
A: “Since 2005, I have served as an appointed attorney serving children and families in our community, first serving as an assistant public defender representing mostly children from 2005 to 2010 and thereafter serving as appointed counsel for children in dependency cases. I help and advocate for the wishes and best interest of children in cases where they are removed or in danger of being removed from the custody of their parents. The work is incredibly challenging, both academically and emotionally, but what I love most about it is that I never have to wonder if what I do has value or has the potential to make a real difference. For the last several years, I have also served in a volunteer capacity as co-founder of Hall is Home for Kids, which aims to link children and families impacted by our child welfare system with resources and assistance beyond that which the system has capacity to provide. Our signature project, Hall is Home for the Holidays, brings together many of our wonderful community volunteers and agencies for a larger, more cohesive impact in making Christmas magical for children in foster care, relative care and preserved in their families of origin who are connected to our juvenile court system. I also serve as a member of the Newtown Florist Club Public Policy Committee and have enjoyed serving in that organization to help community members connect and communicate with the individuals and agencies working in our child welfare system.”
Q: What are a couple of your favorite restaurants in our community?
A: “Anything locally owned! Eat at Thai and Two Dog are my all-time favorites where I’ve been eating since I first moved here. But I also am enjoying all of the new local restaurants popping up all around, particularly those that expose our taste buds to new cultures – like Pure Pho and Consuelo! But you’ll often catch me picking up desserts to take home from the amazing Diletto’s Bakery in the Spout Springs Library.”
Q: How long have you lived or worked in our community?
A: “I have worked in the community since 2005 and moved here in 2006.”
Q: Who is the most interesting person you’ve met here in our community?
A: “Tie between Revered Rose Johnson of Newtown Florist Club and Dr. Margie Gill of Brenau.”
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be and why?
A: “Europe – to take my daughter to try out amazing places to eat we see on the show ‘Somebody Feed Phil’ (Netflix – check it out!) and to take baking lessons from pros.”
Q: What is one of your favorite movies? TV shows?
A: “’The Princes Bride’ (my favorite movie since I was 8) – ‘Psych’ (was on the USA network around 2010-2014 and is the show my husband and I re-watch a million times and fall asleep to every night for years).”
Q: What advice would you want to give or leave with people?
A: “There is always something you can do to help others in our community. We have so many wonderful organizations and people already doing work who would love to have your support and engagement. You don’t have to start something brand new or do everything alone to be one of the ‘good people of Gainesville.’ Just see where folks are already doing the good work and jump in!”
Q: If you could choose anyone that is alive today and not a relative; with whom would you love to have lunch? Why? And where locally would y’all meet for this lunch?
A: “Dolly Parton because she is known worldwide for being one of the most genuinely nice and giving people on the planet and I would love to absorb even one ounce of that. I’d probably take her to Two Dog because that is my go to when someone comes from out of town.”
Q: What is your favorite thing or something unique about our community? And secondly, what is something you hope our community has or does in the future?
A: “Hall County has an incredibly giving spirit, which I immediately noticed when I came to town almost 18 years ago. There are so many people and organizations doing remarkable work to help people, improve our community and elevate important issues. I hope that spirit continues forever and that we would grow our generosity and capacity to do more good.”
Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 to 10 years?
A: “I hope I’ll still be a child welfare attorney here in Hall County working hard to be a voice for the voiceless and giving of my time and resources otherwise to help support them and their families. I would love to help our juvenile court establish a docket focused on children and families with higher level mental health needs – I’ve been advocating for this for several years and would be delighted to see if come to fruition and be an example across the country in the next 5-10 years. I would love to see Hall is Home for Kids grow its capacity to hire an administrator to be able to assist more families in achieving reunification through connection with needed resources beyond those accessible in the child welfare system.”
Q: What is something on your bucket list?
A: “See as much of the US as possible with my family – we hope to start out west this summer.”
Q: And, what is something you have been proud to check off your bucket list?
A: “Natural childbirth.”
Q: What is your go to band when you cant decide what to listen to?
A: “Coldplay.”
Q: In hard times we can sometimes see and recognize greatness in those around us. Hard working. Positive attitudes. Helping on the front lines. Who is one of our local shining lights today?
A: “Katie Hamm – foster care administrator for Hall County DFCS.”
Q: What is the most beautiful place you have ever been?
A: “Blue Ridge Mountains in the fall.”
Q: Favorite month? favorite holiday? and best single day on the calendar?
A: “December – Christmas – 12/26 (it’s so much more chill! ha!).”
Q: What would you rate a 10 out of 10?
A: “Two Dog grilled pimento cheese.”
Q: Who would you want to play you in a movie about your life?
A: “Kristen Bell – people say I look like her anyway and she’s hilarious.”
Q: What is one or two of your favorite smells?
A: “”Cinnamon – anything cinnamon – any time for any reason. New York City – it smells mainly like truck exhaust and musty subway and a little sea air from the waterways – I know that’s weird but I lived there for a few months and it’s nostalgic.”
Q: Who inspires you to be better?
A: “My husband and my kiddos.”
