First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin and Governor Glenn Youngkin Present 2025 Spirit of Virginia Award to The Bailey Center for Special Needs

First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin and Governor Glenn Youngkin present the final Spirit of Virginia Award of the Youngkin Administration to The Bailey Center for Special Needs on August 27, 2025. Official photo by Shealah Craighead.

SOUTH HILL, VA — Closing out a signature initiative to laud leading Virginia nonprofits, Governor Glenn Youngkin and First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin visited The Bailey Center for Special Needs on Wednesday to present the final Spirit of Virginia Award of the Youngkin Administration. The Youngkins joined the nonprofit’s founders and supporters, community leaders, and Southside families to recognize ongoing dedication to autism awareness, support, and education for individuals on the autism spectrum as well as their families.

Founded by Amanda “Mandi” Calhoun and inspired by her son Bailey’s journey, The Bailey Center has become a beacon of hope in Southside Virginia. In partnership with FEAT (Families Embracing Autism Together), the Center provides a safe, comfortable, and sensory-friendly environment where participants can learn, play, and grow. Its programs foster independence, life skills, and creativity—while also offering training and support for parents, caregivers, and educators.

Through initiatives like Buddy Ball, LINCS (Learning in Networks of Community Support), and BEYOND, the Center not only provides enrichment and inclusion opportunities but also creates meaningful career pathways and community connections for young people with disabilities.

“The Bailey Center reminds us that through love and determination, personal challenges can be transformed into community-wide blessings,” said First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin. “Mandi, Bailey, and the entire Bailey Center family are changing the narrative around autism in Virginia—one family, one program, one breakthrough at a time.

“Suzanne and I are honored to present the Spirit of Virginia Award to Mandi, Bailey, and the entire Bailey Center team, who are shining examples of the Spirit of Virginia in action,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin. “This center is more than a place; it’s a beacon of hope, love, and opportunity for families with children who have special needs across Southside Virginia. Children are nurtured and empowered to grow, and parents find the support and encouragement they so deeply deserve. The Bailey Center embodies the very best of what it means to live out the Spirit of Virginia – communities coming together, locking arms, and lifting one another up.”

“I am inspired by the incredible strength, goodness, and leadership of Mandi and the team at The Bailey Center,” said Secretary of Education Aimee Guidera. “When Virginians come together to address community challenges, everyone benefits. As a parent with a vision, Mandi met the demand for greater resources and support for families raising children with autism. The love, compassion, and commitment to dignity for all children is palpable at The Bailey Center.”

“The Bailey Center is deeply humbled and honored to receive the Spirit of Virginia Award,” said Mandi Calhoun, Co-Founder and Executive Director. “This recognition is not ours alone—it belongs to the incredible community that has walked alongside us, supported our mission, and made this dream a reality. Together, we are building a place of hope, inclusion, and belonging for families across Southside Virginia.”

“For my family, The Bailey Center is not just a place or a building, it's a community,” said Luke Maynard, father of a Bailey Center participant. “A community based on including every person by their ability, not their disability.”

The highlights unique contributions and achievements across the Commonwealth and honors those who make extraordinary impacts in various sectors, from private industry and education to culture, the arts, and philanthropy. The Bailey Center is one of 24 nonprofits to have received the prestigious award and its leaders will be honored alongside others at a reception at Richmond’s Executive Mansion later this year.

 

First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin and Governor Glenn Youngkin touring The Bailey Center for Special Needs on August 27, 2025. Official photo by Shealah Craighead.	First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin and Governor Glenn Youngkin with Senator Tammy Mulchi and Delegate Tommy Wright at The Bailey Center for Special Needs on August 27, 2025. Official photo by Shealah Craighead.
Governor Glenn Youngkin with participants and parents of The Bailey Center for Special Needs on August 27, 2025. Official photo by Shealah Craighead.	First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin speaking during the Spirit of Virginia Award Ceremony to The Bailey Center for Special Needs on August 27, 2025. Official photo by Shealah Craighead.

  

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