In 1999, Founder Dave Thillen volunteered to build his first Habitat for Humanity home in Greene County, Georgia and launched his legacy with one small step: refurbishing and installing community donated computers into every new Habitat home. Dave recalls the journey that soon took him to installing more than 30 computers and a network to connect them to the internet at the Pete Nance Boys & Girls Club of Greensboro. In short order, Dave began to provide individualized life coaching for every child living in the Habitat homes and rewarding their milestone achievements with scholarship dollars. “The momentum quickly built, and I never looked back”.

​

Witnessing the raw power of encouragement, goal setting, and tangible rewards, Dave realized how every student’s potential and self-worth would be amplified in the right setting. The community took notice of his successes, and in 2019, Greene County High School asked Dave to implement the “Thillen Plan” for every enrolled student. In 2020, Dave and Elaine Thillen founded the Thillen Education Foundation as a Georgia registered 501 (c)(3) nonprofit and partnered with Greene College and Career Academy to put in motion an innovative, coaching, scholarship, and financial assistance initiative that will enrich the lives of thousands of Greene County students for years to come.