Jennie Trotter prayed for a way to help during the 1980s Atlanta Missing and Murdered Children’s Youth Crisis, which led to establishing the Wholistic Stress Control Institute, Inc. (WSCI). WSCI was founded to offer services and training in comprehensive stress management to kids, teens, and adults. WSCI expanded, including community preventive initiatives in teen pregnancy, STD/HIV/AIDS prevention, wellness, substance abuse, violence, and after school programs.

Jennie was one of 163 applicants for Grady’s Mental Health Center’s Missing and Murdered Children (MMCYC) position. She then joined a mental health team as a mental health consultant. She gave lectures to teachers on the psychological consequences of the MMCYC to help them identify and refer children and teenagers who needed mental health care. She desired more, so she began investigating ways to teach kids and teens about stress before it became a mental health issue.

Spelman College summer program courses gave her knowledge on youth stress management. Jennie and Camilla Moore, a friend, discussed expanding the stress education program for children and youth. Camilla offered her a grant writing book. She was anxious because she’d never written a grant before and hated English and writing. Jennie discovered that God blesses those who serve. Jennie had to let go of her doubts and restricted thinking and trust a path would be discovered. Divine intervention created the Wholistic Stress Control Institute. MMCYC children and teenagers seemed to cheer, encourage, and reward WSCI’s efforts. She was praised!

After quitting, she founded the Wholistic Stress Control Institute (WSCI). Jim Trotter, her husband of many years, edited all her writings and helped raise the children when she was away. Louise Strozier, from the National Council of Negro Women, Inc., housed our programs before WSCI was incorporated. Gloria S. Elder, who was special to her, joined her in 1987 as an Assistant Project Director and remained at WSCI until her retirement.

Jennie Trotter transitioned on January 13, 2022. She leaves to cherish her memory and legacy, her husband, children, and community. Thirty-eight years later, WSCI is an African American, award-winning community-based organization still serving the community at large in the areas of violence prevention, substance abuse prevention, sexual risk avoidance, HIV/AIDS prevention, anger and stress management, workforce development, and more.