Meet Thomas Allen (Tommy) Garvin (Allgood) of The Allgood Collective

Today we’d like to introduce you to Thomas Allen (Tommy) Garvin (Allgood)

Hi Thomas, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
The Allgood Collective was born out of a shared need and vision for creating spaces where individuals and organizations could experience genuine healing and transformation in community. It started with my own healing journey and work as a nurse – I noticed that we often individualize healing and transformation that places impossible burden on folks go through a process in isolation and then blame them for not being successful. As this idea grew a small circle of like-minded facilitators, healers, and community builders began to develop, each bringing their own lived experiences and expertise in restorative practices, trauma-informed care, and creative facilitation.

Our mission is simple but profound: to cultivate environments where trust can flourish, wounds can be acknowledged and tended to, and collective wisdom can guide the path forward. We specialize in supporting teams and organizations navigating the aftermath of harmful leadership, guiding them toward alignment, resilience, and values-driven collaboration. We help teams set strategic priorities and develop adaptable strategies to understand and accomplish their goals. Likewise we tend to the needs of individuals in holistic ways through spiritual care and connecting to mutual aid services.

At The Allgood Collective, we believe that healing happens in community. Through restorative processes, embodied practices, and storytelling, we create spaces where people can reconnect with themselves and each other, building a foundation for lasting change and renewed purpose.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The Allgood Collective exists in a world that often prioritizes quick fixes over the slow, intentional work of long-term healing and transformation. This presents a unique challenge for us as a collective deeply committed to creating spaces where true, sustainable change can take root. Our work is grounded in trust-building, relational accountability, and a commitment to collective care—practices that don’t fit neatly into the pace of a world that demands immediate results.

As a marginalized/minority-formed business operating without traditional capital, we navigate the realities of limited financial resources while striving to provide equitable access to our offerings. Unlike organizations with generational wealth or institutional backing, we rely on the strength of our community, our creativity, and an unshakeable belief in the power of what we do. This often means finding innovative ways to sustain our work while remaining true to our mission.

We also face the weight of geopolitics, which is not an abstract concept but a lived reality for the communities we serve. Political upheaval, systemic violence, and environmental crises leave imprints on the bodies and psyches of our clients and on us. This requires us to stay deeply responsive to these realities, ensuring our work is not only relevant but also restorative. Holding space for people to process grief, fear, and trauma in the face of these global and local pressures is both an honor and a challenge.

Yet, in the midst of these struggles, we remain steadfast. We know that meaningful transformation takes time, courage, and resilience. Despite the obstacles, we are committed to walking alongside those who dare to reimagine what healing and leadership can look like in a world that so often forgets the power of collective care.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We are a community-rooted organization dedicated to supporting teams, organizations, and individuals as they navigate complex transitions and healing journeys. We specialize in working with groups impacted by harmful leadership, systemic oppression, and the residual effects of trauma. Our work centers on creating spaces where trust, accountability, and connection can flourish.

We partner with organizations and communities that recognize the need for deep, transformative work. Our clients are often those who have experienced rupture—whether through organizational harm, societal injustice, or the personal toll of navigating marginalization. We also love to work with organizations who want to understand and develop practices to acknowledge their responsibility in helping shape a world where we all find belonging. We serve those who are ready to engage in processes that honor their lived experiences and align with their values.

Our approach integrates a powerful set of methodologies and frameworks:
– Circle Facilitation and The Art of Hosting create containers for authentic dialogue and shared decision-making.
– Emergent Strategy invites flexibility, adaptability, and a focus on relationships and patterns over rigid structures.
– Anti-Oppression and Living Systems Theory ensures our work actively dismantles systems of inequity, centering justice and liberation acknowledging the ways our organizations and bodies are living adaptable systems.
– Trauma-Informed Care prioritizes safety, choice, and empowerment, recognizing the profound impact of trauma on individuals and groups.

In a world that often seeks quick fixes, we are committed to the slow and steady work of long-term transformation. We don’t offer cookie-cutter solutions; instead, we co-create processes that are tailored to the unique needs of each group we work with.

As a marginalized/minority-formed, values-driven collective, we understand firsthand the challenges of operating without traditional capital. This lived experience fuels our deep empathy and unwavering commitment to creating equitable and healing spaces. We bring an embodied understanding of how geopolitics and systemic oppression impact the communities we serve, ensuring our work is not only restorative but responsive to the world’s shifting realities.

We take pride in being a collective where healing is not only possible but inevitable when communities commit to the process. Our work is grounded in the belief that transformation happens in relationship—relationship to self, to others, and to the systems we navigate. We honor the courage of those who show up, ready to engage in meaningful, often uncomfortable conversations.

Above all, we are proud to be part of a movement that envisions a world where collective care and justice are not exceptions but the norm. Whether through facilitating tough conversations, guiding teams through grief and transition, or helping organizations rebuild trust, we are here to walk alongside those who are ready to do the work.

Together, we can create something transformative.

What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
When I think about Charlotte and/or Raleigh – I love the size of the cities. We’ve grown beyond small city status but haven’t reach big city status. For me this means that we have an opportunity to implement solutions in our cities proactively instead of reactively as we anticipate growth. I also love that the people in these cities have a heart for community and service. What I don’t love is that the heart for community sometimes seems to happen in isolation or in silo’s that leave forgotten or cut off access to those who might need aid, care, and resources the most. In our rush to belong, community at times exclude the very people we claim we want to serve and be in relationship with. (Also we need more public transit in both cities)

Pricing:

• To practice equity we work with individuals on a sliding scale when needed
• We also engage a practice of collective care by reallocating funds to those who are in need; we center conversations in equity as it relates to our pricing structure and invite clients and organizations into that practice

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.teamallgood.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theallgoodcollective/