Essentials for Young Lives® Drive Helps Homeless Moms & Babies
HomeAid Atlanta’s 12th annual drive scores record collections
ATLANTA – Even in a challenging
economy, metro Atlanta area companies, community organizations and individuals
dramatically increased their support of HomeAid Atlanta’s 12th
annual Essentials for Young Lives®
Drive, held April 29 – May 6 in honor of Mother’s Day. This year, their combined efforts brought
in more than 76,000 diapers, baby wipes and other “essential” baby items, for a
total of more than 13,000 items from the 2012 count. Donations collected through the community-wide drive
included diapers, baby wipes, baby food, formula and baby hygiene products, all
in an effort to provide aid to one of the fastest growing segments of the
homeless population – women with children. HomeAid distributed everything collected through the drive to
local nonprofit organizations serving homeless families.
Businesses, community organizations and individuals throughout the metro Atlanta area joined hands with HomeAid to collect essential baby items amongst their employees, associates, friends and families. Among those that collected items for the 2012 Essentials for Young Lives Drive were the Atlanta Academy, Atlanta Magazine, Atlanta Remodelers Council, Atlanta Sales and Marketing Council, Bank of America, Boral Industries, CBRE, CharterBank, Coldwell Banker NRT Development Advisors, Daltile Corporation, Dunwoody Baptist Church, Dunwoody Baptist Preschool, Epworth United Methodist Church School, Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association, Guaranty Mortgage, Homeside Properties, Kiwanis of Northlake-Tucker, LoanSouth Mortgage, Mast Custom Cabinets, Monte Hewett Homes, Morris, Manning & Martin, O'Kelley & Sorohan, Oneida Builders, Physiotherapy Associates, Professional Women in Building Council, Quantum National Bank, Ryland Homes, Sharp Eye Contracting, State Bank & Trust Company, SunTrust, Sutter, McLellan & Gilbreath, Inc., Upper Cervical Chiropractic of Georgia, Weissman, Nowack, Curry & Wilco P.C., Well Beings - Pain Relief & Peak Performance Center, Wink Couture Lashes, and WOAMTEC Lawrenceville, GA Chapter.
On May 9, just a few days before Mother’s Day, Atlanta-based UPS teamed up with HomeAid Atlanta to assist with delivering the thousands of items collected to ten local nonprofit organizations that provide housing and supportive services to homeless families and young children. Many of these organizations operate facilities that have been built in partnership with HomeAid Atlanta, including:
- Action Ministries (Atlanta)
- Community Advanced Practice Nurses (Atlanta)
- Decatur Cooperative Ministry (Decatur)
- Genesis – A New Life (Atlanta)
- My House (Cherokee County)
- Nicholas House (Atlanta)
- Phoenix Pass (Conyers)
- Rainbow Village (Duluth)
- Tapestry Youth Ministries (College Park and Fairburn)
- The Drake House (Roswell)
According to the 2013 State of Homelessness In America report, Georgia was one of only 14 states with rates of homelessness in excess of the national rate (National Alliance to End Homelessness). Recent Point-in-Time Studies showed that over 75,000 individuals experience homelessness in Georgia, with more than 60% of homeless persons in households with children (GA Alliance to End Homelessness). Atlanta is the poorest city in the U.S. for children - more children in Atlanta live in poverty than in any other city (Metro Atlanta Task Force for the Homeless). Knowing those figures, it is clear why the donated baby items were a welcome sight for HomeAid’s partner service providers. These donations provide critical support to the recipient organizations and the families they serve. After last year’s drive, Carol Swan, program director for HomeStretch stated, “It was such a joy to deliver the wonderful baby supplies from the Essentials for Young Lives Drive to our client families. Such supplies are necessary, and expensive. Thank you.”
The Essentials for Young Lives Drive was first launched in Atlanta in 2002 and since then more than 439,000 essential baby items have been distributed to homeless mothers and their babies.
About HomeAid Atlanta:
Founded in 2001, HomeAid Atlanta is a nonprofit organization working in partnership with the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association, and is a local chapter of HomeAid America, a leading national provider of transitional housing for the temporarily homeless. The HomeAid mission is to build and maintain dignified housing where homeless families and individuals can rebuild their lives. HomeAid acts as the housing developer and liaison between homeless service providers, builders, trade partners and community donors and volunteers. To date, HomeAid Atlanta has completed 16 housing developments that serve the temporarily homeless, including victims of domestic violence, teen mothers, abused and abandoned children, and homeless families. Additionally, over 20 community service projects have been completed through our HomeAid Cares program, assisting ten local agencies with free repairs and upgrades valued at over $200,000 for their facilities that serve the homeless. For more information about HomeAid Atlanta, visit www.homeaidatlanta.org.
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