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Stories of Community Support More Stories of Community Support Nurturing Children’s Christian Academy A private educational institution with just 68 students, Nurturing Children’s Christian Academy (NCCA) does not accept government funding, but relies solely on donations and the modest tuition received from its students and their families. To keep the students on top of their game both academically and physically, additional funding was required. Computers were needed to run educational programs and allow the students limited access to the Internet. In order to keep mind and body in balance, new equipment for the playground was needed as well. Marcia “Mama” Jack, the owner and director of NCCA, approached Bread for the Journey of Atlanta for assistance. We were pleased to offer a $1,000 grant to help meet these important goals. Dwell Together Dwell Together provides meals to the hungry and homeless men, women and children who live in downtown Atlanta, primarily in the Woodruff Park area. In order to raise much-needed funds, they lead an annual Thanksgiving food drive, a Christmas gift drive, and a "Blankets and Bread" drive every February. These drives also benefit the homeless women and children of the Partnership Against Domestic Violence's Battered Women's Shelter, who they partnered with in 2006. This year, Bread for the Journey of Atlanta offered Dwell Together additional support with a grant of $1,500. For more information about their good work, visit http://www.dwelltogether.com. You’re On My Heart Book Club Sherelyn Duhart is the program director of You're On My Heart , an educational institute that encourages young people to lead successful lives by taking their education seriously. Since 1995, Sherelyn has produced a program that airs on several TV and cable stations in Atlanta. Topics include teen issues, singleness, marital issues, adulthood, knowing one’s purpose, plus much more. Sherelyn also provides educational tools to help students successfully navigate the passages of early childhood education, college preparation, and GED preparedness. One of her programs is the You’re On My Heart Book Club, for children 13 years of age and under. By joining the club, children get to participate in unique quarterly discussions about the books they’ve read, and some have opportunities to appear on Sherelyn’s TV show. Sherelyn also wanted to provide each club member with a book bag. Bread for the Journey of Atlanta was pleased to offer a $500 grant toward this end. Helping Neglected ChildrenChestnut Manor is a group home for boys located in Lithia Springs, GA. Founded in1999 by Jerry and Shirley Brady, it serves boys who have been removed from their family homes due to neglect, abuse or abandonment. The children are usually angry, have poor impulse control and are experiencing family and academic problems. Jerry and Shirley help children develop character and coping skills so they can handle their problems in a more productive manner. Bread for the Journey of Atlanta is happy to provide a grant of $1100 to fund an educational field trip for the children of Chestnut Manor Christmas for Kids
Reading World Academy in Decatur, GA is a day care center that serves many families who are struggling to make ends meet. Often the children at Reading World do not receive any gifts for the holidays because their parents cannot afford them. Bread for the Journey of Atlanta is honored to provide a grant of $1100 so that every child at Reading World will receive a gift for Christmas. Loving Kids Inc. The mission of Loving Kids Inc is “to provide a positive and nurturing outlet for children who are considered at-risk in low-income, underprivileged families through various activities and resources.” The group provides special-needs children and families with services ranging from gifts during the holidays to field trips to sporting events. They recently launched “Loving Kids Transportation” which provides free transportation to important appointments. Bread for the Journey of Atlanta was happy to provide a grant of $1000 to help with the launch of this new program. The Little Church with the Big Heart
Georgia Oliver United Methodist Church provides food for 40 low-income families in Lilburn, GA. This program is designed to help transform lives and restore hope to the tired and the hopeless. Bread for the Journey of Atlanta is happy to provide a grant of $1500 for the purchase of a used ice machine for food co-op meetings. Helping Neglected ChildrenChestnut Manor is a group home for boys located in Lithia Springs, GA. Founded in1999 by Jerry and Shirley Brady, it serves boys who have been removed from their family homes due to neglect, abuse or abandonment. The children are usually angry, have poor impulse control and are experiencing family and academic problems. Jerry and Shirley help children develop character and coping skills so they can handle their problems in a more productive manner. Bread for the Journey of Atlanta is happy to provide a grant of $1100 to fund an educational field trip for the children of Chestnut Manor A Minister and His Calling
Chad Hale is a minister who, for the last 25 years, has lived and worked in one of Atlanta’s most punishing neighborhoods. Georgia Avenue Community Ministries (GACM) provides four food co-ops to struggling families in this neighborhood, two miles south of downtown Atlanta. Distributing food to people who are hungry is a starting point, but hardly describes Chad and his work at all. This organization is part therapy, part church service and fully about creating a sense of community in a tough neighborhood. Bread for the Journey of Atlanta is honored to provide a grant of $1000 to support a fundraising event for GACM. A Living Wage
Chad Hale, director of the Georgia Avenue Community Ministry (GACM), is dedicated to creating a safe place for local people to share in the nourishment of food, community and love. GACM includes four food cooperatives that together collect and distribute groceries for two-hundred low-income families. Three co-op members also serve in part-time paid leadership positions, handling the administrative responsibilities and creating a sense of community among members. As a result of the support and empowerment that the co-ops provide, individuals have obtained jobs, alcoholics have become sober, and people have become better parents to their children. Bread for the Journey of Atlanta provided a grant of $1,000 to support Chad in his efforts to uplift the people who live in the Summerhill, Grant Park and Peoplestown neighborhoods Open Studio and Art Show
Ellie Harold’s background as a spiritual seeker, teacher and healer inform her visual art in a unique way. Her art is both putting paint to surface and exploring what lies beneath the surface. Bread for the Journey of Atlanta was grateful to receive a $300 gift from Ellie that was derived from a portion of her recent Open Studio and Art Show. For more information about her paintings please visit www.FreshStartArt.com. An End to Poverty As director of the Resident Services Department of the College Park Housing Authority, Bruce Morgan is dedicated to building a thriving community by combatting drug use and distribution, encouraging self-sufficiency, and promoting self-pride. Brad is especially interested in promoting education as a means of ending the cycle of poverty for children in College Park. Bread for the Journey of Atlanta was happy to provide a grant of $500 in support of his efforts to improve his community. Aid to Children of Imprisoned Mothers
Sandra Barnhill of Atlanta, Georgia, created “Aid to Children of Imprisoned Mothers” (AIM) to provide programs and services that lessen the impact on children of mothers who’ve been incarcerated. At this time, an estimated 8,000 children in Georgia have mothers who are in prison. These children spend an average of 6 years away from their mothers. Bread for the Journey of Atlanta provided AIM with a grant of $1,000 that enabled 25 children to visit their mothers in prison during the holidays. Hot Tamale Ivonne Hernandez knows how difficult it can be to raise a special-needs child, since one of her own children is afflicted with autism. Three years ago, Ivonne created a support group for other Hispanic families with special-needs children. She recently told us about one of the women in her group, Veronica Jimenz, who has few financial resources and no private means of transportation. However, Veronica does know how to make the most mouth-watering tamales we have ever tasted. So delicious, in fact, that an Atlanta restaurant would like to pay her to add them to their menu. This would enable Veronica to share her talent and gifts while earning an income for her family, but she still has no way to deliver her product. With Ivonne's help, Bread for the Journey of Atlanta will provide $1,000 to help get Veronica's Tamales to market, support her cottage industry, and hopefully serve as an incentive for other local Hispanic families to start up their own businesses. Arts for Children Everywhere As an artist and teacher, Katherine Hunter has seen how creativity and art expands the imagination and enhances learning skills in children. All too often, she has found that many underprivileged children with a strong interest in the arts do not have access to the same programs that are available in wealthier communities. In response, Katherine created Arts for Children Everywhere (ACE), a non-profit organization. In Decatur, Georgia, ACE has developed its first outreach effort: An art mentoring program where talented children will be matched up with a local artist for a six-month internship designed to nurture, motivate and support them. Bread for the Journey of Atlanta is honored to provide a grant of $1,000 for art supplies and enrichment activities that will help get this inspirational project started. Contact us at: Kevin Lotti Copyright
© 1999 - 2008 by Wayne Muller. All rights reserved.
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