Gift, land to aid ‘homeless boot camp’

For years, Sondra Blue struggled to make ends meet.

In 1997, the mother of two young boys fled her abusive husband in North Carolina “for like the 99th time” and moved in with her sister in Atlanta.

When those arrangements failed, Blue and her sons moved out. She took a series of jobs but ultimately was evicted from her apartment and began living in extended-stay hotels.

“Every time I tried to take two steps forward, I’d take one step backward.”

In 2002, the then-41-year-old Blue moved into Rainbow Village, a transitional housing program for homeless families headquartered in Norcross.

“It was just in the nick of time,” Blue said. “I was sick and tired of being sick and tired, and I didn’t know what I was going to do next.”

During Rainbow Village’s 17 years of operation, many families like Blue’s have found not only shelter, but wings. While living in a home in Duluth or Norcross, parents attend twice-weekly classes on home management, budgeting, even parenting. Meanwhile, children participate in after-school and summer activities.

Vally Sharpe, Rainbow Village’s marketing director, said it’s a one- to two-year regimented program.

“Someone once called it … a homeless boot camp because in many ways that’s what it is,” Sharpe said. “Not everybody makes it through the program.”

But those who do — the nonprofit organization boasts a 90 percent graduation rate — are part of a network of more than 200 families who have transformed their lives to become self-sufficient, Sharpe said.

And that network is about to grow even more.

Thanks to a $500,000 gift from the Scott Hudgens Family Foundation and Duluth’s approval for rezoning a tract of land in the city, Rainbow Village is expanding with a campus of 30 apartments, classroom facilities and administrative offices. Construction is expected to begin in 2010.

Rainbow Village currently owns an eight-unit apartment complex in Duluth and rents several apartments in Norcross.

The Rev. Nancy Yancey, executive director of Rainbow Village, said she feels blessed to be involved with families who have turned their lives around.

“I often say the top line of my job description should be ‘witness of miracles’ because it is miraculous what happens with families that are able to complete the program and break these cycles of homelessness, poverty and domestic violence,” Yancey said.

Blue is living proof of that. She graduated from the program in 2002. For the past year, she has worked full time as Rainbow Village’s children and youth program director.

“This program has given me back my self-respect and given me hope,” Blue said. “Now I can be a light to help another mother become self-sufficient.”

Her oldest son, Dominque, 18, helps spread the word about Rainbow Village. At several golf tournaments, the Norcross High School senior has spoken about “what it’s like to be homeless from a young perspective,” having gone through the program himself when he was 12.

Dominque is considering joining the Navy after high school. “I give speeches to let people know the program does work,” he said.

HOMELESS FACTS

• On any given night, an estimated 842,000 people are homeless in the United States.*

• The average age of a homeless person is 9.

• Families are the fastest-growing segment of the homeless population, representing about 40 percent of all homeless people.*

• It is estimated that 60 percent of the homeless family population in Gwinnett County are children.

*as of 2006

Source: Family Promise of Gwinnett County

A LOOK BACK/FORWARD

1991: Rainbow Village begins as outreach ministry of Christ Episcopal Church. It leases a house in Norcross from Georgia Power for $1 a year.

1993: The Rev. Nancy Yancey becomes executive director.

1995: Rainbow Village becomes a nonprofit.

1998: With a $500,000 gift from Scott and Jacqueline Hudgens, Rainbow Village buys an eight-unit apartment complex in Duluth.

2000: Developer and humanitarian Scott Hudgens dies.

2008: Rainbow Village plans expansion in Duluth, thanks to an additional $500,000 gift from the Scott Hudgens Family Foundation and Duluth’s approval for rezoning a piece of land in the city.

2010: Construction expected to begin on campus of 30 apartments, classroom facilities and administrative offices.