Information: solomonstempleinc.org or email Harold Leffall at hleffall@solomonstempleinc.org
There are over 10,000 homeless individuals in Atlanta and 40 percent are women with children. Moreso, there is a huge shortage of shelters to serve them.
Last year, to address this need, Solomon’s Temple Inc opened in Atlanta. A 144-bed residential facility for homeless women and their children, the nonprofit is located on one acre of park space which includes a playground, a basketball court, a gazebo and walking trails to offer families in transition a peaceful setting to move toward stability.
“Our goal is not to be just a shelter, but a place where we can awaken hope and empower our families to break the cycle of homelessness,” said Senior Vice President Harold Leffall.
It not only serves as a residential facility, but also aims to empower women to become independent through financial literacy, empowerment classes and more. The nonprofit also focuses on their children through tutoring, mentoring and other children’s programming.
“We want to be able to lift these women out of their personal situation by providing them the skills and knowledge that will help them succeed,” added Leffall. “And, we want to also reach out to our children and empower them to break the generational cycle as well.”
As a part of its mission, Solomon’s Temple plans to open THRIVE Boutique, a resale store that will help support the facility and its programs for women and children. To make it a success, the nonprofit is holding a donation and collection drive to fill the boutique.
“We encourage our community members to donate gently-used clothing, shoes and accessories for the boutique,” said Leffall.
People can also host THRIVE Boutique parties where the nonprofit will send literature and a representative to share the story of Solomon’s Temple and its work here in Atlanta.
“Our community is very important in our work to make our families successful,” added Leffall. He also encouraged the community to volunteer with the nonprofit by teaching computer classes, financial literacy classes, serving meals and more.
Sarah Myles and her three children have resided at Solomon’s Temple for the past four months. “Through their classes, I have learned many skills that will get me back on my feet. But most importantly, it has provided a safe haven for my children and myself,” she said.
In other news: AdvoCare donated $10,000 to Atlanta Community Food Bank in support of programs that nourish Atlanta-area food insecure children. The donation will help its kids-focused programs: Kids in Need and School Mobile Pantry programs. The donation is part of a larger campaign where AdvoCare is making a $10,000 donation to 10 food banks for a total contribution of $100,000 (or 355,000 meals) across the country.
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