To learn more about the Rolling Suitcases Project and Emory University’s Urban Health Intiative, go to www.urbanhealthinitiative.emory.edu
To volunteer with the Atlanta Day Shelter for Women and Children, go to www.atlantamission.org
Emory University’s Urban Health Initiative is working to improve the health of and decrease disparities among diverse and underserved populations in Atlanta. Under its many projects that combat community health, UHI launched the Rolling Suitcases Project to support the Atlanta Day Shelter for Women and Children, part of Atlanta Mission.
Since May 2014, the team has been actively collecting new and lightly used rolling suitcases for donation to the women and families of the shelter. Clients often carry their possessions in trash bags and paper bags between day and night shelters as they transition on an 8- to 16-hour move cycle.
“The initiative started when I visited the shelter and noticed that women had their possessions in trash bags, cloth bags and also had to be mindful of their children,” said Carolyn Aidman, associate director of the Urban Health Initiative. Aidman donated some rolling suitcases she had at home and came back to find women alleviated from the stress of managing their items.
“It definitely confirmed that there was a need for this, and so the Rolling Suitcases project began to collect suitcases from the local community,” Aidman added.
The team is working to reach its goal of collecting 150 suitcases, one per family, and is an ongoing effort even after the goal is reached. The effort donated about 120 suitcases to the shelter on March 20.
Rachel Solid, communications associate of the Atlanta Mission, emphasized the importance of this donation and initiative. “All of these women and children that we serve have very few things to their names, and a lot of them are carrying all of their earthly possessions around in a plastic bag. Having a suitcase to store their things in while they are transitioning out of homelessness is sometimes the first thing that we can give them to offer some hope.”
The day shelter is the entry point into Atlanta Mission’s Women’s and Children’s Services. The shelter serves 140 women and children through job readiness programs, providing education stipends, medical care, computer training, early education and teen programs, critical needs services and mental health counseling.
The community can still donate suitcases to the Rolling Suitcases Project, or take part in other UHI projects throughout the city. The Urban Health Initiative serves five priority areas in Atlanta: NPU-V/Pittsburgh Mechanicsville, East Lake, Edgewood, Northwest Atlanta, and Clarkston.
In other news: Georgia United Credit Union hosted its CAN HUNGER food drive Feb. 1 through March 31 to collect non-perishable food that will benefit charitable organizations throughout Georgia and help alleviate hunger for local families. The credit union collected 55,580 cans - which equates to 28 tons. The food will be distributed to local food pantries, homeless shelters and soup kitchens in Clarke, DeKalb, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, Laurens, Rockdale and Whitfield counties.
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