“What’s different about us is that we assist working homeless families who are facing setbacks and we work with them to get them back on their feet,” said Program Director Monifa Watson. Watson refers to HomeStretch, a nonprofit that provides homeless adults and children a safe, comfortable place to live while placing the families on a path to self-reliance and independence.
Families or individuals, who seek out HomeStretch for various reasons, enroll into mentoring, professional development, finance and various programs offered by HomeStretch. Additionally, the organization helps families to budget and also provides children financial skills so they become stable adults.
The nonprofit owns 24 units in the Roswell area that not only house the families, but depend on the volunteers to maintain them. “Without the help of volunteers, we would not be able to give these families a sense of security and stability that [HomeStretch] aims to provide,” said Steve Watson (no relation), facilities manager who oversees home maintenance and landscaping.
Accordingly, last Saturday, more than 20 volunteers came out to the facilities, which currently house 18 families, to landscape the grounds and do interior painting. “It is really exciting be a small part of someone’s big change,” said volunteer Charyle Gandee who helped paint one of the units at the facility. Additionally, volunteers can give back by donating supplies, furniture and basic essentials for families.
HomeStretch is nestled in Roswell, and since its founding in 1993, it has helped more than 200 families get back on their feet to start anew. The organization focuses on families in neighborhoods such as Milton, John’s Creek, Alpharetta and Sandy Springs, and “HomeStretch gives families support services in an area where you wouldn’t consider such a population,” added Watson.
To volunteer with HomeStretch, visit www.homestretch.org.
In Other News: The Coca-Cola Co. awarded a $10,000 grant to Washington Park through the second annual America Is Your Park Campaign. The grant goes toward a shade structure to cover outdoor exercise equipment donated by the Atlanta Fulton County Recreation Authority (AFCRA). Additionally, Georgia residents can log on to www.livepositively.com to vote for "America's Favorite Park", to which Coke will award the winning park $100,000.
CAPTION
Volunteers Abhijit Sengupta, Mike Faletti, Charyle Gandee, Tammi Serda and Cindy Williams painted housing units last Saturday at the HomeStretch facilities in Roswell. The 18-year-old organization provides working homeless families transitional housing and support services to help them get back to an independent lifestyle. Devika Rao, doing.goodajc@gmail.com
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