On Friday Rainbow Village hosted more than 200 community leaders for a special ceremony to break ground on a new $6 million dollar all-inclusive village that will offer new hope and promise to homeless families with children in North Metro Atlanta and beyond.

As part of the celebration the Duluth High School Band entertained, lunch was served, visionaries were recognized, the ground was blessed and turned, and City of Duluth Mayor Nancy Harris officially declared April 15, 2011 as "Rainbow Village Day" in Duluth. Mayor Harris shared, "April 15th is a significant date as it is officially marks Rainbow Village's 20th Anniversary. Since 1991, over 200 families with over 500 children have successfully completed the Rainbow Village program. It is most fitting that this be the day that they unveil the vision for this exciting new campus."

The construction of the new all-inclusive village involves three distinct phases. Read more about each phase »

All-in-all the construction cost of the new village totals $6 million. As our five-year capital campaign was unveiled, we proudly announced that they we've already successfully secured 52% of the fundraising goal thanks to more than 40 initial investors contributing just over $3.1 million. Phase I is now fully funded and we are well on our way to having Phase II covered before we begin that construction.

See our Investor Honor Roll »

Joe Young, Partner at Meadows & Ohly and Rainbow Village Board member, will be overseeing the construction of the new village. Young shared, "These are exciting times. May we all be reminded that what we do here at Rainbow Village is truly priceless. We offer simple but powerful gifts of shelter, stability and love. We teach accountability, initiative, and critical life skills that enable broken people to reclaim their lives, to craft a second chance, and achieve their full potential. Many homeless families are praying right now for the hope and promise we have to offer."

See great photos from our groundbreaking ceremony »

This new village has been a long time in the making. There have been many minds at work, many prayers prayed and answered, and many hearts moved to support the campaign to bring our vision to life.

Ms. Barbara Howard of Suzanna's Kitchen has graciously agreed to serve as our Campaign Chair and many inspiring leaders have agreed to be champions for the cause. We invite you to learn more about them now.

Read an inspiring message from Barbara Howard »

Meet our Leadership Team »

Having accomplished so much already, before going "public" with our campaign, clearly shows the tremendous support we have for our vision and mission and the faith the community has shown in the work that we do here at Rainbow Village. Today we'd like to draw to the forefront three gifts in particular that have enabled us to lay a solid foundation for our success ahead. They deserve a special note of thanks and gratitude.

The Scott Hudgens Family Foundation years ago generously gifted $1 million dollars to Rainbow Village to purchase the land we build on today. The vision of this new village would not be possible without that property. The Scott Hudgens Family Foundation has dreamed this vision with us from day one. Now, once again, they have stepped forward to help with this campaign with a second gift of $1 million dollars.

Clyde and Sandra Strickland have also been angels to Rainbow Village for years and challenged us to dream big in this campaign. They too have made a personal investment of $1 million dollars and continue to be among our biggest supporters in this community.    

The Robert W. Woodruff Foundation has embraced our mission and vision with great enthusiasm and has awarded Rainbow Village a gift of $250,000 that will serve as the cornerstone for Phase II.

We are tremendously grateful for these and all other gifts entrusted to us. Together we are Building Strong Communities... One Family at a Time. We invite you to join the ranks, get involved and play a key part in this campaign.

Learn more about the Building Strong Communities Campaign »

Rainbow Village has always been strong thanks to the amazing network of partners we have. Collaborating with other organizations that complement our work and allow us to strengthen our impact has always been a part of our DNA. As part of our new campaign, two exciting new partnerships have risen to the surface that we want you to know about.

Thanks to a partnership with the Atlanta Children's Shelter we will soon be adding a full-service day care facility to our campus. Our collaboration with Atlanta Children's Shelter will come on-line during Phase II of our campaign and will allow us to offer quality childcare for our families at no cost. Childcare costs are one of the greatest financial burdens on our families' budgets. This partnership will take a huge weight off their shoulders and allow them to channel those resources more directly to their rebuilding efforts.

Another exciting partnership that has formed as part of this campaign is with the Rotary Clubs of Gwinnett County. The seven Rotary Clubs in our community have agreed to champion the fundraising efforts for Phase II of our campaign, as well as coordinate an ongoing partnership that will include volunteering, mentoring, and service for years to come.

We'll be excited to keep you abreast of these and other partnerships as they unfold.

Learn more about Rainbow Village Partners »

Reverend Dave Fry, Chairman of the Rainbow Village Board, shares a powerful testimony that has personally touched him that helps us all better understand what Rainbow Village is all about.

Read the Story »