Last weekend, about two dozen members of Beards BeCAUSE Atlanta spent the afternoon at our safehouse.  Beards BeCAUSE is a grassroots nonprofit providing a vehicle for men (and some women) to raise funds for domestic violence advocacy groups like WRC and to speak to their peers about the issue.  They grow beards to use as a conversational jumping-off point and ask friends and family to sponsor their growth.  Women can also sign up to be Bearded Ladies, and men who can't grow beards can be FunRAZORS.

Atlanta's crew also wanted to include a volunteerism aspect to their work and were not shy about manual labor.  They spent the day installing shelves, pressure washing, painting and staining, repairing floors, cleaning the gutters, and landscaping.  After all of that, to our delight, they were ready for more!  They provide a great example of how young professionals can get involved in our work.  Consider supporting their fundraising for WRC by choosing an Atlanta participant here.

Like most of us, the families we serve can use some extra support for the upcoming holidays, and WRC works hard to make sure that your donations have the greatest impact possible.

For Thanksgiving, WRC is collecting nonperishable food items to package into boxes for families celebrating the holidays for the first time in their safe new homes.  Suggested donations include corn, green beans, collard greens, potatoes, yams, rice, fruit, stuffing, boxed desserts that require few additional ingredients, and anything else your family enjoys for Thanksgiving dinner.  Call (404) 370-7670 for the drop-off location.

For Christmas and Hanukkah, in lieu of toys, WRC concentrates on providing families with the items they need to make their new houses into homes.  Families provide us with wish lists that typically include dishes, silverware, pots and pans, bedding, towel sets, cleaning supplies, MARTA cards, and other items.  If your family, faith group, or workplace would like to "adopt" a mother and her children, please call Amber at (404) 370-7670.