From Our Home to Yours

The Newsletter of Rainbow Village
April, 2014

 
A Message from Nancy Yancey, CEO

Nancy Yancey 

"We serve life not because it is broken but because it is holy."

These words are from an article written in 1999 by Rachel Naomi Remen, M.D. Our intern, Monica, shared this with us because she learned from her experience with us that Rainbow Village embraces servanthood.  As we offer prayers of thanksgiving for the more than 1000 "servant" volunteers that now come to Rainbow Village annually, I reflect on the generosity of many that have been serving Rainbow Village since its inception in 1991 or for many years. The faith community of Christ Episcopal Church laid a firm foundation for serving, and I have been blessed to share with them in ministry at Rainbow Village. My heart is full of love and gratitude for all those who come, not to "help or fix" but to serve. Each of us is blessed to be a part of the holiness of the Rainbow Village community that so many have come "home" to.  Read more
 
Faithfully, 
Nancy Yancey
CEO
 

 

 

Rainbow Village Family News

Rainbow Village Family News:

 

 

This month, Rainbow Village welcomed another family home, a single mom and her 10-year-old daughter. After falling on hard times and being evicted, they moved into an extended stay hotel. When they could no longer afford that, they spent several nights in their car. Mom is a parapro but has a degree in English, and she looks forward to pursuing her goal to become a teacher. Her daughter is excited to graduate from elementary school and attend middle school in the fall. She is also looking forward to attending summer camp for the first time with her new Rainbow Village friends!

 

"Take pride in how far you have come. Have faith in how far you can go." -Michael Josephson

 

Rainbow Village residents are constantly working hard and their reaching goals:

 

  • Three residents secured part-time jobs in addition to the ones they already have, raising their total monthly income.
  • One resident now has a payment plan to pay down a loan that was in collections.
  • Many residents used a portion of their tax refunds to clear up barriers to future housing by paying off utility bills and other debts while continuing to put money into savings.
Graduate Testimonial

Graduating from the Rainbow Village program is truly an accomplishment worthy of praise. Add this feeling of triumph to the overwhelming sense of fulfillment that many feel when volunteering. Combined, these emotions and values are difficult to express in words; the act of returning to Rainbow Village as a volunteer speaks for itself.

 

 

Dee Nash and her two children Desmond and Destiny continue to work with Rainbow Village after their graduation from the program."I know how much the program did for me. I want to help other women," Dee says. From the perspective of a once homeless family, of being a single mother and of experiencing Rainbow Village as a resident, Dee offers her insight on what volunteering as a graduate means to her. "When you're in the program, you don't realize the effort the staff put in, the donations, the time. Seeing it from the outside is different." Years after being in the program, Destiny and Desmond attend the After-School program and help clean up after family meals. They also continue to attend summer camp and Big Recess. As a graduate and testimony to the program, Dee volunteers her time and serves the current residents at Rainbow Village by public speaking and mentoring. She says it is a way for her to help and reach out to those, especially women, who were in similar situations. She has spoken and told her story at Rainbow Village events. 

 

Rainbow Village is appreciative of all of our volunteers, and having an 85% success rate is a strong testament of the impact of the program and power of the community. 

Upcoming Events
 19th Annual Rainbow Village Golf Classic 

 
Last Chance!
Don't forget: April 28th is the last day to register for our Annual Golf Classic. We would hate for you to miss out on a fantastic dinner provided by Outback, awards and a raffle!
 

We are also excited to announce that the golf teaching pro Jon Tattersall will be joining us. Jon will be available for questions and advice before the shotgun start at noon and will also be available on the course during the classic. Don't miss out on a wonderful opportunity for some one-on-one instruction with such a well-versed professional.

 

About Jon Tattersall

  • Titleist Performance Institute Advisory Board Member
  • Georgia PGA Teacher of the year 2014
  • Georgia PGA Chapter Teacher of the Year 2012
  • GOLF Magazine Top 100 Teacher 2007 -2014
  • Golf Digest's Teacher by State list 2004 -2014


For more information about this event, contact Sandra Cathy at 770-497-1888 Ext. 13

"Hats off to Women" Ladies Luncheon
 

 

Life's little setbacks have the ability to bring us down. Stress from work, from family issues, and even from medical emergencies can leave us feeling disheartened and drained, and this state of discouragement can also affect our family and friends. Martha Lanier is all too familiar with these setbacks. Martha has turned her breast cancer diagnosis, bilateral mastectomy with reconstructive surgery, and heart attack survival into a story of encouragement and a testimony that the joy stemmed from humor and laughter can in fact be catching. Martha now teaches women how to balance life's stress and thrive on happy, healing emotions through her keynote speeches and published works. She is author of Pink Lemonade and Mastectomy Tips and Insights from a Breast Cancer Survivor and the advocate of the "Martha Mindset." Her works and outlook help women overcome obstacles and, what is more, learn from these encounters to become happier and healthier people.

Martha will be the guest speaker for the "Hats off to Women" Ladies Luncheon, an event April 30, 2014 that will be benefiting Rainbow Village. For more information about Martha and her mindset, check out her website here.
Capital Campaign Progress
Add a description
April showers haven't put a damper on our progress!Artist's rendering of the completed Community Center

 

  • There has been significant activity this month in specifying infrastructure elements for the Community Center. 
  • Construction completion date is now estimated to be the end of July!
Construction of the new Community Center is providing work for over 350 local individuals!That averages out to over $8,500 per person.
Your contributions help the homeless AND the local economy. Thank you! 

Building on the Foundation is the theme of the Strategic Plan recently completed by Rainbow Village. It is more than a theme, though. The foundation of our newest apartment building being provided by HomeAid of Atlanta has now been laid. Homes for six new families will be here soon!  


April is National Volunteer Month!

 

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, "About 62.6 million people volunteered through or for an organization at least once between September 2012 and September 2013."

 

With a volunteer base of over 1,000 individuals, Rainbow Village is ecstatic to celebrate a month in honor of the wonderful people who give back to our community and serve others. We are so thankful for all that you do!

 

The volunteer opportunities at Rainbow Village are endless. There is something for everyone, whether you would prefer to help with administrative tasks, work and play with the children of Rainbow Village in after-school and evening programs or assist with the upkeep of our community. If you are interested in becoming more involved here in our community, we would love for you to check out Ways to Volunteer here! We look forward to hearing from you and learning about all you have to offer. 

Volunteer Spotlights: Jessica Landis and Mike Wessel

  

Administrative Volunteer:

Jessica Landis began volunteering for Rainbow Village in October of 2013. She assisted CDO Sandra Cathy. From assisting with grant writing to answering the phones, Jessie gave her valuable time and vast talents to our mission and work. But Jessie's relationship with Rainbow Village did not begin last fall; in fact, Jessie has some pretty strong ties to our organization. "My mom has been helping here close to 10 years," she says. "Rainbow Village started from the church I grew up in [Christ Church Episcopal]." Since Rainbow Village's humble beginning, Jessie's family has been volunteering and donating time, talent and treasure. Her aunt, Jodi Arminio, is also involved as an office assistant and a member of the Development Committee. Office work and day-to-day tasks that may seem mundane are vital to the success of our organization, and we are so grateful for the help we receive from the volunteers, like Jessie, who give their time to perform sometimes tedious tasks. When contacts and acquaintances made can lead to a bright future for young volunteers, we can't contain our excitement for the prospects of such kind-hearted people. We wish Jessie congratulations as she starts a new job and begins another chapter of her life. Jessie will be working for Franz�n and Salzano, a law firm well connected to Rainbow Village. We wish Jessie the best as she begins a new chapter of her life!

 

Big Recess Volunteer:

Mike Wessel has volunteered for Rainbow Village for over 10 years. Mike works with the Big Recess program and helps organize meals for 50+ residents, graduates and other volunteers. He also helps clean and put together left-overs from the dinner to send home with our residents. Having a helping hand makes all the difference in the world, and when our volunteers continue to give their time week after week, the notion of an unwavering and supportive home truly touches the lives of our residents.

When asked what he enjoys most about his volunteered time to Rainbow Village Mike says it is the " hard work that leaves you with a smile inside and out." Mike also recollects that one of the most rewarding feelings of working with the children, who have no doubt seen and experienced more than enough hardship and struggle than any child should have encountered in his or her lifetime, is sparked from the simplest of moments. The moment "when a five-year old wraps his arms around your knee and says 'Can I have another cookie, Mr. Mike?'" It truly is the little things in life. Having the opportunity to provide stability (and some laughs of course) to children who, through no fault of their own, have faced tough and uncertain times. Mike entreats, "Do you want to make a difference in the life of a child? Want first hand experience? Call the Rainbow Village folks." We will certainly be more than happy to find a place for you among our family.

 

Intern Corner
We are so proud of our interns, past and present, and it thrills us to know that the young people who help us with our work and who believe in our mission will go on to do wonderful things and richly impact others.
 
Melissa receiving the McCrary Student Award for Outstanding Service.
Melissa Moore, an intern from the summer of 2013 and daughter of Rainbow Village Executive Assistant Holly Moore, was recently presented with an Outstanding Women Award from Clemson University. Melissa received the McCrary Student Award for Outstanding Service. In addition to Melissa's internship and volunteer work with Rainbow Village, she gives back to her community, local and global, in many other admirable ways.  Melissa founded a research group and project called "Poverty Ends with a Girl." The project was created to increase the awareness of the importance of education and opportunity for women abroad. We know Melissa has a bright future ahead, and we are so proud to have been blessed by her skills and compassion during her internship with us. Congratulations, Melissa! 

  

Our current intern, Monica Peiffer, will be leaving Rainbow Village to attend The University of South Florida to complete her Masters in Social Work. While we are sad to see her go, we are so thankful for her time and hard work here. Monica began her internship in January of this year. Among her many tasks were case management work, grant writing, manual and presentation assembly, work for the summer lunch program and the list goes on and on. With no shortage of things to do here at Rainbow Village, it is no surprise that Monica's time and efforts with us have been well spent. "I really liked the well-rounded experience I got," she says. But the learning experience alone is not what Monica says she will remember. Some of her favorite moments with Rainbow Village involve the residents. 
"Seeing the positive change,"she notes, "it is seeing a resident from the beginning to the end-even though there are some bumps in the road-I love seeing positive change in people."   
Like our many caring volunteers, interns invest their time and their skills in our organization. Rainbow Village is grateful for all of our dedicated volunteers who make our mission of breaking the cycles of homelessness, poverty and domestic violence possible.
 
How Can You Help?

"Kids Helping Kids" Angel Program

 

Rainbow Village is excited to announce an exciting new connection to our Angel Program. "Kids Helping Kids" will offer children the unique opportunity to learn about philanthropy and the value of helping others in their community.
Mike Morgan, Vice President of Wilmington Trust, proposed this inspiring program. He and his three children-Nicholas, Adalyn and Ryan-have generously volunteered to launch the program!

 

 

Rainbow Village "Angels" provide the essential ongoing financial support to keep our doors open and welcome the families who will call Rainbow Village home. These monthly gifts keep our village financially sound so we can continue to focus on our mission. To learn more about Angels, check out Ways to Give here

 

Mike's Inspiration

 

The "Kids Helping Kids" Angels program was an idea inspired by a program one of my colleagues, Tom Rogerson, created to help Wilmington Trust clients teach their children about managing wealth and the importance of philanthropy.Tom, a nationally known expert on Family Governance, uses this program to help our clients instill the values that have been so important to the success of their families while preparing the children to take over the financial responsibilities from the senior family members one day. I coupled that concept with the idea that kids really connect with philanthropy when they are helping their peers, and they can see how their sacrifices are benefiting kids just like them.There are no better lessons we can teach our children than the lessons of charity and compassion. These lessons will instill a philanthropic foundation that will follow them throughout life as they impact the communities where they live in the future. -Mike Morgan

   

A minimum gift of $10 (or whatever amount you and your child or grandchild want to set as a minimum) per month makes a great impact. If you have the means to give more, it is definitely appreciated! To learn about how you and the children in your life can become a part of "Kids Helping Kid," read more about the program here.

Volunteer Corner
A big thank you to Taylor Bonifay and her Daisy Troop 3031 for their thoughtful donations, love and support!

 

 

 

Pleasant Hill Presbyterian Church made and served a delicious meal to our residents in celebration of a graduating family and our April birthday teen, Michael!    

 

Thank you to our evening meal sponsors who provide so much more than food!

 

  • Perimeter Church
  • Epiphany Lutheran Church
  • Simpsonwood United Methodist Church
  • Pleasant Hill Presbyterian Church
  • McKendree United Methodist Church
  • Johns Creek United Methodist Church
  • Cornerstone Church
  • National Charity League
  • Brand Bank

COMING EVENTS

"Hats off to Women" Ladies Luncheon
April 30, 2014
11:00 AM - 2:00 P.M.
St. Ives Country Club

2014 Golf Classic
May 5, 2014
  
October 11, 2014
Rainbow Village 2012 Annual Report

Click here to read more about Rainbow Village's 2012 successes
(links to PDF)

Capital Campaign

"Building Strong Communities... One Family at a Time." Learn how you can make a difference.


It truly does take a village to change the lives of homeless families with children now and for generations to come. Contact Sandra Cathy, Chief Development Officer, to learn more.

Be a Rainbow Village Angel

Angel Logo

to support our ongoing operations and be a guardian angel to our families.

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Rainbow Village, Inc.
3427 Duluth Hwy 120
Duluth, GA 30096
(770) 497-1888
rainbowvillage.org 

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Rainbow Village, Inc. � 3427 Duluth Highway 120 � Duluth, Georgia 30096 � (770) 497-1888 � rainbowvillage.org