From Our Home to Yours

The Newsletter of Rainbow Village
May, 2014

 
Words from a Soon-to-Be Graduate

 

 

"I need to start with what brought me to Rainbow Village in order to get to what they have helped me with. What got me to Rainbow Village? I was a single mom back in 2011..." Sheryl* recounts her time here with Rainbow Village and expresses how truly blessed her family is to be where they are now. After suffering through an illness in the winter of 2011, Sheryl relied on disability from work, her savings, and prayers. Her family experienced another setback when she found out that summer that she would be laid off from her job the following year. While searching for another job, Sheryl continued to delve deeper into her savings and battled with sickness until she realized it was time to act.

Sheryl found Rainbow Village and was accepted into the program. She and her family moved in and "the blessings just kept on coming from there. I was able to rebuild my savings back to, actually, more than I had before. I was able to establish better health... Being here, it gave me time to save." Sheryl says she took a lot away from the Rainbow Village program, especially practical financial help. "I was able to accomplish what would have taken me 15 years on my own in less than two years with the help of Rainbow Village." The realistic goals that she was able to set for herself and her family were more easily accomplished while she lived at Rainbow Village. "I completed about 35 to 40 goals while I was here...some of them were smaller than others, but they were all helpful in where I was trying to go."

Sheryl says her kids truly benefited from their time in the community. She states," Rainbow Village is still helping me. I'm leaving but they are still helping me." When she first came to Rainbow Village, two of her children struggled with socializing with their peers. "But they came out of their shells here," she says, "this is a small community, and it gave them a chance to learn and to blossom. And I think I did some blossoming myself!" Sheryl looks to the future and is excited for what is in store. She is one of the first residents to benefit from our partnership with H.O.P.E, Inc., a nonprofit organization that provides assistance for single parents to further their education without the fear of financial strife. Sheryl will be provided with financial help that will go toward her rent, childcare and utilities. We are so proud of Sheryl for working toward new goals, and we are thrilled she will be able to benefit from this wonderful opportunity and partnership with H.O.P.E, Inc. As she looks to the future, she promises, "We're going to continue to grow with Rainbow Village." 

 

*Name has been changed 
Rainbow Village Family News

 

 Happy Mother's Day

   

 

"My mother...she is beautiful, softened at the edges, and tempered with a spine of steel. I want to grow old and be like her." -Jodi Picoult

 

 

Rainbow Village celebrated the strength, perseverance and kindness of the mothers in our community this month. The Episcopal Church Women (ECW) of St. Columba's Epicopal Church prepared a delicious meal and beautiful program for all the women who work hard to provide for their families and who set examples for their children. The mothers of Rainbow Village, residents and graduates, were treated to live music performed by St. Columba's youth choir, personalized gift bags, cook books from our Faith Partners, and family pictures. St. Columba's youth group also prepared a meal and fun activities for the children and youth of Rainbow Village, so the moms could have a little time to spend with friends. We are so happy to set aside a night of celebration to thank and honor these women who have been through so much and who continue to fill the role of mother and father in their households.

 

Graduation Day!

 

Congratulations to all Rainbow Village graduates! We are proud of all of the students' hard work and academic achievements throughout the past year.  

Our graduates of the Rainbow Village program stay connected and involved in our community, and we are so proud to hear of the success and accomplishments of the students who once lived at Rainbow Village.

Bryce James, a Rainbow Village graduate, has been awarded a $1,000 scholarship to any college he would like to attend from The Scott Hudgens Family Foundation. As some of our readers may know, The Scott Hudgens Family Foundation is an important part of Rainbow Village's history. Due to the generosity of developer Scott Hudgens, we expanded in 1998 from Norcross to Duluth. In 2007, The Scott Hudgens Family Foundation made a second donation with expansion as the goal. As strong as our organizational connection to The Scott Hudgens Family Foundation is, the scholarship that Bryce earned was not due to his ties to the Rainbow Village community, but because of his excellent character and academic standing, Bryce's high school applied for the grant on behalf of him. We are thrilled that the Hudgens Foundation selected an individual who we know has a bright and rewarding future before him. Congratulations, Bryce!

Recent Events
 19th Annual Rainbow Village Golf Classic 
  

We are so thankful for those who could join us for the Rainbow Village 19th Annual Golf Classic. The Golf Classic resulted in proceeds of $50,000 to support Rainbow Village families in breaking the cycles of homelessness, poverty and domestic violence. These funds allow us to continue to provide a safe community of homes, case management, financial and mental health counseling, education and hope for families. Lives are being transformed every day.

We would also like to congratulate our winners and thank those who made this year's event successful:

 

Winners

  • Faith-Based Challenge Cup Winner: Rising Church- Jim Norton, Joe LaMotte, Scott Braynard, Josh Nelson
  • Closest to the Pin Ladies Winner: Lauren Grien
  • Closest to the Pin Men Winner: Bill Smith
  • Longest Drive Ladies Winner: Juli Jackson
  • Longest Drive Men Winner: Jeff Tindle
  • Low Net Team Winners: Tim Griffin, Jeff Tindle, Herb Humphrey, and Tim Brack
  • Low Gross Team Winners: Mike Morgan, Kevin Bannon, Ben Harris, and Greg Day
  • Putting Contest Winner: Juli Jackson

Thanks to Our Sponsors and Committee Members!

Thank you to our sponsors for making our 19th Annual Rainbow Village Golf Classic a huge success:

  • Presenting Sponsor: Wilmington Trust
  • Lunch Sponsor: Bishop Keith & Suzie Whitmore
  • Dinner Sponsor: Outback Steakhouse/Johns Creek and Howard & Sally Jetmundsen
  • Gold Sponsors: Billi Marcus, Gwinnett Medical Center, Motorcars of Georgia, Coles Barton LLP, Lancope, Marsha Lorentzen
  • Hole Sponsors: Kids R' Kids, The Reverend Joel P. Hudson, The Kress Family, Wilmington Trust, Terry Franz�n and Loretta Salzano P.C.,  JTH Solutions
  • Additional Sponsors: Preferred Networks Corporation and Duluth Civitan Club
  • Putting Contest Sponsor: Art Karalexis

Thanks to a fabulous golf committee: John Koontz, Jane Koontz, and Tim Brack. We also appreciate the help of Molly Kress and all of our other generous volunteers. Thank you for the support of Jim and Billie Ellis.

 

View the 19th Annual Golf Classic pictures on our website under Recent Happenings

 
 
"Hats off to Women" Ladies Luncheon
View Photos from the Luncheon 
We had a wonderful time at our first ever "Hats Off to Women" Luncheon, and we have so many lovely ladies to thank for such an enjoyable event. Thank you to all of our volunteers and staff who put together a lunch entirely devoted to the celebration of strong and inspiring women. Martha Lanier, the keynote speaker of the event, has a true gift of captivating and entertaining her audience. Her motivational story brought many a smile and laugh to the women in the room. Many of us are all too aware of the stress and struggles women, especially the women of Rainbow Village, face in their daily lives. This luncheon celebrated their strength and the power they have but may not always feel they possess.  
Capital Campaign Progress
We have walls!Artist's rendering of the completed Community Center

 

Our Community Center is beginning to look like a building! The construction site is bustling with trucks and workers busily pouring concrete, hauling lumber and raising the walls of the soon-to-be home of the Early Childhood Development Center. Affordable, quality childcare is one of the major obstacles in overcoming homelessness, and we will now be able to provide care to even our youngest family members. So when we look out and see walls, steel and brick, we are envisioning so much more: the hope and new opportunities for our families to succeed in breaking the cycles of homelessness, poverty and domestic violence. Thank you for your continued support!

Young Philanthropists

 

It is never too early to learn the value of giving and helping those in your community. Aaron and Brynn not only understand the importance and gratification of philanthropy, they stand out among their age group as altruistic and caring individuals who have both organized creative, meaningful ways to help others. 

 

Brynn's Birthday Gift:

Most children look forward to birthdays: the parties, the gifts, the day devoted to celebrations and cake! Brynn, however, turned a celebration of herself into a day of giving to others. She asked her friends to bring gifts to her birthday party, but these presents were not opened by the birthday girl. Brynn's invitation asked for birthday bags for the children and youth of Rainbow Village. Birthday bags contain all the fixings for a fun-filled birthday party! All smiles, Brynn and her mom delivered these presents containing party favors, cake mixes, fun decorations and more that enable the families of Rainbow Village to throw a personal and themed child's birthday party. Thank you, Brynn! You and your friends have given the children of Rainbow Village a very special gift. 

 Aaron's Canned Food Drive:

 

When Aaron presented his idea for a community service project to Rainbow Village, we could not be more excited to be a part of such an inspirational and generous effort. While food drives are quite common, they are rarely headed by such an enthusiastic youth and conducted in such an interactive, creative way. Aaron has distributed bags throughout his rather large neighborhood and asked his neighbors to donate canned foods. Aaron has constructed his food drive in a such a convenient way for his community to donate. He picks up the food donations and distributes them to Rainbow Village and the Duluth Co-Op.

 After a trial run of his food drive, Aaron excitedly writes, "We ended up collecting a total of 32 POUNDS of food!!! I am very happy to tell you this, because we only did less than 1/3 of the neighborhood! I can't wait to see what the whole neighborhood can accumulate!"

Great job Aaron! We are so grateful for your hard work and the time and energy you have put into such a generous service project. 

 

We are thankful for the caring hearts and acts of people like Brynn and Aaron!

 

How Can You Help?


Kids Helping Kids

Angels are the heart and soul of Rainbow Village and provide monthly giving that helps us truly keep the lights burning for our families. We want to give our young philanthropists, all the children and youth whose parents know and support Rainbow Village, the opportunity to experience the enjoyment and fulfillment of helping their community.

Kids Helping Kids will give youth the opportunity to learn the value of giving.

Find out more of the great benefits of monthly giving - sign up today on our website.  
Volunteer Corner
Shared Gratefulness
We are thankful for the generosity and selflessness of our caring volunteers. Thank you for your kind words, Edwina.

Thank you to the Duluth/Perimeter Working Moms group!

Daisy Troop #3094 generously donated blankets to Rainbow Village families. 

 

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
 
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.

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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