Recently, the Barack and Michelle Obama Academy (BAMO) held its ribbon-cutting ceremony in celebration of its renovation and expansion. The Academy’s growth ensures the children in our community receive the educational resources they need to succeed.
We were honored to attend the ceremony and celebrate the success of such an impactful community endeavor. We look forward to continuing our special partnership with the BAMO Academy and our work to empower children to make a difference in themselves, their families, their communities, and their world.
On November 23, in preparation for Thanksgiving, 250 families in need received Thanksgiving dinners, including over 680 bags of side items from Emmaus House.
The meals not only made part of our efforts to fight food insecurity but also provided the members of Peoplestown an opportunity to celebrate and give thanks with their family members and community. Celebrating the holidays together leads to stronger family and communal ties, and we are grateful for the support from donors and volunteers like you who help us and our community. Thank you.
Our Community In the News:
We're grateful to have been featured in a recent article by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution showcasing five metro-Atlanta organizations helping those in need of food assistance. Access the article here.
Throughout the pandemic, the "555" seniors group has continued to meet at Four Corners Park (across the street from Emmaus House), under the direction of Columbus Ward. On Thursdays, Emmaus House hosts "Art in the Park," art instruction and a space for "555" men and women to get creative and enjoy lively conversation.
Ann Fowler, our Director of Education Services, leads "Art in the Park" and says that one of the highlights of her week is teaching art to the 555 seniors. One of the projects was painting icons of "Mother of the Streets" and Ethiopian versions of the crucifixion and Mary and Jesus. Take a look at the artists' latest creations!
Sonia Doyle is an Emmaus House program assistant from Peoplestown who first visited Emmaus House in need of resources for herself. A single mom of two boys, who has lived in her neighborhood since she was a teenager, Sonia has a special connection to the community she serves and enjoys interacting with her clients to ensure they receive the resources and support they need.
When asked what she enjoyed most about working at Emmaus House, Sonia expressed, “I understand hardship, so I want to make sure my clients are aware of the programs and resources within our community. We have the YMCA, library, Fulton Atlanta Community Action, CHRIS 180, and more, but our community doesn’t know all that is available to them, so it’s my job to let them know.”
The pandemic has accelerated economic and social issues that were already taking place in the Peoplestown community. As more people struggle to provide for their families, gain access to affordable housing, or find employment, Sonia was especially thankful for the opportunity to work throughout the pandemic and impact those in the neighborhood she proudly calls home. She recalls her own experience, “When the pandemic happened, daycare shut down, so my 4-year-old son had nowhere to go. Emmaus House allowed me to bring my son to work, and though it was challenging at first, it allowed me to work. Emmaus House changed my life!”
Sonia left us with some encouraging words that truly reflect her spirit and love for those she serves, “In my job, I want everyone to be happy and celebrate life; even though we are in a pandemic, don’t let the pandemic bring you down. Don’t give up; hold on to your faith and all smiles.”
Bernard Watts is a Benefits Specialist for the Atlanta Community Food Bank that has visited Emmaus House to connect families to SNAP benefits for the past six years. Bernard comes to Emmaus House three days per week, sits with guests, and patiently goes through the painstaking application process that most Georgia residents have to do alone.
During the pandemic, the Atlanta Community Food Bank ensured that each person in need could still be served over the phone when in-person service just wasn't safe. But with Emmaus House back open to clients five days a week, Bernard is happy to be back sitting and working with clients face to face. In August, he processed 72 applications and renewals for benefits at Emmaus House alone. When asked what his most rewarding experience is doing the work that he does, Bernard responded:
Bernard Watts
"It's about assisting the people who go unassisted. Many of them have had a bad experience trying to work with DFCS, or they just couldn't go through the process alone and would probably never be able to access the help that they need."
Emmaus House has been blessed with a great partnership with the Atlanta Community Food Bank and is certainly thankful for dedicated workers like Bernard. We are proud that Emmaus House can provide a high-quality in-person service to local residents thanks to these kinds of partnerships.
Beginning in October, Emmaus House volunteers will tutor first and second-grade students in reading at the Barack and Michelle Obama Academy (BAMO), an Atlanta public school in Peoplestown. While many students encountered learning loss during the pandemic, our most vulnerable students experienced the steepest setbacks. Therefore, we would like to help bridge the learning gap in our community with the “Support for Students” tutoring program. Tutors will work with students once or twice a week for approximately an hour, using lessons prepared by BAMO’s reading specialist.
If you would like to support Emmaus House children learning to read, please contact Ann Fowler at annfowler@emmaushouse.org or 404-808-1864. Volunteers are required to complete a child abuse mandatory reporter course and pass a background check.
Tom Hamilton, a volunteer at Emmaus House who helped many Atlanta residents obtain Social Security Disability Insurance, passed away on September 8, 2021. Thanks to Tom's efforts and many years of service, many people with severe disabilities were able to get off the streets and secure a place to stay with enough food to eat. Tom's heart and passion for helping others were truly a gift that we will miss here at Emmaus House.
Thanks to a recent anonymous donation, we were able to purchase a new (to us) box truck for our food pantry. This means no more trips to U-Haul to rent a truck each time we go to the Atlanta Community Food Bank to restock our food pantry. The truck also presents more opportunities for distribution to the communities that we serve. Next stop for the truck — a wrap with our logo on the sides and back. Thank you to the donor for making this possible — you know who you are!
At the end of Freedom School in July, 20 scholars traveled to Toccoa, located in beautiful northeast Georgia, to attend Camp Mikell for a week. Camp Mikell is the Camp and Conference Center of the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta. Its 460 acres include mountains, valleys, waterfalls, and Little Toccoa Creek. Our children enjoyed swimming in the pool and creek every day, hiking, crafting, eating lots of food, making s'mores, playing four square, and scaling the climbing tower. For many Emmaus House campers, this was their best experience of the summer.
Making s’mores at the bonfire on the first night is a Camp Mikell tradition.
Ms. Bridget and Freedom School scholars lead the morning Harambee program at Camp Mikell.
A great new tradition at Camp Mikell is Science Night! Emmaus House children love helping with the experiments.