The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has reported that, according to the most recent Census data, Atlanta has the highest income inequality of any city in the US. The median household income for Black families in Atlanta is $28,000, as opposed to $84,000 for white families. And when you consider the disparity in geographic terms, it becomes even more apparent (think northwest Atlanta versus anything south of I-20).
Experts cite Atlanta’s long history of racial inequality as a potential cause, the effects of which have been exacerbated by the pandemic and high inflation. But despite high income inequality, Atlanta also shows signs of strong economic growth, ranking among the country’s best places to do business.
This is puzzling, but also cause for some hope. It suggests that one important way of addressing income inequality is ensuring equal access to the many opportunities Atlanta has to offer.
Our Lokey Help Center provides a ladder to economic success by stabilizing individuals in crisis and supporting opportunities for increased household income. And in addition to our own programs, which support economic success and multi-generational education, Emmaus House partners with numerous organizations to provide job training, economic support, and life-stabilization services.
Income inequality may describe our present, but it does not have to define our future. With engaged support, we can close the income gap one person at a time.
The holidays are in full swing at Emmaus House. Here are just a few of the events we have going on in December.
Grandparents Party
On December 8, we hosted our annual Grandparents Party for more than one hundred local grandparents. Grandparents in Peoplestown are often the guardians of their families, many of them helping to raise second and even third families without much help or recognition. We’re always glad to have this opportunity to honor them with food, entertainment, and gifts.
555 Seniors of Peoplestown Luncheon
On December 15, we hosted the 555 Senior Luncheon. The Peoplestown 555 Information Champions is a group of seniors who meet throughout the year to participate in Emmaus House’s legacy of activism. Each year, forty of our 555 seniors gather to share a meal, sing carols, and take home a gift card hand delivered by Santa Lou!
Children’s Christmas Festival
Our Christmas programming will culminate on December 24 with our annual Children's Christmas Festival. Children, parents, and volunteers will enjoy a storyteller, a magician, as well as Christmas movies and treats. Santa and Mrs. Claus will even be there to distribute gifts between 9:00 am and 12:00 pm.
We’re still seeking gift donations for this special event, and also volunteers to help wrap and deliver gifts for families who aren’t able to make it. To arrange a donation or to volunteer, please contact Rakia Reeves at 404-723-1886 or rakiareeves@emmaushouse.org.
Happy Holidays!
We hope that you are enjoying the holiday season and are able to make time for plenty of friends, loved ones, and festive fun. It’s a special time of year, and we believe that celebrating together is an important way of strengthening family and community ties.
For organizations committed to social impact, it’s also an important time for securing the funds necessary for operating in the new year. Emmaus House has been blessed with a community of engaged supporters who share our commitment to economic and social well-being in Peoplestown and Atlanta.
We hope that as the days wind down this year, and as you settle in to celebrate the holidays, you will take some time to invest in our community. Together, we can dismantle poverty, racism, and other barriers to opportunity in Peoplestown and Atlanta.
Here’s wishing you much peace and many blessings from all of us at Emmaus House.
On December 3, we will be hosting the 9th annual Community Forum for residents of Adair Park, Capitol Gateway, Mechanicsville, Peoplestown, Pittsburgh, and Summerville. All are welcome to attend.
This yearly event is an opportunity for residents to come together and discuss the critical issues that affect our community. This year, topics will include public safety, housing, and health.
Not only is it important to lift up the voices of those directly affected by these issues, but doing so also facilitates engagement and an enhanced sense of community among residents. We are proud to be hosting this important event.
The meeting will be held from 10 AM to 2:30 PM on Saturday, December 3. Breakfast and a hot lunch will be provided, and transportation to and from the event is also available. Contact Columbus Ward with questions:
columbus@peoplestown.com.
We are pleased to announce that we have partnered with Mimi’s Yoga Kids to provide a variety of fun mindfulness activities to our community. Ms. Camelia “Mimi” Felton led healing circles at our Freedom School parents nights this summer, and the participants were so impressed that they immediately requested the circles continue year round.
Mimi’s Yoga Kids offers a fun, upbeat way for children and their families to cultivate mindfulness, inner peace, and imagination.
It’s important for people of all backgrounds—but particularly those who come from marginalized communities—to find a mindfulness practice that speaks to them. We are thrilled to have this opportunity to support health and well being in our community.
To learn more about Mimi’s Yoga Kids at Emmaus House, click the link below.
The holidays are a special time for us at Emmaus House. To help our neighbors celebrate, we host a number of events and initiatives each year guaranteed to spread Christmas cheer. As you plan which causes to support this Giving Tuesday (11/29), we hope that you’ll consider supporting one or more of the programs. Click here to learn more about these events below:
Grandparents Party
Thursday, December 8, 6 PM - 8 PM
555 Seniors of Peoplestown Luncheon
Thursday, December 15, 11 AM - 1 PM
Children’s Christmas Festival
Saturday, December 24, 9 AM - 12 PM
During the Christmas Festival we also distribute stuffed bears that have been donated by the fourth grade students at Holy Innocents Episcopal School. Each year, at one of their weekly chapel services, students present their bears to be blessed and our Executive Director talks with them about how Emmaus House uses the bears to bring happiness to children in Peoplestown.
We’re still accepting donations for our Thanksgiving at Home initiative. With your help, we’re providing holiday staples to 200 of our neighbors this year so that they can enjoy the holiday at home with those who matter most.
The last day to drop off donations will be Monday, November 21. We’ll plan on distributing them on Tuesday, November 22 from 9 AM to 2 PM.
To learn more about the types of items we’re collecting, or to volunteer to help us distribute them, please click on the link below.
We all deal with stress. In fact, a great portion of most people’s lives is spent trying to manage and mitigate its harmful effects. Exercise, therapy, mindfulness, support groups, and medication are just a few of the strategies we employ on a regular basis to keep ourselves mentally and physically well.
For people of marginalized backgrounds, however, not only are life’s various stressors often experienced more acutely, but there are a number of barriers that prevent them from accessing the resources necessary to cope.
Studies show that Black Americans living below the poverty line are twice as likely to report serious psychological stress than other groups. And due to barriers in access, the impact of that stress is also disproportionately high.
Black adults are 20% more likely to experience serious mental health problems such as major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. But the problem often begins well before adulthood.
Studies reveal that Black and Brown children are 14% less likely to receive treatment for their depression than white children. One reason for this is that behavioral challenges are much more likely to be addressed criminally rather than as mental health disorders.
Officials estimate that between 50% and 75% of youth in the juvenile justice system meet the criteria for mental health disorders. In communities of color, childhood depression has also been linked to increased welfare dependence and unemployment.
There are a number of complex, structural causes for the disproportional impact that mental health challenges have on marginalized communities, and it’s our responsibility as a society to name these issues and to advocate for change. At Emmaus House, we believe it’s also important to provide children and families with fun, wholesome, and culturally appropriate resources to manage their stress and emotions.
A New Partnership
For all of these reasons and more, we’re excited to partner with Mimi’s Yoga Kids to provide yoga classes and healing circles to our community. Ms. Camelia “Mimi” Felton has long worked to bring yoga therapy to underserved people through her B.U.M.P Project (Black Unified Mothers Pre & Postnatal) and now through her partnership with Emmaus House. To learn more about Mimi’s Yoga Kids, please visit the link below.
The issues facing marginalized people’s mental health are complex and not easy to solve. But by investing in resources for youth and families, we’re building change from the ground up and creating generational impact.
This past Sunday, we held our Annual Benefit on the Emmaus House campus. We had a lot to celebrate: it was the first benefit we’ve hosted since the start of the pandemic, we honored a new recipient for the Ethel Mae Mathews Courage and Character Award, and the event took place in our new building.
This year also marks Emmaus House’s 55th anniversary. What began as a collaborative effort between a priest, two nuns, and a seminary student, has grown into a vital institution for Peoplestown and surrounding areas. One of the reasons for this growth is that we don’t just serve the community, we are a part of the community.
None of our work would be possible without the network of volunteers and supporters who invest their time and resources into lifting up the families and neighbors we serve.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.