The Junior League of Cobb Marietta is focused on impacting individuals throughout the Cobb Marietta…read morearea. This is a strictly volunteer based nonprofit aiming to support the local community through education and action. Great efforts to better women through leadership and service.

it best shelter in Atlanta for men I should know I was there the people show you love and they care…read moreabout after you leave there

I have to these folks a shout for doing solid work. There's a lot going on here to help low-income…read moreresidents in Cobb and Douglas Counties. Well-thought-out solutions that do more than offer simple hand-outs. There is education happening here. Job placement. Family support. Access to healthcare and other necessary resources. And yes, food. It's a well organized effort. A well-oiled machine. And there are plenty of success stories to tell. But there is always more to do. You guys know I'm not religious. Sweetwater's success is defined by the service ethic of a fantastic staff and many dedicated volunteers. They could use more help in the effort to help others. If you volunteer there, please tell them I said HI.

Great place. All volunteers. Can get free food and clothes. Have to come early. Get a number to be…read moreserve. Only serve certain number of people a day. Clean and very nice people. Always crowded. Sometimes standing room only

HOPE worldwide changed my life in amazing ways. I got to travel to many countries as a teenager and…read morecollege student and serve poor communities around the world. It open my eyes to poverty and living conditions that I did not know existed. It gave me a completely new perspective on my life and incredible gratitude for how we are able to live in America. It taught me a deep respect for other cultures, and for people who experience times of need. It connected me to God in ways that are impossible without serving those in need with your own two hands. It help me build, lifelong friendships with people from all over the world. It gave me the courage to learn other languages and live overseas for many years. It made serving the poor part of my life's mission. HOPE worldwide also has incredible leaders and volunteers and examples of people who have given up their entire lives and careers to help those in need around the world. They are truly the worlds best volunteers. It has made me a better person in every way that matters.

My daughter volunteers through Hope WorldWide, SC chapter. They work with the Boys & Girls Club at…read morelocal schools and have a mentoring program. My daughter mentors a little girl who has brought a sense of responsibility and purpose to her. She visits her after school 1-2 days a week for a couple of hours. They do homework, play games, talk, and engage in activities the B&G Club have arranged. My daughter plans to mentor this girl as long as she can. We first started this so that she would have volunteer work on her college applications, but now she's sticking with it because she enjoys it. I encourage anyone with any kind of free time to volunteer or at least give to the many causes out there. (ESPECIALLY TO HELP SPAY AND NEUTER DOGS AND CATS!! -- and care for those lost ones who have no place to call home....) - 2 facilites in the midlands are Pets Inc (petsinc.org) and Animal Mission (animalmission.org) GIVE PLEASE!!!

i contributed a fairly large amount of money last year. So far I can't get a reply to requests for…read moreacknowledgement of the donation - for tax purposes. They don't respond to emails or texts.

Hands On Atlanta Day is always a success with thousands of volunteers across the city assisting…read moreservice and school organization. Typically held on the first Saturday in October, I participated in Hands On Atlanta Day several years in a row by doing arts and crafts and planting shrubberies at a local Grant Park school. Hands on Atlanta serves the community year round. They help by uplifting and building lower income zones, food banks, senior homes, schools, pet shelters, parks, etc. Hands On Atlanta holds volunteer orientations twice a month. To get involved visit www.handsonatlanta.com.

The City of Refuge is located in the most dangerous zip code in all of Georgia per capita - 30014…read more(Atlanta's West Side). Within this complex are a host of individual ministries that have come together for the hope of transforming lives in the community; primarily homeless women. My family and I just completed a weekend serving as volunteers @ the City of Refuge and I have simply been blown away by the experience. THE SCENE In 1970, an organization called "Mission Possible" started a feeding program in Atlanta. By 1997 it was re-incorporated as CITY OF REFUGE. In 2003 Pastor Bruce approached the owners of 200,000+ sq ft abandoned warehouse that was in bad repair. The owners wanted 1.6 million dollars, but Pastor Bruce asked if they would consider donating it instead. As you might expect, he was rejected. However, 6 months later the owners did indeed gift the warehouse and its 8 acre tract to the City of Refuge. Relocating to this space would allow them to expand services & reach more people, not only offering a refuge from crisis, but a place to restore their health, self-respect & transition into lives of personal responsibility, value & independence. But that was not without its challenges. Pastor Bruce petitioned the Atlanta City Council for a license as a homeless shelter. He was denied... TWICE! Two years later in 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans & Atlanta found itself hosting thousands of displaced families. Space was desperately needed. Shirley Franklin (the mayor at the time) called Bruce to asked if he would consider being a shelter. Pastor Bruce explained he'd petitioned the city twice before and was rejected. Shortly after this phone call, City of Refuge was cleared to operate as a homeless shelter. The shelter provides: - Emergency shelter - 40 individual, hotel-style units for mothers w/children - Single women's shelter (100 beds) - Unwed teenage mothers - Young females rescued from sex trafficking (short term) - and currently under construction is long term care for sex trafficking victims who cannot be placed at other shelters due to criminal records or mental illness. On site, these ladies have access to a wide variety of benefits including lawyers, child care, schools, case managers, after school programs, job training, medical/dental clinics and transition into permanent housing. All of which operate behind a secure metal gate where even the Security Guard has an amazing testimony. Students from nearby Georgia Tech and Morris Brown College regularly help tutor the young students living here. Kindred Spirits House is the name of the section of the shelter that provides housing for teenage moms who were in the foster system, but have no family support. These moms are allowed to stay one year after their baby is born. In that time they work on receiving a high school diploma, practical mothering skills and healthy delivery. Two very impressive opportunities for growth and job placement are the culinary classes and auto mechanics program: The culinary class teaches valuable culinary skills that have helped 100% of its participants get jobs in Atlanta restaurants. Atlanta is experiencing a huge food renaissance and the need for skilled cooks is HUGE. The program also offers catering & a food truck as a way to help fund this educational benefit! NAPA auto parts chain partnered with City of Refuge to build an on-site auto mechanics shop as part of their job training program. Here is where the City of Refuge reaches out to the male population in the surrounding community as well as its female residence. If accepted into the program, NAPA guarantees jobs to all graduates of this 6 month mechanics course. THE EXPERIENCE We volunteered for a weekend through the 'overnight experience' ministries called RestorationATL (RATL for short). The motto of this ministry is to spend time WITH the residents and not just come in and drop off money or gifts and say "have a nice life" as you leave. We had the entire weekend to getting to know many of these ladies and their wonderful children. Just being here to help with the kids and give them much needed attention and kindness was a blessing. Mom's get a chance to breathe and socialize, kids get new playmates and all get to experience what it feels like to be part of building a community. Look for my RATL review coming soon for the details of our experience. FINAL THOUGHTS The goal of this ministry is simple. Develop a plan of action and set time frames for the achievement of those plans which address employment, housing, educational, physical/mental health, and child-related needs of all residents. Volunteers are expected to practice modeling love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control when serving (Gal 5:22-23). The level of commitment here is unmatched to anything I've ever seen in an urban setting. If you have ever considered making a difference, this is a wonderful place to start.

It is with profound gratitude and deep humility that I reflect upon my time with The House of…read moreCherith and City of Refuge. After facing unforeseen and traumatic experiences, this organization became the very sanctuary and place of restoration I desperately needed. The staff, each one a true blessing, exemplified extraordinary dedication and grace. Their commitment was nothing short of a divine appointment; they poured their care and spiritual guidance into me like no other. We must give all the glory to God for utilizing every individual within this organization to genuinely minister to and love the brokenhearted who seek refuge here. They embraced me exactly where I was in my journey, providing an atmosphere where I could rediscover solace, peace, tranquility, dignity, and integrity, but most importantly, unconditional love. Because of their unwavering support, grounded in faith, I have been able to look onward and forward, never back. The fellowship we built was a testament to perseverance a family connection that, while not always easy, was always achievable. For the genuine love, the steadfast support, and the restorative family environment fostered by The House of Cherith and City of Refuge, I am eternally grateful.

They didn't even have room for me and my son here. She continued to respond to help assist me in…read moreanyway that she could. Very comforting to have someone do this when every door seems like it's shutting for you. She even responded well beyond business hours. I highly recommend this place, if you are looking for love and support.

The Junior League of Atlanta is a philanthropic (ie, nonprofit 503(b) ) organization of women…read morededicated to promoting voluntarism, the education of women and children, and empowering women and children at risk to better their lives. I've been a member since 2004, and worked in a number of different capacities and with various groups or community "placements" with which the League has partnerships. Working over 150,000 volunteer hours each year, JLA members partner with community organizations from Open Hand to the Atlanta Community Food Bank, the Atlanta Speech School to Chastain Riding Park, to make an impact on the lives of people in our city. Through raising funds at the Nearly New Shop and events such as the annual Tour of Kitchens and Sham Rock n Roll race, the JLA supports community organizations that help thousands of Atlantans of all ages. Members contribute 50 hours each, annually, in a community placement or working "internally" to support the continued viability of the League. Social events are part of the deal, too, which adds the *fun* element, and a key focus of the JLA's mission is to train women for all areas and phases of their work and personal lives by giving them opportunities and exposure to different settings and people. You can learn more or check out this organization - which clearly I believe in!! - at http://www.jlatlanta.org. The Atlanta JLA is the third largest in the country and no, you don't have to wear white gloves or belong to a country club to be a member! You just have to care about Atlanta, women and childrens' issues, and have a willing and able set of hands and a giving heart.

The Junior League of Atlanta is a fantastic all-women's non-profit organization with a focus on…read morewomen and children. I've been a member for the past 9 years and have made a lot of friends and done a lot of good for the local community through JLA. They work to educate their members, promote volunteerism, and empower women and children to better their lives. They work with other non profits, offering both volunteers and finding to other organizations in the ATLANTA area that are fighting generational poverty. Go check them out!