HomeAid Atlanta is pleased to announce that the 13th annual Essentials for Young Lives Drive® saw a record number of items donated by local business, community organizations and individuals. The drive, which aims to support homeless mothers and their babies, doubled the previous record set in 2013 with more than 155,000 items totaling a value of $45,000 being donated this year.
Held April 28 through May 6, businesses, community organizations and individuals throughout metro Atlanta assisted in the drive by collecting essential items from their employees, associates, friends and families. Donated items included diapers, baby wipes, baby food, formula and baby hygiene products. All of these essential items were collected in an effort to provide assistance to one of the fastest-growing segments of the homeless population – women and children.
Atlanta-based UPS partnered with HomeAid Atlanta for the eighth year to assist with delivering the items to 16 local nonprofit organizations that provide housing and supportive services to homeless families and young children. The items were delivered to these groups on Friday, May 9, just in time for Mother’s Day!
The first-ever Essentials Celebration was held after the deliveries were completed at Genesis Shelter, which serves homeless babies under six months of age and their families. Several speakers were on hand to share stories about the positive strides that HomeAid Atlanta is making the help the metro area’s homeless population.
“Thank you so much for the incredibly generous donation you made to Action Ministries Housing,” said Laura Rappold, director of case management and community relations at Action Ministries Atlanta. “The diapers, wipes, baby food and crib will make a huge difference to our families as they work their way toward self-sufficiency. We are so honored that you included our organization in this fantastic project. We put everything on the shelves on Friday afternoon, and when I walked in this morning, more than half of it had already gone out to families in our programs. Thank you again for all you do – you make a huge difference!”
The Essentials for Young Lives Drive was first launched in Atlanta in 2002 and since then, more than 589,000 essential baby items have been distributed to homeless mothers and their babies. Click here to see more photos from this year’s event. To learn more about HomeAid Atlanta or the Essentials for Young Lives Drive, visit www.HomeAidAtlanta.org.