Mandy Crater, executive director of HomeAid Atlanta, recently joined Atlanta’s Best New Homes, hosted by Susie Proffitt, to promote the organization’s 17th annual Essentials Drive. As the charitable arm of the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association, HomeAid Atlanta makes it possible for anyone associated with the home building and real estate industries to give back to Atlanta’s homeless all year long.

“Every year just before Mother’s Day, we collect diapers, wipes and formula for mothers that are experiencing homelessness and distribute through service providers throughout Metro Atlanta to help babies in need. This drive takes this year from April 30 to May 8, and we’re going to deliver all the items the Friday before Mother’s Day.”

Crater also says that most people are unaware that women and children are among the largest groups of the homeless population. An estimated 48 percent of the homeless population in Metro Atlanta is made up of this most vulnerable demographic. HomeAid Atlanta works with several Metro Atlanta organizations to relieve those homeless women and children of some of the burdens of being a homeless mother or young child. Twenty of these organizations will receive the essential items collected in the Essentials Drive, thanks to HomeAid Atlanta’s partnership with UPS.

To participate, Atlantans can drop their donations off at any of HomeAid Atlanta’s drop-off sites throughout the Metro Atlanta area. Participants can also purchase items from HomeAid Atlanta’s Amazon baby registry or Target baby registry,

Year round, HomeAid Atlanta works tirelessly to help local shelters and nonprofits cut construction and renovation costs by gathering volunteers to participate in Care Days, where all kinds of groups of people, including real estate and home building professionals, offer their time to help save these nonprofits as much money as they can. These organizations, in turn, can focus on their residents and programs to help them get back on their feet.

For more information on HomeAid Atlanta, visit www.HomeAidAtlanta.org. Learn more about the Essentials Drive by watching Mandy Crater on Atlanta’s Best New Homes TV!