Building Owners and Managers Association of Georgia (BOMA Georgia) will be partnering with HomeAid Atlanta, a nonprofit organization that builds and maintains housing for the homeless, for the fourth year in a row. This year, they will be working on a community project on Friday, Nov. 7 for Covenant House Georgia, an Atlanta District 9 facility serving homeless, abandoned, abused, trafficked and exploited youth. An estimated 200 volunteers are expected to participate on this project as they complete repairs and maintenance throughout the facility to ensure safe and comfortable homes for those who wish to rebuild their lives.
“I am delighted that BOMA Georgia and HomeAid are teaming together to assist Covenant House,” explained Atlanta City Councilman Felicia Moore (District 9). “BOMA Georgia provides its members from the commercial real estate industry a meaningful community service opportunity through this construction project. These groups bring together experience and knowledge in order to make a difference for people working through personal crisis situations. I applaud them and am happy to support this effort as the city council representative of district nine.”
November is National Homeless Youth Awareness Month and both BOMA Georgia and HomeAid Atlanta hope the project will help bring more awareness to young people who are living on the streets. According to Safe Horizon, the largest organization helping victims of crime and abuse in the United States, 5,000 young people die every year because of assault, illness, or suicide while living on the streets. Another study, by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, found that 46 percent of homeless youth left their home because of physical abuse and 17 percent left because of sexual abuse. The average age a teen becomes homeless is 14.7 years old.
There is no better way to bring awareness for National Homeless Youth Awareness Month than to plug in to a community project. To find out more about BOMA Georgia, visit www.BOMAGeorgia.org. For more information about HomeAid Atlanta, visit www.HomeAidAtlanta.org and for Covenant House, visit www.covenanthousega.org.