Your monthly newsletter about The Place and how serving with purpose helps change lives. | |
|
June 2022
Dear Joni,
As the new President and CEO of The Place, I am honored to communicate with you in our monthly newsletter. My goal each month is to share information and updates about one of our services or programs.
Summer is one of my favorite times of the year. My family looks forward to vacations, cookouts, pool parties, and just enjoying the slower pace. For our clients, this time of year brings additional financial stress: higher utility bills, additional childcare expenses, and extra food costs to feed children who normally receive breakfast and lunch at school.
These added budget hits are, of course, in addition to the higher gas and food costs we are all paying now. The Place, with our army of volunteers and generous donors, helps with our clients’ food needs and offers emergency financial relief. We provide weekly groceries for over 200 families, approximately 1,200 individuals, from babies to seniors.
While The Place is blessed to have donations of canned and boxed grocery items, we still need to purchase perishable items to provide clients with more nutritious meals. For clients with medical conditions like diabetes, we try to fulfill their special dietary needs. Plus, during the current baby formula shortage, we’ve been able to supply our clients with formula that we had stocked in our food pantry.
Thank you for your continued support of our mission. I hope you all have a safe and healthy month and season.
Serving with Purpose,
| |
|
President & CEO
The Place of Forsyth County
| |
|
The Place Assists 14 Ukrainian Families
From the comfort of our homes, we see the horrors of Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine on the news every night. We can’t imagine having our homes bombarded or the plight of leaving our homes and everything we know to escape the tragedies of war.
Fourteen Ukrainian families, 36 individuals, ended their journeys to escape their homeland at The Place’s front door. With their men staying back to fight, The Place is assisting mostly women and children who fled the cities of Donetsk, Kirovohrad, and Kharkiv. These people have traveled through five to seven countries just to get to Forsyth County, Georgia.
The Place’s first family traveled from a town on the Russian border in a country called Kyrgyzstan. The Russians initially held the father captive but, thankfully, released him to be reunited with his wife and children. They traveled through seven countries, arrived in Mexico, and crossed into the U.S. With no support or connections here, they flew from Dallas to Atlanta. At Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, the family met an airport employee whose friend is an Immigration professional specializing in Hispanic immigration and legalization. The airport employee took this family in and brought them to us at The Place.
Most of our Ukrainian clients have been granted “humanitarian parole,” which means they are allowed to be in the United States but still must go through the official immigration process to become citizens. They cannot legally work or receive government benefits.
Each Ukrainian family has a sponsor who provides a place to stay and the essentials, similar to an exchange student’s situation. The team at The Place is providing these families support where it is needed, as with our other clients.
Our prayers continue to be for peace in our new neighbor’s homeland.
| |
|
Warehouse Needs Non-Food Items
The Place warehouse provides non-perishable food items for distribution in both Forsyth and Dawson Counties, as well as for mobile pantries in the area. Our food is meant to supplement families who are currently food insecure.
While government programs such as Women, Infant, and Children (WIC), Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP), and Food Stamps allow certain food purchases in grocery stores, many non-food items are not on the approved lists.
The Place carries many of the non-food items in the warehouse. We are always looking for donations of items that families cannot purchase with government program money, including: shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, toothbrushes, mouthwash, dental floss, razors, body wash, soap, deodorant, feminine pads, tampons, hand soap, baby wipes, hand sanitizer, toilet paper, laundry detergent, bleach, dishwashing liquid, paper towels, diapers, hospital pads, and sanitizer wipes.
Please drop off donated non-food items at The Place of Forsyth front office at 2550 The Place Circle, Cumming, GA 30040. Hours are Mondays through Thursdays 8:00 am to 5:00 pm and Fridays 8:00 am to 12:00 pm.
For more information, contact Deb at deborah@theplaceofforsyth.org.
| |
|
Fourth of July Boxes
We need your help to fill Fourth of July boxes with holiday goodies for our clients! Filled boxes will be distributed to our food pantry clients as an extra way to help families have a holiday celebration!
Please consider stopping by The Place’s Forsyth County's office during business hours to pick up empty boxes. Click here to print the shopping list, then take it to to your favorite store to purchase items to fill the box. The average cost to fill one box is $15 to $20.
Empty boxes will be available for pick up at the front office starting Monday, June 6. Please return filled boxes no later than June 20.
No time to pick up a box? Just drop off a bag filled with items from the shopping list. Thank you so much for your support!
The Place is located at 2550 The Place Circle, Cumming, GA 30040. Hours are Mondays through Thursdays 8:00 am to 5:00 pm and Fridays 8:00 am to 12:00 pm.
For more information, contact Lisa at lisa@theplaceofforsyth.org.
| |
|
Backpacks Full of Heart
We realize this school year is just ending, but The Place is already preparing for next year’s “Backpacks Full of Heart” school supply drive. We need your help to fill 550 backpacks full of supplies for the 2022-2023 school year. The Place works with local schools to find students in need of extra assistance. We work with 90 percent of the schools in Forsyth County.
You can donate in several ways. You can:
- Adopt a school
- Donate backpacks filled with school supplies
- Donate specific school-related items
- Make financial donations
The deadline for donations is July 15, 2022. If you would like to participate in this drive, contact Kim at kim@theplaceofforsyth.org.
With the help of local churches and organizations, The Place will distribute a total of 1,500 backpacks at the schools’ Open House.
| |
|
Teen Life Skills Program has 14 Graduates!
Congratulations to 14 graduates of the Orange Duffel Bag Initiative (OBDI)! The Place partners with OBDI to help students referred by the schools get into the program, which started in February.
Each graduate gave a presentation about their life plan to the 50 plus family members and nine advocates who attended the graduation event.
The Place is so proud of our graduates and we applaud how hard they've worked to learn life skills and prepare for their futures. And, by graduating from the program, they each received an orange duffel bag and a laptop!
For more information, contact Hannah at hannah@theplaceofforsyth.org.
| |
|
First School Year Ends for The Broncos’ Place
The Broncos' Place coffee shop at East Forsyth High School, which opened in September 2021, saw a successful end to the school year. It opened as part of the East Forsyth High School’s community engagement model, which explores student, staff, family, and community engagement.
The shop offers snacks, drinks, baked goods, produce, and even hygiene items. The Broncos’ Place is a room where students can hang out and members of the community can donate to The Place’s seasonal drives.
Next September, The Place's involvement at East Forsyth High School will expand when we open a thrift store!
The Broncos’ Place needs your donations to provide popular items such as microwaveable meals (Ramen Noodles or Mac and Cheese cups). Students often need supplementary food for lunch or to take home for later. These microwaveable meals can help students not go hungry.
For more information, contact Hannah at hannah@theplaceofforsyth.org.
| |
|
Why I Volunteer
Carol Gentry, who has been volunteering at The Place for three years, says she’s been volunteering her whole adult life. She volunteers at the food warehouse twice a week in the mornings and afternoons.
What does volunteering mean to you?
"To me, volunteering is something I need to do. I always seem to receive more from volunteering than I give. It’s just something that brings me joy."
What do you like about working at The Place?
"I like to see things organized in the food area and know that I’m helping someone get much needed food and even hygiene items. I also really enjoy getting to know the other wonderful volunteers who come to help and make volunteering at The Place a fun and meaningful experience."
What would you say to someone who is considering volunteering at The Place?
"There are many different areas of service at The Place. Wherever your heart leads you, you will find a place to fit in. Just find your niche and you’ll find other wonderful people to help you, work with you, and help you establish new friendships."
| |
|
Become a Volunteer!
The Place was voted the best place to volunteer in Forsyth County in 2021! If you’d like to join our amazing team, please fill out an application and attend a one-hour orientation session at The Place.
To fill out a volunteer application, please click here. You’ll be able to sign up for an upcoming orientation session during the application process. Thank you!
For more information, contact phillip@theplaceofforsyth.org.
| |
|
Your continued support is needed and appreciated so we can continue to help our neighbors in need.
Please consider a gift a today.
Amazon Smile: Make The Place of Forsyth your favorite charity at smile.amazon.com.
Leave a Legacy: Please Include The Place of Forsyth in your Estate Planning.
| | | | |
