The Bluebird Patch

   April 5, was “ PLANTING DAY” , for the Task Force and its volunteers as they plant vegetables in the 50 raised beds the group has constructed over the past two weeks.     “ The purpose of the garden is to provide a home-grown and sustainable source of nutrition and food for the homeless community”, says Anita Beaty. The 95,000 square foot Homeless Shelter located on the corners of Peachtree & Pines Streets is the largest shelter space in the southeastern US  providing shelter and services to an average of 750 men, women, and children on a daily basis.  The shelter is a non-profit 501©3 organization.    Over the past two weeks the shelter has received loads of donated compost and topsoil, all of which was bucket brigaded up 4 flights of stairs.  Volunteers will use the 120 pieces of donated lumber to make 40 raised planting beds (see photos below of the beds already built and producing seedlin...

  MAKE A DIFFERENCE THIS HOLIDAY SEASON Lift Up Atlanta is a nonprofit organization that helps the homeless and low income families in the metro Atlanta area.  They are looking for sponsors for the Christmas toy drive to help needy children this Christmas. New toys and volunteers are needed to provide Christmas toys to children this holiday season. Date:  December 15, 2013 Time:  12-4 pm Place:  Phillip Rush Center, 1530 Dekalb Avenue,  Atlanta, GA Toy donation sponsors and volunteers can sign up either by email at liftupatlanta@yahoo.com or visiting the website www.liftupatlanta.org or calling 678-245-4622   Drop off locations (until December 14th) include:

  Housing is a Human Right Today I'm joining hundreds of bloggers, social media users, vloggers, podcasters, designers, infographic and data producers for " Blog Action Day ". Blog Action Day is the one day of the year where thousands of bloggers, from all over the world can work together to focus on one important global topic, and help raise awareness and money for charities and social causes. When it comes to human rights I strongly believe that every human being has the right to have access to adequate housing. The need for transitional housing in metro Atlanta and across the country is greater now than ever before. According to homeless census data estimates, more than 10,000 people in metro Atlanta experience homelessness on any given night , with more than 40 percent being women and children . A comprehensive, three-county survey of Atlanta's homeless shelters found a shortage of 1,700 beds for all single homeless people, including children and ...

Lift Up Atlanta is a nonprofit organization that helps the homeless and working poor in the metro Atlanta area.  They are looking for sponsors for the Thanksgiving food drive to help needy families this Thanksgiving.  Food donations and volunteers are needed to provide Thanksgiving food baskets to 100 needy families this holiday season. Date:  November 17, 2013 Time:  12-4 pm Place:  Phillip Rush Center, 1530 Dekalb Avenue, Suite B, Atlanta, GA Food donation sponsors and volunteers can sign up either by email at liftupatlanta@yahoo.com or visiting the website www.liftupatlanta.org or calling 678-245-4622 

On Saturday, February 2, I had I took my eldest for the monthly Lift Up Atlanta Bless The Homeless event. Lift Up Atlanta is a non profit organization that is dedicated to helping the homeless and feeding the hungry. They offer services, both directly and via referrals, to address the needs of homeless women and children in the Atlanta area. These include hot meal programs, tutoring and after school programs, life skills training, recreational activities for families with children and much more.  Every month they meet and distribute coats, warm wear and clothing to homeless men, women and children. Volunteers bring basic necessities item s ( toothpaste , toothbrush , d eodorant, lotion, shaving cream and razors, hair brush, combs, soap, conditioning shampoo, and f eminine hygiene products and distribute them in "blessings bags" among the homeless population. It was incredible inspiring to watch so many young volunteers help out during the event...

            Atlanta Homeless Registry - Shelter Outreach   The goal of the Atlanta Homeless Registry is to create a by-name registry of people living on our streets and in shelters, enabling us to prioritize those most vulnerable and those at risk of dying on the street so that we can connect them with housing and services that meet their needs. On the evening of Thursday, January 17, 2013, 100 volunteers are needed to conduct surveys with homeless people sleeping in emergency shelters. All volunteers will be trained and placed on teams supported by professional outreach workers and the Atlanta Police Department's Homeless Outreach, Prevention, and Emergency (HOPE) services team. Court-ordered volunteers are not permitted to serve.  Volunteers with limited mobility may register for shelter outreach, but should not register for street outreach. The Atlanta Homeless Registry is organized by the Office ...