Two Family Promise of North Fulton/DeKalb families receive donated cars

Midas Alpharetta is repairing donated cars at no cost for a pair of families working with Family Promise of North Fulton/DeKalb to rebound from situational homelessness.

The donations are part of Midas’ Project Spark, a program that helps families, first responders and veterans in need of reliable transportation. Family Promise of North Fulton/DeKalb formally handed over the keys to the vehicles during a brief ceremony on Wednesday, July 29, at Midas Alpharetta.

Under the program, donors turn over their vehicles to 1-800-Charity Cars, and Midas locations nationwide make any needed repairs before handing over the cars to the recipients, who then take ownership of a reliable car without the burden of a lease, loan or additional maintenance.

“Transportation is vital to today’s families and job seekers, and we appreciate Midas and 1-800-Charity Cars for all they do to help our families,” Andrea Brantley, executive director of Family Promise of North Fulton/DeKalb. “Getting a vehicle is expensive, and unfortunately, it is out of reach for many people today who are overcoming situational homelessness. Programs like this are invaluable to families who, with a little support, can stand on their own.”

Situational homelessness could worsen because of COVID-19, but programs like Project Spark help families overcome a key obstacle to maintaining employment. To date, Midas has repaired about 50 cars donated nationwide as part of Project Spark.

“We’re happy to have this opportunity to partner with such worthy organizations that are giving opportunities to deserving families,” said Louis Lugo, senior marketing manager for Midas. “We know the importance of reliable transportation, and we have the power to help transform lives just by fixing cars.”

1-800-Charity Cars, established in 1996, provides free donated vehicles to help struggling families as they transition to self-sufficiency. Last year, the organization gave away cars worth a combined $6.4 million.

“We know it doesn’t take much for people to find themselves in a difficult situation, and we’re proud to give a helping hand,” said Brian Menzies, CEO of The Original 1-800-Charity Cars. “This donation allows us to help even more families and give them a leg up they need in this especially difficult time.”

Family Promise of North Fulton/DeKalb has worked with 25 congregations in metro Atlanta to find permanent housing for 80 families. As a result, 178 children and 85 adults, mostly single mothers, now have a place to call home.

For more information, visit familypromisenfd.org.

The fight against situational homelessness continues during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic will have a long-lasting effect on situational homelessness as people struggle to find work even as the world and the economy works to rebound.

“I do see the homeless situation getting worse because of COVID-19,” said Andrea Brantley, executive director of Family Promise of North Fulton/DeKalb.

The organization works with local congregations to house up to four families at a time. But, even as the COVID-19 pandemic starts to subside, Brantley worries more people could find themselves situationally homeless.

“A lot of us don’t realize that there’s homeless in our communities,” Brantley said. “People have a perception of what homelessness looks like and which communities it is in, or not in, however, that’s not the case. For many families, situational homelessness looks like sleeping in their car or living out of a motel when they can’t afford a permanent place to stay. It’s families within every community that have fallen behind.”

Despite the COVID-19 outbreak, the fight against situational homelessness continues. While Family Promise of North Fulton/DeKalb usually rotates families among its congregation partners, the organization has opted to limit the movement of families and their level of interaction with volunteers.

Despite the restrictions, a caseworker still meets with the families to ensure they have what they need. And the organization helped find employment for a single mother enrolled in its program.

“We haven’t missed a beat,” Brantley said. “We continue to empower our families, lift them up and connect them with resources. We continue to do our job the best we can while making adjustments to meet new the safety requirements.”

To date, 25 congregations across metro Atlanta have helped more than 80 families — including 178 children and 85 adults, principally single mothers — find permanent housing.

While COVID-19 has limited in-person volunteering opportunities for the moment, the organization is always looking for new creative partnerships and innovations in the fight against situational homelessness.

“We’re always looking for partners. A partnership doesn’t need to be a financial one,” Brantley said. “We’re continually looking for new ways we can work with members of the community to raise awareness about situational homelessness.”

For more information, follow Family Promise of North Fulton/DeKalb on Facebook at facebook.com/FamilyPromisenfd or sign up for the organization’s newsletter at familypromisenfd.org.

Situational Homelessness and COVID-19

The COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak has been trying for everyone, but it has been particularly difficult for families experiencing situational homelessness.

Family Promise of North Fulton/DeKalb is working to protect our guests, staff members and volunteers without reducing our efforts to provide temporary assistance, hospitality and case management for families with children experiencing homelessness. We remain committed to finding a stable place for families to stay, so they aren’t relocating weekly.

The Family Day Center is operating as usual with space for both adults and children. However, we have made a few changes to our protocol. We are minimizing the number of volunteers interacting with the families at this time, and we are asking families to limit their movement.

Family Promise of North Fulton/DeKalb has seen no suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19. Out of an abundance of caution, we have implemented proactive measures to combat its spread, including a multi-point prevention plan that calls for enhanced cleaning of our facilities and protocols should a guest, staff member or volunteer exhibit symptoms.

We appreciate the community’s continued support to help us carry out our mission.