May Share the Plate: Nicholas House

This May, Northwest is pleased to Share-the-Plate with Nicholas House. Nicholas House is an Atlanta shelter that provides housing to homeless families regardless of family composition. They provide temporary housing while addressing the root causes of family homelessness.

Thirty-seven percent of all of Georgiaā€™s homeless ā€“ and nearly half in metro Atlanta counties ā€“ are families with children.  Homeless families often have to face being split up in order to receive services since shelters can divide the populations served by gender and by age.  Large families may struggle to stay together and fathers may not be able to stay with their families. Teenage boys as young as 12 or 13 may be forced to split from their mother and younger siblings.  

Nicholas House keeps these families together.  It operates a temporary shelter in Grant Park, as well as a number of apartment sites where families can make the transition from homelessness to self-sufficiency in a structured, home-like, supported environment.  While the family resides there, Nicholas House assists them in identifying ways to earn a living wage, maintain the physical, mental and social health of the parents and children, and obtain safe and affordable housing. Nicholas Houseā€™s client-families also receive wrap-around services for up to two years after leaving the shelter to ensure that they remain stably housed and self-sufficient.  

Roughly 300 homeless personsā€”parents and childrenā€”rely upon Nicholas House every night, and more than 600 receive services every year.  Throughout May, half of all non-designated funds collected during each of the Sunday services will be sent to support these families. If you wish, you may designate all of your donation to the organization by writing ā€œNicholas Houseā€ in the memo line of your check.  Please consider donating as generously as you are able.