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County opens hearts, wallets to evacuees

By BEN NELMS
bnelms@TheCitizenNews.com

Individuals, churches, businesses and organizations in Southwest Fulton taking an active role in the relief effort to benefit evacuees of Hurricane Katrina seem almost endless. For many evacuees their homes, their possessions, the life they knew, is all gone.

Local churches and other non-profit organizations are the main collection centers for donations of money and food, clothing and diapers, shoes and toiletries, housing and hope for what can only be estimated as 200-400 residents of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama that made their way to private residences and many of the motels and hotels in Southwest Fulton County. Yet far from the sole source of support, businesses, too, are in the thick of the giving. And in every case, the local people assisting evacuees were found with cheer in their voices and smiles on their faces. It was a living snapshot of humanity at its best, giving without measure.

Of the many local efforts, Fairburn First Methodist Church Youth Director Debbie Jenkins and her young charges provided food, clothing and comfort to families staying in motels in Union City and near the airport. Two of the families receiving help came from New Orleans and Slidell. The Methodist Youth House on Washington Street served as a backdrop for the children of one family to play ball while his parents were helped with acclimating to a new environment in a new state. Another family, eight members in total including a woman eight months pregnant, also found help through the church.

“We need non-perishable food, diapers, clothes, money, books and toys for the kids and all kinds of baby items,” Jenkins said. “Shoes and clothes already collected by out youth group went to the people we’re helping. We’ll do whatever we need to do to help.”

These and so many others came to the attention of local churches through an assortment of means, such as contacts from local hotels and assistance agencies. Some that fled made it out before Katrina’s damage was done. Others fled much later. Many have nothing to go home to, determined to start a new life here. They are determined to find jobs and homes and enroll their children in local schools. They are beginning to access Red Cross and other agencies that can provide a little relief to a desperate situation, one that many people not in their position can only imagine.

Fairburn First Methodist Church office can be contacted by calling (770) 964-3393. Debbie Jenkins can be contacted at (404) 277-9786.

Born Again Bargains Thrift Store in Fairburn’s Hudson Plaza, a ministry of Southwest Christian Care in Union City, has their own way of contributing to the relief effort. Assistant Manager Debby Sorrow explained that private individuals at Southwest Christian Church have donated $1,000 to cover the cost of a one-time shopping trip for evacuees to obtain whatever they may need at the thrift store at no cost. To access the free program individuals must present a valid driver’s license from Louisiana, Alabama or Mississippi or present documentation from a church or relief agency to verify the need. The program began Thursday and will continue until the donated funds are exhausted unless extended by other donors.

Born Again Bargains entered the relief effort early, marking all items storewide at 25 cents per item last Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Families and extended families with as many as 20 members were able to obtain some of the things that had to be left behind, Sorrow said.

Born Again Bargains is accepting donations of all kinds at its Hudson Plaza store in Fairburn. The contact number is (770) 774-9050.

Just down the road in Union City, members at God’s Tabernacle of Praise are providing support to members and former members affected by Katrina. Pastor B.J. Woods said a former church member moved to Biloxi after marrying a Navy man. The advent of Katrina left their apartment unlivable, so church members are providing housing and funds for clothes until the couple can get on their feet again, said Woods. Church members are also assisting a local family whose husband worked with Amtrak in New Orleans. The devastation caused the loss of his job so the church is helping the family relocate to Chicago so that he can maintain his job with the company, Woods said.

Just off Ga. Highway 138 on Shannon Parkway is the location of South Fulton Business & Empowerment Center, a ministry of Open Word Christian Ministries in Fairburn. Ordinarily a business start-up ministry, South Fulton Business & Empowerment added to its ministry once Katrina did her damage. The center is providing food, clothing, toiletries and endless contact assistance to local, state and federal relief agencies. The center is also directing inquiries to other churches participating in the relief effort. Assistant Manager Barbara Stallings said center representatives are also approaching apartments about housing for evacuees.

“We are helping people in several private homes that are helping people that have come from Mississippi and New Orleans. One family has as many as 30 people in their home,” said Stallings. “A lot of people are in local hotels and motels. We’re trying to get them out because FEMA will only keep them in their for one to two weeks, I’m told. So we’re trying to get them into apartments.”

South Fulton Business & Empowerment is also providing modes of assistance beyond the customary relief effort. They are helping establish people with jobs.

“We are also giving people jobs as teachers for our XYZ Open Word’s after school program,” Stallings added. “And here at South Fulton Business & Empowerment we have a certified security business, so they are also trying to help people get jobs in the security field.”

Stallings said the center took on its enhanced role last Wednesday when Georgia Dept. of Human Resources could not handle the influx of people. Some of the arrivals were directed to the center, she said. She said the influx of evacuees has peaked, but those receiving services are telling their friends, so the center is continuing to provide assistance.

“There are a lot of people coming here that have skills, that had jobs, that are business owners that lost everything,” Stalling said. “They know what direction they want to go in, so they are only asking for a place to stay and a little stability and they will take it from there. They are survivors.”

A sad side to the generosity came by way of an evacuee that had been employed at Walmart in New Orleans and received monetary assistance and secured a job from the local Walmart. Everything was going great for the woman, until...

“She had a car and went to get an apartment. While she was in the apartment office someone stole her car with her money and everything she had in it,” Stallings explained.

Stallings had nothing but praise for individuals that hear about the effort and bring a variety of items. And it’s not just individuals that are making a difference.

“We were going to do toiletries and get people placed, but people started bringing in clothes, lots of clothes, so we’re doing clothes, too,” she said with a smile. “We asked Wal-Mart and they opened their heart. The corporation has already given $17 million but the Super Wal-Mart in Union City has been phenomenal. They are donating directly to us because we are a non-profit.”

As for the overall impact intended by South Fulton Business & Empowerment, Stallings said the organization is committed to help in every aspect of relief that can have a positive impact on those in need.

“We’re here to help. The church is here to help. We’re here to help hurting people in any way we can,” Stallings confirmed. “That includes physically, mentally and spiritually.”

South Fulton Business & Empowerment Center is located in Suite 1A at 6810 Shannon Parkway in the Shannon Walk Shopping Center behind Arby’s on Hwy. 138 and directly adjacent to the IHOP Restaurant parking lot. The contact number is (770) 964-5744.

A few blocks down Shannon Parkway at the Microtel Inn, Director of Sales Stephanie Kelley stood behind the check-in counter. Aside from assisting the evacuees with lodging, Kelley keeps a chain of Post-It notes hanging from the counter and nearly reaches the floor. The little note cards are filled with contact and other information for churches and non-profits, FEMA, Red Cross, United Way and Traveler’s Aid. From a surface view, her mission is complex. But from another viewpoint it is quite simple.

“These are people in trouble,” Kelley said, her eyes sparkling. “God is watching to see what our reaction will be to the problems of others. Disaster or not, it’s about more than those in need. It’s also about how we react to their troubles.”

Microtel was one of many local motels, restaurants and other businesses, churches, organizations and individual residents responding to the needs of those who have made their way to Southwest Fulton County as they fled the devastation wrought by Katrina. In so many cases, known and unknown, local people stepped forward to help meet their needs.

There is a calling to help others in need. It comes from the heart. The answer to that call is directly evident in the response that is given. The examples cited above were only a few of the many that are helping to make a difference in the lives of so many from so far away and in such great need. As in so many other cities and states in a time of need, the people of Southwest Fulton displayed the willingness to live a simple but powerful truth: the only way to make a difference is to be the difference.