About Us
History
Breaking the Cycle of Homeless, Poverty and Domestic Violence
- 1991 – We began as Rainbow House; an outreach ministry of Christ Episcopal Church in Norcross, GA operating in a leased house renovated by church members into a duplex for two homeless families.
- 1995 – Rainbow House became Rainbow Village, Inc., an independent registered 501(c) (3) non-profit, operating for charitable purposes.
- 1998 – Scott and Jacqueline Hudgens donated $500,000 to purchase two quadraplexes in Duluth, GA.
- 2007 – The Hudgens Family Foundation made a second contribution of $500,000 to acquire property adjacent to the existing village for future expansion.
- 2011 – We launched an $8.8 million capital campaign to construct an all-inclusive village, expand programs, offer on-site child care, and triple the number of families served.
- 2012 – The Family Service Center and two newly constructed apartment buildings open.
- 2015 – A third new apartment building and the Early Childhood Development Center open.
- 2016 – We celebrated 25 years of serving homeless families with children with a slate of commemorative events and completion of the five-year capital campaign.
- 2017 – Two newly constructed apartment buildings opened, completing our all-inclusive village and increasing capacity from 18 to 30 families! The Rev. Nancy Yancy retired agter 24 years with Rainbow Village.
- 2018– Melanie Conner takes the helm as CEO with a focus on the organization’s next phase of growth.
Follow Rainbow Village’s continuing story on our Facebook Page.
Mission and Vision
Mission
Rainbow Village transforms the lives of homeless families with children by providing a stable community and services that instill initiative, self-development and accountability for future generations.
Vision
Our vision is to be a national model of an educational and holistic approach to breaking the cycle of homelessness, poverty and domestic violence.
Values
Love for God and Neighbor
Respect for the Dignity of Every Human Being
Support for Every Member of Our Community
Engage with Humility and Compassion
Good Stewardship
Need
We all have the same needs: safety, shelter, food, a healthy supportive community and an ongoing sense of home and family. But today in Georgia:
More than 500,000 children live in poverty stricken families.
More than 60,000 children experience homelessness.
The average age of a homeless person is 9 years old.
87% of homeless families say the lack of affordable housing is the primary cause of their homelessness.
Domestic Violence is the second most frequently stated cause of homelessness.
Currently the high school graduation rate for homeless children is less than 25%.
Source: State of Georgia Statistics
Rainbow Village Is Effective
74% of graduates secured independent housing
For the 4th year in a row, 100% of graduates completed a minimum of 3 family goals
Average increase in monthly income of graduates was $266
Source: Rainbow Village 2017 Outcome Data
We need your help!
Volunteer
Rainbow Village is committed to making sure our volunteers are well-trained and oriented to our work before we put you into action. Our Community Engagement staff coordinates internally with staff to provide a seamless and rewarding experience for our volunteers.
Donate
Our village has grown, from accommodating 18 to 30 families! Please join us in serving these 30 families by making a tax-deductible donation to help maintain the high-quality program that has transformed more than 1,000 lives since 1991.
Partner with Us
Since 1991, Rainbow Village’s numerous, long-standing collaborative partnerships with civic clubs and community organizations, faith-based groups and companies of all sizes have yielded the volunteer power and program support necessary to provide the full complement of services necessary for families to break the cycle of homelessness, poverty and domestic violence.
Stay Informed
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