History

1991

Rainbow House is Born

Josh Costell gifted $25,000 to Christ Church Episcopal in Norcross, GA in honor of his mother whose home served as a safe haven for his friends. Rainbow House was launched as an outreach ministry in a house renovated by church members. The leased property housed two families in 90-day rotations.

1995

Say Hello to Rev. Nancy Yancey!

Rainbow House became Rainbow Village, Inc., an independent registered 501(c)3 non-profit with Rev. Nancy Yancey serving as Chief Executive Officer. 

1998

Rainbow Village Moves to Duluth

Atlanta developer and philanthropist Scott Hudgens and his wife, Jacquline, donated $500,000 to purchase two quadruplexes in Duluth, GA., paving the way for Rainbow Village not only to move from Norcross but also to serve more families than ever before.

2002-2006

Expanding Services

The Joel P. Hudson Family Service Center opened in a rental home from Georgia Power. The after school and life skills training classes were held there. In 2006, mental health counseling was added to the list of services provided through the Rainbow Village program.

2008

Construction & Capital Campaigns

Rainbow Village received a second $500,000 donation from the Hudgens family in 2007 and launched an $8.8 million capital campaign the following year to construct an all-inclusive village. The project included expanding programs, offering on-site childcare and tripling the number of families served.

Watch our Campus tour below

2016

Cheers to 25 Years

Rainbow Village celebrated 25 years of serving homeless families with a slate of commemorative events and the completion of the five-year capital campaign. The all-inclusive village was completed. This increased the capacity to serve 30 families. 

Our Residential Village includes a breadth of services and spaces that foster community, such as larger meeting spaces, a chapel, a group dining room, child care and after school activities in addition to the counseling and skills training.

2017-Present

Welcome Rev. Melanie Conner

The Rev. Melanie Conner takes the helm as CEO when Rev. Nancy Yancey retires after 24 years of service. Rev. Conner’s focus is on the organization’s next phase of growth: programs and services provided to families.

2021 & Beyond...

Rainbow Village is Turning 30!

In 2021, Rainbow Village celebrates its 30th year, we’re focusing on delivering the most accessible and impactful self-sufficiency programming for our residents, alumni, and the greater community. We’ve outlined the steps in our most recent strategic plan.