Nonprofit Devoted to Ending Homelessness – One Family at a Time – Exceeds Record-Setting 2022 Results at Annual Benefit Golf Tournament
Duluth, Ga., May 16, 2023 – Golfers strive to improve their game every time they step out on the links. The same holds true for Duluth-based nonprofit Rainbow Village. With a mission to bring Help, Hope, Housing, and Healing to families experiencing homelessness in Metro Atlanta, Rainbow Village hosts two major fundraising events each year – its Second Chance Golf Classic and We Are Family Benefit Gala. For the last three years in a row, Rainbow Village has been perfecting its swing – resulting in record-breaking fundraising from one year to the next. On April 17, Rainbow Village staffers, supporters, sponsors, and golfers stepped out onto the greens at TPC Sugarloaf under sunny skies. By the end of the tournament – presented by Northside Hospital – the nonprofit had raised an astounding $37,777 more than the 2022 tournament. The end result was $190,777 raised and 132 happy golfers – with the Justice League team taking home top honors.
“A golf tournament is a wonderful way to raise funds and awareness for such a critical pursuit,” said Rainbow Village CEO Melanie Conner. “That pursuit is to equip families in need with invaluable tools like transitional housing and transformational programming, allowing them to catch their breath and pursue a journey to self-sustainability. It’s not unusual for a golf course to be a happy place, but there was a palpable sense of community out there that day. From our 55 incredible sponsors to everyone who picked up a club, we all knew we were there for an essential purpose. Those funds will go a long way in helping us provide ‘mulligans’ to families in need – both on our campus in Duluth and through our new outreach homelessness prevention program. On behalf of the staff and families of Rainbow Village, I’d like to thank the sponsors, golfers, volunteers, donors, and auction bidders who made this year’s event such an amazing triumph. As with everything we do, it really does take a Village, and we are so grateful for their continued support.”
Adding to the fun of the event and the ability to raise more funds than the previous year was the incorporation of an online auction – sponsored by Columbia Engineering. The auction boasted sports memorabilia and a collection of experiences, like a ROVAL 400 NASCAR Cup Experience, a romantic one-night getaway to Chattanooga, Tenn., Atlanta United Match Day Experience, a golf foursome at The River Club, and more.
In addition to the Second Chance Golf Classic first-place team, the Rainbow Village benefit golf tournament resulted in the following:
• Second Place: Northeast Georgia Health System
• Third Place: Allstate Electric
• Closest to the Pin winners: Dick LoPresti & Gary Clayton
• Longest Drive winner: Brady Cliett
• Putting Contest winner: Kevin Kranz
• Hole-in-One Contest winners: Rainbow Village Residents
Beyond Northside Hospital, just some sponsors of the event included the Scott and Holly Phelan Foundation, Team Spring, ER Snell, Abernathy Development Company, MotorCars of ATL, Axis, Subaru of Gwinnett, Piedmont Bank, Fortune-Johnson, NE Georgia Health System, and Suzanna’s Kitchen. In addition, SRD Photography was on hand to capture the day as the Photography Sponsor.
The date for the 2024 Second Chance Golf Classic has already been set. Supporters of Rainbow Village and lovers of golf are encouraged to mark their calendars for April 15, 2024. Rainbow Village’s next major fundraiser of the year – the Rainbow Village “We Are Family” Benefit Gala – will take place Saturday, October 7, at Atlanta Athletic Club. To learn more about the mission at the heart of Rainbow Village, make a tax-deductible donation, or register as a volunteer, visit www.RainbowVillage.org. To stay up-to-date on the latest Rainbow Village news and events, the nonprofit invites you to connect with them on social media, including Facebook @RainbowVillageInc, Instagram @rainbowvillageinc, Twitter @rainbowvillage1, and LinkedIn @rainbow-village-inc.
