Rainbow Village

Breaking the cycle of homelessness, poverty, and domestic violence

Homelessness GA

Rainbow Village Witnesses Outpouring from Community during First Ever Virtual Benefit Gala

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Largest Fundraiser of the Year to Support the Programs of Nonprofit Dedicated to Ending Homelessness – One Family at a Time – Proves an Unexpected Success

Duluth, Ga., November 17, 2020 – Each year for the last 22 years, Rainbow Village has played host to its much-anticipated We Are Family Benefit Gala – marking the nonprofit’s largest annual fundraiser. Easily earning the title of the event of the season, guests arrive at The Atlanta Athletic Club dressed in gowns and tuxedos to not only learn about the important work Rainbow Village is doing to help homeless families in need, but also to learn what they can do to help. At the end of last year’s Benefit Gala, the Duluth-based nonprofit had touched the hearts of its 300+ guests and raised an unprecedented $337,893 to support operation and maintenance of Rainbow Village’s campus that houses a community center, family services center and apartments to house 30 families, as well as the life-changing programming it offers that allow families to confidently embark on the journey to self-sufficiency and thrive beyond their time at the “Village.” In the face of COVID-19, Rainbow Village made the difficult decision to take this beloved event virtual. It livestreamed on Saturday, November 7, and by the end of the evening, the nonprofit had raised $220,000 – well above its goal.

“Because we weren’t hosting the Gala at our favorite ballroom at the Atlanta Athletic Club, we didn’t charge admission – which usually helps cover the cost of the venue but also goes towards our fundraising goal,” said Melanie Conner, CEO of Rainbow Village. “For that reason, our goal was a bit more conservative than in years past. Not to mention the fact that our livestream was running up against some contentious college football games and we weren’t certain how much our donor base had been affected by the pandemic from a health and financial standpoint. There were a lot of uncertainties going into the event, but uncertainty is what our residents have faced for much of their lives – they’ve lived and breathed it – but kept the faith. That faith… that HOPE… is what brought them to our door. So, we chose to keep the faith, too, and host the best virtual Gala event we could possibly design. It was different, for sure. We didn’t get to see the faces of those who gave so selflessly and watched our livestream from beginning to end. We could definitely feel the love by the time all was said and done, and we are so incredibly grateful for the amazing show of support.”

In addition to direct donations, the bulk of the funds raised were from sponsorships, purchases from the wine wall and mobile bidding that allowed guests to participate in the silent and live auctions. During the livestream event, virtual attendees were treated to banter from Conner and auctioneer Dean Crownover, a heartfelt testimonial from a former Rainbow Village resident and a “behind-the-scenes” virtual tour of the Rainbow Village campus. For anyone unable to attend the Gala who still wants to show their support for the nonprofit and the families it serves, Rainbow Village has launched its year-end campaign to meet all operational costs for 2020. Included among these costs are the maintenance of its facilities and the unforeseen expenses of Digital Learning support for the children of Rainbow Village, such as the purchase of new technology and the hiring of full-time instructional coaches.

Sponsors of this year’s event, dubbed the 2020 Rainbow Village We Are Always Family Benefit Gala, included: Northside Hospital-Gwinnett, Metro Waterproofing Inc., Wilson-Lewis CPAs, Porter Steel, Pleasant Hill Presbyterian Church, Rock Paper Scissors Branding & Marketing, Quantum National Bank, Community Foundation for Northeast Georgia, Peachtree Corners Business Association, SRD Photography, CIBO & VINO, Jeremy Whigham Design, The Lorentzen Family, The Bass Family, The Fletcher Family, The Morgan Family, The Kress Family and Leslie Harrison.

Donations to Rainbow Village can be made securely online at www.RainbowVillage.org.

About Rainbow Village:  Established in 1991, Rainbow Village is a transformative 501(c)3 nonprofit program located in Duluth, GA that serves families that are currently experiencing homelessness. Our model provides safe housing, education, and community support systems that allow families to confidently embark on the journey to self-sufficiency and thrive beyond our village. To learn more about Rainbow Village, register as a volunteer or make a tax-deductible donation, visit www.rainbowvillage.org.

Rainbow Village Adds Two Community Leaders to its Board of Directors

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Dr. Jann Joseph of Georgia Gwinnett College and Jill Edwards of United Community Bank Mark the Newest Additions to the Board for Georgia Nonprofit Dedicated to Breaking the Cycles of Homelessness, Poverty and Domestic Violence

Dr. Jann Joseph and Jill Edwards join the Rainbow Village Board of Directors

Duluth, Ga., July 2, 2020 – Representing highly respected members of the leadership teams at a local institution of higher learning and a regional Southeast financial institution, the two newest additions to the Board of Directors for Rainbow Village have all the makings of a dynamic duo for the 29-year-old nonprofit. Tasked with breaking the cycles of homelessness, poverty and domestic violence, Rainbow Village is proud to add the talents of President of Georgia Gwinnett College, Dr. Jann Joseph and Senior Vice President of United Community Bank, Jill Edwards to its mission to transform the lives of the families it serves in Northeast Metro Atlanta.

A lifetime educator and relative newcomer to Georgia, Dr. Joseph has been at the helm of Georgia Gwinnett College since July 2019. Eager to serve and get tapped into the area, Joseph joined the Board for the Gwinnett Chamber, where she met Jill Edwards. Celebrating her 34th anniversary in banking – primarily in Northeast Georgia, Edwards counts connecting people among her greatest talents. She was intimately familiar with Rainbow Village – having aided in the funding of the second phase of apartment buildings on the nonprofit’s campus. With a shared desire to positively impact the lives of women and children in need, Edwards introduced Joseph to Rainbow Village and the two joined the Board of Directors together.

“I felt a connection to the mission at Rainbow Village,” said Dr. Joseph. “I had been asking myself ‘how do I use my time and energy to help people who keep working and keep fighting but need a voice.’ Our life decisions can easily become mistakes and a series of mistakes can mean one’s life is not turning out the way one hoped it would. From a spiritual perspective, I say ‘There but by the grace of God go I.’ For some of these women, it involves the decision of the people they choose to have in their life. I was fortunate to be happily married for 36 years to a man who was devoted to me and our children. If he had not been the man he was, I could have been homeless. Instead, I had a support system. Many of the families who come to Rainbow Village haven’t had a support system to lift them up. This program represents an opportunity for homeless families – often led by single mothers – to start over and reach their full potential.”

Joseph looks forward to becoming part of the conversation and ongoing evolution at Rainbow Village – particularly where the After-School Program is concerned. As a former middle school teacher, she looks forward to setting tangible goals, being able to contribute to them, witness measurable gains and add value during her time on the board. She also hopes to have a personal impact on the spiritual and emotional life of the women at Rainbow Village.

Jill Edwards echoes a similar desire to have a personal impact in her work with the nonprofit, “I learned about Rainbow Village nearly 25 years ago from Barbara Howard, who was a community legend and major supporter of the nonprofit. In all the years since, I’ve been to many of the lunches, events and galas. I’ve heard the compelling stories of how lives had been transformed by Rainbow Village. I recently asked their CEO, Melanie Conner, if she believed I could be of value to her organization and why. She could sense that I wanted to give back and felt my involvement and deep roots within the business community would prove invaluable. It was the right thing to do at the right time for me. Since joining the board, I’ve had meaningful conversations about Rainbow Village with dozens of people. It’s amazing to me that there are still people out there in the Northeast Georgia community who don’t know about Rainbow Village and the important work they are doing on behalf of homeless families with children.”

Edwards said she is most impressed with the accountability and structure at Rainbow Village – that it represents a hand grabbing another hand to lift them up rather than giving them a handout. She feels the combination of career training and financial counseling are game-changers for many of these families – allowing them to walk away with skills they didn’t have when they arrived. To her, Rainbow Village builds confidence and restores a sense of pride before giving its residents the belief that they’ve regained control of their lives. In doing so, the graduates of the program enjoy long-lasting results and success beyond the borders of the Rainbow Village campus.

“We are incredibly honored to have these two fantastic women serve on our Board of Directors,” said Melanie Conner, CEO for Rainbow Village. “Each comes with her own unique set of skills, a wealth of wonderful ideas and a heart for serving others. We feel extremely blessed to welcome Dr. Jann Joseph and Jill Edwards to Rainbow Village.”

In addition to their positions on the boards for Rainbow Village and the Gwinnett Chamber, both Joseph and Edwards serve on several other boards. Joseph also lends her talents to Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful and the Georgia Hispanic Chamber, while Edwards remains busy with her service on the boards of the Gwinnett Place CID, Across the Bridge – a nonprofit dedicated to bringing addicts to Christ, and the Gwinnett Coalition for Health and Human Services – where she serves as Treasurer. When they’re not working in their respective leadership roles or attending board meetings, Joseph and Edwards enjoy spending time with family. Joseph is exceedingly proud of her three sons, three daughters-in-law and four grandchildren. Edwards and her husband of 25 years, Greg, have a son at Mercer University and a daughter at Greater Atlanta Christian Academy. In her spare time, Edwards enjoys riding bikes, playing tennis and going to the beach.

For more information about Rainbow Village and its programs, please visit www.rainbowvillage.org.

About Rainbow Village:  Established in 1991 and based in Duluth, Georgia, Rainbow Village is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization devoted to breaking the cycles of homelessness, poverty and domestic violence. Committed to serving as a “community of transformation”, Rainbow Village applies a holistic, two-generational approach to serving homeless families with children. With the goal of helping families achieve emotional stability and financial independence, Rainbow Village provides housing, early childhood education and after-school care, child and youth programming, financial planning, career counseling, workforce readiness, mental health counseling, community events and more. Rainbow Village accepts applications from homeless families with minor children throughout Georgia. To learn more about Rainbow Village, register as a volunteer or make a donation, visit www.rainbowvillage.org.