In 1954, Brown v. Board of Education ruled that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. However, since the 1960s, schools have once again become more and more segregated.

In the South today, 82% of Black students attend schools where students of color make up the majority. There are also disparities with respect to educational outcomes, including lower graduation rates, test scores, course completions, and more.

These educational disparities can have a lasting impact on children’s confidence and their ability to imagine different opportunities for themselves.

The Brown v. Board of Education ruling overturned the “separate but equal” policy, but unfortunately, it will take more than a single ruling to create an equitable educational system.

Miles to Go

In 2024, the Southern Education Foundation released Miles To Go: The State of Education for Black Students in America. The report examines the different educational outcomes facing white and Black students, finding that many stem from “opportunity gaps” that prevent many students of color from accessing opportunities to learn and succeed.

Some of these include low funding for school districts that serve Black students, lack of access to early childhood education, fewer opportunities for rigorous coursework (such as AP classes), Black teacher shortages, disproportionate school disciplinary practices, and, of course, the wide range of social and economic factors that continue to promote modern day segregation in the first place.

Showing Up for One Another

Advocating for equitable education policies is important. But history has shown that we can’t afford to wait for the system to fix itself.

In addition to the vital work organizations like the Southern Education Foundation is doing to advance equitable education policies, we also need to show up for one another locally, providing the support that school districts aren’t always able to.

At Emmaus House, we recognize the important role education plays in empowering children, youth, and adults to overcome challenges and change the systems around us. That’s why we prioritize educational supports like afterschool programming and the CDF Freedom School.

Click below to learn more about the strategic priorities that inform our work.

April was National Volunteer Month. As nonprofits, we often spend a lot of time talking about the challenges our communities face and the support we offer. But we don’t always talk enough about the vital role volunteers play in advancing our mission and lifting up our community.

For a place-based mission like Emmaus House, this is especially true. We don’t just serve the community, we are the community. Our campus is a space for community members to connect with one another and lift each other up through service.

For that reason, our volunteers aren’t just part-time workers—they are the very spirit of what we’re doing, and, as such, they deserve both our respect and our recognition.

In Their Words

We’re grateful to everyone who helps out at Emmaus House, whether it’s after school or during the holidays, but we want to call out a few of our long-term volunteers specifically for everything they do day in and day out to support and strengthen our community.

In honor of National Volunteer Week—and our profound appreciation for all that they do—we reached out to our Lokey Help Center volunteers to learn a little about what their experience volunteering has meant to them.

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Lokey Help Center Volunteers

The Lokey Help Center offers a wide range of community services, all under one roof. From help with SNAP applications to Georgia ID assistance, disability insurance applications, and more, Lokey is a place where residents go to be seen and served.

Chenelle Garner

As a child, the summer program taught me the importance of helping others. Being a volunteer allows me to pass on the gift that was given to me at a very young age. My work with Emmaus House has taught me to look at people from the heart’s perspective. It has shown me that, when you show you care, it can change someone’s life.

Mark Laster

I grew up in this community and volunteering allowed me to see how much the community needs resources like food and help with things like food stamps and disability help. I like helping put food in families’ homes. I have been volunteering at Emmaus House for 10 years now and plan to make it another 10!

Annie Swinger

Emmaus House helps our community by taking some of the weight off families. They helped me when I was in need. I wanted to give back and be a part of the change. Anybody can give their time and every little bit helps. When I came, I only volunteered for 2 hours for 2 days. Once COVID hit, I saw the increased need and wanted to help more. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Harris Allen

My volunteer work at Emmaus House has expanded my sense of community into areas of Atlanta with which I previously had little contact. It has provided a simple, concrete way for me to give back, which is worthwhile and rewarding on so many levels. The friendships I’ve made here have become an enriching and significant part of my life.

Mary Ann Schneider

It upsets me when the most vulnerable people are not able to get their government benefits. There just isn’t enough time, energy and stamina to do all that needs doing to make people’s lives a little more tolerable.

Stephanie Sherman

The mission to help others in need led me here. Since then, I have learned so much and grown in spirit. No matter what their struggles, the people in this community remain hopeful and use their sense of humor and religion to get through the day. I am thankful for the opportunity to volunteer at Emmaus House.

Colleen O’Rourke

I began volunteering at Emmaus House at the start of the COVID pandemic when my other volunteer activities were closed. I knew about the good work they were doing and wanted to be a part of it. Volunteering with Emmaus House has shown me how close-knit the community is and how grateful our clients are for the services we provide. The staff at Emmaus House are truly committed to the welfare of our clients and of the community!

Brian O’Rourke

I began volunteering because Emmaus House needed help and I had the extra time. People in the community are very appreciative of the services we provide. It’s nice to see people leave happy with full grocery bags and/or after getting help with social services.

Geannette Fuentes

Everyone is going through their own health and financial challenges. No one is immune. We all go through difficult times. At Emmaus House, we help each other with love and respect. It’s rewarding to help people open doors to benefits that can change their lives in a positive way. I am proud to be part of the Emmaus House family.

Rev. Derrick D. Henderson

I was inspired to volunteer at Emmaus House because, growing up, I saw so many people in need and wanted to give back what was given to me. Emmaus House has been around for over 50 years thanks to the vision of a young priest; that vision helped make me who I am today. Volunteering has taught me that we are family, and when family is in need, you show them love the way Jesus loves us all.

Peggy Ballard

In my twenties, I volunteered with a group hosting Halloween parties for children at Emmaus House. The kid’s excitement created memories that stayed with me. Now, 50+ years later, I wanted to be involved again. Being part of this community has shown me that, regardless of circumstance, we all desire the same fundamental things and deserve the same basic necessities: shelter, food, clothing, healthcare, and meaningful work. This community enriches my life in ways I never anticipated. I've discovered that receiving these unexpected treasures often begins with a simple question: "How can I help?”

Mark Clark

My mother inspired me to start volunteering at Emmaus House. She was the type of person to help anybody and everybody. She taught me that you have to give people a helping hand and send them out better than the way they came in. People in this part of Atlanta need our help and many of them don't know where to turn. I have been volunteering for over 30 years now and there is still so much to be done.

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Volunteering allows friends of Emmaus House to walk alongside our program participants in mutually beneficial ways.

To learn more about volunteer opportunities at Emmaus House, visit: emmaushouseatlanta.org/volunteer.

The COVID lockdowns were hard for many of us, but they were especially hard for our vulnerable neighbors who have difficulty affording and accessing healthy food options. Those who don’t have access to a car, for example, might find it difficult to reach food bank locations and other forms of assistance.

One of the ways communities responded to this issue during the pandemic was expanding the number of “free fridges,” making food accessible 24 hours a day without any red tape or bureaucracy to navigate.

At their peak, there were six free fridge locations around Atlanta.

In August of this year, the last one closed.

Opportunity & Access

Free, healthy food options are critical supports for vulnerable neighbors in our community, but just as important as the food is the ability to access it.

The Emmaus House Food Pantry provides more than 75 households in our community with healthy food options annually. Our food supply, however, is currently lower than we would like, especially with winter around the corner.

Click below for a list of items we’re seeking and to learn more about how you can support the Emmaus House Food Pantry.

Anyone who has ever put together a monthly budget is probably familiar with the idea of spending categories. 

There are expenses we can adjust, such as subscription services, shopping, and other discretionary items, and then there are those we have little control over (rent/mortgage, utilities, car payments, insurance, etc).

The amount we commit each month to these fixed categories dictates how much is left over to pay for other necessary expenses, capitalize on opportunities, and respond to unexpected emergencies.

According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, anyone devoting more than 30% of their income to housing is considered “cost burdened” and may struggle to pay for other necessities, such as food, clothing, transportation, and medical care.

An Unequal Burden

Last year, a majority of tenant households in 21 U.S. states were spending 30% or more of their incomes on rent and utilities (compared to 7 states in 2019). According to an article from WABE, Georgia had one of the highest increases in cost-burdened tenants, rising from 48.4% in 2022 to 53.7% in 2023.

“The impact of high-cost living places even more financial burden on families at the margins of low income and poverty,” says Alison Johnson, executive director of the Housing Justice League. “When we do not meet the needs of cost-burdened families, their cost-of-living budgets extract from other important life costs, such as healthcare, food, transportation, and childcare.

This is particularly significant for many Black Atlantans, whose capacity for building wealth is impacted by structural systems of oppression. For these cost-burdened households, financial mobility is critical for breaking free of the structural determinants that impact our communities and limit Black wealth. 

And without it, the cycle may be doomed to repeat itself.  

Lightening the Load

Our Lokey Help Center promotes financial mobility in our community by assisting cost-burdened neighbors with things like rent, mortgage, and utility bills. 

Click below to learn more about this and other services offered through the Lokey Help Center.

On Friday, September 6, we’ll be partnering with the Atlanta Community Food Bank to host another free mobile food market at Emmaus House. We’ll be welcoming families from Atlanta and surrounding communities as they receive 30-40 lbs of assorted food items and fresh produce free of charge.

Depending on families’ circumstances and where they live, accessing healthy foods isn’t always easy. You can help us combat food insecurity and other barriers facing our community by donating to Emmaus House. Your support makes a world of difference for the people and communities we serve.

School is back and that means Youth on the Move is starting again on Monday, August 19. 

Every day after school, middle and high school students gather in Ezzard Hall to check in with staff members, receive homework assistance, and participate in enrichment activities. They also explore college and career opportunities through a series of presentations and workshops.

Youth on the Move gives students the support they need to excel in school, explore interests, and prepare for success as adults. 

We’re currently seeking positive and encouraging volunteers to help students with their homework, as well as career and college prep speakers. Click below to learn how you can help empower our students this school year.

We’re blessed to work with an incredible group of volunteers who are passionate about serving our community. Some of them have worked with us for quite a long time. So this year, we thought: “What better way to celebrate National Nonprofit Day than to lift up one of our longtime volunteers, Rev. Derrick Henderson?”

Reverend Derrick Henderson is a licensed and ordained Baptist minister and has worked in and around Emmaus House for more than 40 years. 

There and Back Again

Rev. Derrick first discovered Emmaus House in 1979 when his cousins invited him to attend summer camp. Afterward, he began attending the chapel and Father Ford eventually asked him to direct the Study Hall. He would go on to work with the Poverty Rights Office and there provide direct assistance to neighbors in the community.

In his twenties, Rev. Derrick moved away to pursue ordination in the Baptist tradition. During this time, he led a number of churches as a Baptist minister but still visited Emmaus House when he could. In 2005, however, he had what he described as “an epiphany”: God was calling him back to Emmaus House to serve.

A Helping Hand

Since then, Rev. Derrick has continued to be an active and committed member of the Emmaus House Chapel, serving on various committees and leading many activities, although he has also served in many of our programs, primarily as a volunteer. 

He has assisted with our Summer programs (prior to the Freedom School), driven the Emmaus House van, led Bible study for the Seniors 555 group, volunteered with the food pantry as well as our holiday programs—whatever is needed, Rev. Derrick has always been there to help.

He has also comforted a number of families in their time of grief, leading several homegoing services for neighbors in Peoplestown. 

Lighting The Way

Rev. Derrick believes that to whom much has been given, much is expected. Over the years, he has continued to explore what it means to give back to those less fortunate, constantly asking himself, “How can I help?”

He’s grateful for the many opportunities he’s had through Emmaus House to lend a helping hand in the community. 

“Emmaus House is the lighthouse on the hill,” he says. And he hopes it will continue to be that light in the future. As long as it is, he continues to be ready, willing, and able to serve. 

As our Emmaus House Fellowship program wraps up next month, we couldn’t be more proud of all that our fellows have done and accomplished these past six months.

This six-month, cohort-based program seeks to develop the next generation of leaders by allowing young adults to learn about community challenges and add their voice to community-driven opportunities.

Each of our fellows pursues a different focus, and as they prepare to take the knowledge they’ve gained and apply it to their own lives and impacts, we wanted to check in to see what the past six months have meant to them.

Laurel looks forward to developing more targeted outreach strategies that connect community members to vital resources and opportunities. Inspired by local collaborations like the Rick McDevitt Youth Center's "compost bucket program,” she also plans to explore partnership opportunities, organize job opportunity events, and continue to advocate for policies and programs that address the needs of underserved communities.

Marcus plans to organize housing fair projects and workshops for people who need assistance finding housing or filling out housing applications. He also plans to collaborate with organizations that provide housing support, creating informational sessions that educate community members about their rights and available resources.

Click below to learn more about the Emmaus House Fellowship program.

Summer is an exciting time for children. Many of us have fond memories of how we occupied ourselves during the months when school was out. But for many children, schools provide an important safety net in terms of security, learning, guardianship, and also food.

For students who rely on school lunches and other nutritional opportunities, summer can be a time of great stress and hunger.

Summer Food Options

To address food insecurity during the summer, the Georgia Department of Education hosts the Seamless Summer Option: this allows districts to provide meals to students during the summer and other vacation periods. It provides free summer meals to children under 18 as well as students over 18 with mental or physical disabilities.

For residents of Peoplestown and surrounding areas, the Emmaus House Food Pantry provides our neighbors with healthy food options and the CDF Freedom School provides young scholars with nutritional opportunities for six weeks during the summer.

Serving Peoplestown and Beyond

On Saturday, June 29, we will also be partnering with the Atlanta Community Food Bank to host a free mobile food market at Emmaus House. This is a new monthly pop-up where families from Atlanta and surrounding communities can come to receive 30-40 lbs of assorted food items and fresh produce.

Click below to learn more about how we’re addressing food insecurity in our community this summer.