It truly takes a village to make Emmaus House run. In addition to our hundreds of individual donors, we thank the many organizations that provide funding for our social service and education programs. In the first half of this year, the following organizations made generous contributions to help us support our mission:

• Foundations:

  • Annie E. Casey Foundation

  • The Scott Hudgens Family Foundation

• Government:

  • The Stadium Neighborhood Community Trust Fund

  • Fulton Country - Community Service Project

  • Georgia Department of Education - 21st Century Community Learning Centers

• Corporate:

  • H. J. Russel & Company

• Churches:

  • Central Presbyterian Church

  • Holy Innocents Episcopal Church

  • St. Dunstan's Episcopal Church

  • St. Martin in the Fields Episcopal Church

  • St. Luke's Episcopal Church

  • All Saints' Episcopal Church

  • St. Veronica's Guild at the Cathedral of St. Philip

  • Church of the Epiphany

• Other:

  • A Million Matters

  • Georgia Family Connection

  • The Atlanta Community Food Bank

Your support means the world to us!

This summer and fall, Emmaus House is excited to participate in an innovative program called Project Catapult, designed by CEO of My Life and sponsored by The Arthur M. Blank and Annie E. Casey Foundations. The goal of Project Catapult is to propel youth into economic pathways to sustain families and cultivate individual talent. Annie E. Casey’s Changing the Odds report reveals that 76% of Black youth live in high poverty areas and economic activity centers are predominantly white. Atlanta’s entrepreneurship ecosystem offers limited programming designed exclusively for youth entrepreneurship within the Black community.

Official Press Release

Evidence of this lack of opportunity became clear when young boys and men entered the City’s highways and byways to sell water with proceeds supplying basic needs and financial support to families. This simple act is a testament to the entrepreneurial spirit of Atlanta’s youth. Moreover, it amplifies the need to offer culturally relevant, innovative solutions that tap into young people’s aspirations versus a punitive approach that continues to mischaracterize the issues and opportunities at hand.

Each year, CEO of My Life, a black-female-led youth entrepreneurship and leadership program provider, offers a 4-week summer and 8-week fall program for 30 high-schoolers. This program immerses students in entrepreneurial courses that will accelerate them into their futures. Students work with a cohort of peers in an agile, fast-paced, experiential environment representing the types of work culture, personal life challenges, and business environments they will soon encounter.

Focusing on the entire family is vital to student success. Therefore, Emmaus House and Helping Empower Youth (HEY!) provide case management, wraparound services, transportation, and meals during the daily convenings. Both organizations also offer two-generation support, including familial access to basic needs, workforce, and adult entrepreneurship classes.

What a joy it was to have children on the Emmaus House campus again this summer. The sounds of our scholars gave us signs of new hope as they chanted, sang, played, and read books! 

Take a look at the joyous moments captured throughout the program.

A small group of Freedom School scholars created thank you cards together.

Fridays at Freedom School are fun days with afternoon swimming!

During Harambee, we honored Herman Shackleford, “Shack,” our building and grounds coordinator. He keeps the grounds beautiful, ensures the classrooms are free of trash, and performs countless other maintenance duties at Emmaus House. It’s no wonder every Freedom School child and staff member signed his thank you card!

Our on-site healthcare assistant, Akeisha Moseley, treats a Freedom School scholar with tender loving care and attention.

We were so excited to have the principal of the Barack and Michelle Obama Academy, Robin Christian, as our read aloud guest for Harambee this morning!

We are blessed to have dedicated community volunteers who have served with us for several summers. One of them is Marni Davis, an associate professor of history at Georgia State University.

On Fridays at Freedom School, children receive books to keep. Because of tremendous book donations from the Cathedral's St. Veronica's Guild and members of the Church of the Epiphany, we are able to give even more books to scholars each week this summer!

Ms. Bridget leads an Integrated Reading Curriculum class for the K-2nd graders.

Photos from Harambee, when Bishop Wright read “Naturally Me!”, a book designed to boost self-esteem and build confidence in children.

Scholars work on a lettering project in the afternoon art class.

Scholars created images using abstract shapes during the first week of Freedom School. (Art Class 1 & 5)

Ms. Mimi's afternoon yoga and meditation class is the most relaxing time of the day!

After reading "Tashi and the Tibetan Flower Cure" the 3rd-5th graders planned a tea ceremony in the Emmaus House Easter garden. During the ceremony they honored their Junior Servant Leaders, Margalit and Joseph.

During our six-week summer Freedom Schools© program, scholars’ reading and social skills improved dramatically. Due to months of COVID restrictions, some kindergarteners and first-graders had their first experience with a structured in-person learning program. As a result, students learned how to interact with other children—and adults—outside of their family units. In addition, scholars attended a social-emotional learning (SEL) class every afternoon, taught by two professional school counselors.

Because our site was smaller this summer, staff and volunteers gave extra academic and emotional help to students who needed it; this attention resulted in measurable academic growth. Initial program assessments show that every scholar maintained or increased their reading levels, with many increasing two and three grade levels!

Today is the last day of our 2021 CDF Freedom School program. These past six weeks have provided our children with enriching and empowering experiences.

We are grateful to everyone who has made our Freedom School program possible, from our generous donors and partners to our volunteers and staff. Your support means the word to us. Learn more about the wonderful people who make the program a reality.

We are blessed to have dedicated community volunteers who have served with us for several summers. One of them is Marni Davis, an associate professor of history at Georgia State University.

Servant Leader Interns (SLIs) are college students who lead each class of Freedom School students to success. They train with Children’s Defense Fund as well as with Emmaus House staff. We support our strategic priority of leadership development through the training and employment of our SLIs. Rayshaud Goolsby, an SLI, loves helping our Freedom School scholars.

One of the highlights of Harambee is the Read-Aloud, where community leaders and role models read to our Freedom School scholars. Bishop Rob Wright visits often. He recently read “Naturally Me!”, a book designed to boost self-esteem and build confidence in children.

During Harambee, we honored Herman Shackleford, “Shack,” our building and grounds coordinator. He keeps the grounds beautiful, ensures the classrooms are free of trash, and performs countless other maintenance duties at Emmaus House. It’s no wonder every Freedom School child and staff member signed his thank you card!

Our on-site healthcare assistant, Akeisha Moseley, treats our Freedom School scholars with loving care and attention.

We also want to thank the Emmaus House staff, especially Ann Fowler, our Director of Education Services. Ann oversees programs that are focused on eliminating poverty through education in the Peoplestown neighborhood and beyond. She has helped develop two-generational programs that engage children and parents through academic and personal support, cultural enrichment, and leadership development.

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Stay tuned for more Freedom School photos from this summer in the July newsletter.

Emmaus House is excited to partner with the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Arthur M. Blank Foundation, Partnership for Southern Equity, HEY! and CEO of My Life to offer a 12-week youth entrepreneurship program beginning this summer. The program will engage high school students interested in STEAM and entrepreneurship. The four-week intensive summer program will take place in July, with eight bi-weekly work sessions in the fall. Students will receive meals, a stipend, and help with transportation. Emmaus House will provide wrap-around services to the students and their families (i.e., financial assistance, work clothes, food access, case management, etc.).

The first week of Freedom School was a huge success. From the morning Harambee to the Integrated Reading Curriculum, our students are able to explore, read, connect and grow together. The week ended off in traditional Freedom School fashion. On Fridays at Freedom School, children receive books to keep. Because of tremendous book donations from the Cathedral's St. Veronica's Guild and members of the Church of the Epiphany, we are able to give even more books to scholars each week this summer!

The Children's Defense Fund Freedom Schools® program at Emmaus House is a summer program serving students from kindergarten through fifth grade. Its aim is to motivate young scholars to read, build positive attitudes towards learning, and empower them to make a difference in themselves, their families, their communities, and their world.

On average, over 90% of scholars who were evaluated maintained or gained in their instructional reading level over the six-week program as measured by pre- and post-program standardized testing.

For more information about the CDF Freedom Schools® program at Emmaus House, please contact Ann Fowler at (404) 525-5948, ext. 27 or annfowler@emmaushouse.org.

On behalf of Emmaus House and our CDF Freedom Schools program team, we want to thank all who helped us raise $55,000. This was possible thank to you and the generosity of a supporter who matched $20,000, doubling the impact of your contributions!

These gifts will have a major impact on helping or children in Peoplestown and the south side of Atlanta beat the “summer slide” and unlock their infinite potential!

Juneteenth is a holiday to commemorate the day that the last enslaved Black people learned of their liberation. On June 19, 1865, enslaved Black people in Texas finally learned about President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. Last summer, one week before Juneteenth, a police officer shot and killed Rayshard Brooks, an unarmed Black man, at the Wendy’s in Peoplestown. That incident served as a sobering reminder of the ongoing risks faced by Black people in this country. This tragedy affected people around the country and in our local neighborhood. It also had an impact on the Emmaus House staff. In response, Emmaus House leadership decided to recognize Juneteenth as an organization-wide holiday to celebrate and reflect.

Tanisha Corporal, our Director of Community Engagement and Strategic Initiatives, reflects on the death of Rayshard Brooks.

“This week we remember the tragic death of Rayshard Brooks. The incident was particularly poignant because of its proximity to my personal and professional life. While the national news is full of body cam and cell phone footage of the many horrific acts committed against black people in this country, it was dispiriting to experience this in my backyard. The Wendy’s where this incident occurred is halfway between my home in South Atlanta and my office at Emmaus House. My black son frequented that location for dinner on many Saturday nights. We have sat in that very drive-through, waiting to receive our food. It was a part of the fabric of our community. That summer weekend changed our neighborhood forever. The fire of injustice was ablaze in our neighborhood, both literally and figuratively. Like most wildfires, these tragedies scorch the foundations of equality and justice. It compromises the integrity of freedom and liberty in this county. However, times like these strengthen our resolve and that of those affected by injustice and inequity. We must continue to hold onto the humanity of our people and the hope for our community.”

—Tanisha Corporal,
Director of Community Engagement and Strategic Initiatives