We’re sad to announce that, after seven years of service, our Director of Social Services, Adam Seeley, will no longer be working with Emmaus House. Adam came to us having already built an impressive resume of social work with organizations like the Presbyterian Church (USA), the Central Outreach and Advocacy Center, and the Gateway Center—a homeless service center and transitional housing facility located in downtown Atlanta.

Adam has been instrumental in serving our community via the Lokey Help Center. We will miss him, but we’re grateful for all that he’s helped us achieve and wish him the best of luck going forward.

We caught up with him recently to ask about the past seven years at Emmaus House.

How did you become involved in social work? 

I was raised in a household that strongly encouraged service to others. After college, I chose to do a year of service through the Presbyterian Church, USA's Young Adult Volunteer Program. I was selected to serve here in Atlanta at the Central Outreach and Advocacy Center and have been involved in this sort of work ever since.

What are some of the programs and/or initiatives you’ve helped with during your time at Emmaus House? 

You get to work on a lot of different things at Emmaus House, but what stuck out the most to me was our development of a really great client-choice food pantry and our Thanksgiving at Home event.

Initially, our food service consisted of handing out about 12-15 bags of food one day a week to whomever showed up first. It just felt like it wasn’t the best way we could be doing this. After a lot of work trying to figure out how we could provide the best possible service to our clients, we set out to create a wonderful space to distribute food as well as a great team of staff and volunteers to make it all work.

Our Thanksgiving at Home event probably takes the most amount of work and collaboration with businesses, churches, and individuals from all over the Greater Atlanta area. Providing hundreds of families with all of the items to have a great Thanksgiving takes a lot of effort and a lot of faith in other people. 

We begin preparing for this in September and every year feels like the first year. There are so many moving parts and just really high expectations in the community. It doesn't matter how organized and prepared we were, I was always a nervous wreck leading up to those final days before distribution.

How would you say your role at EH has differed from other service-based roles you have held? 

I transitioned from working with entirely unhoused populations to a community-centered space. This entire area has a little bit of everything going on, so I had to be flexible for all of those things. The nice thing is that I really got a chance to get to know a lot of residents here and build relationships with them. You also felt this very real sense of how deeply rooted Emmaus House is in this community: how long it existed before you, and how long it will continue to go on without you. It's a bit overwhelming, but also very humbling to be a part of.

What is the single most important thing you’ve learned during your time at EH? 

The most important lesson I have learned is to appreciate the moments and the time that you have with other people. It is a privilege to do this work every day. I am constantly reminded by our volunteers that people want to be here doing this work for no pay just to be of service to others.

Not taking your experiences for granted is so important. You meet so many wonderful people and you go through so much together. This whole community went through a pandemic together. We went through so much just to stay open and to be there for each other. I will never forget when things were just so hard every day and how well everyone responded. What a special thing.

Is there anything you’d like to say to the EH community? 

Thank you for letting me be part of your community and for allowing me to be a small part of the long legacy of Emmaus House. Thank you for putting your trust in me and allowing me to be a part of your own journey. I had a great time being here and I will be forever grateful for your friendship. 

We have accomplished a lot and have gotten each other through some difficult times. I am glad to know that you will continue to work with great servant leaders who will bring in new ideas and do great things. I look forward to seeing you grow and continue to provide care and service to people in need.

Emmaus House invests in activities that support economic self-sufficiency, that’s why we’ve partnered with the Atlanta Center for Self-Sufficiency (ACSS) to offer a ten-month paid fellowship supporting economic opportunity outcomes for young adults (age 18-24). 

ACSS provides workforce readiness, job placement, and life stabilization services to financially vulnerable men and women. They don’t just provide one-off assistance, they promote self-sufficiency by helping people prepare for and obtain full-time employment.

The Southside Works Fellow will engage with other young adults on the Southside to learn about existing community-based resources and evaluate their effectiveness. They will also inform and influence the way that workforce-related programs are developed and implemented in these communities.

In addition to research and advocacy, Southside Fellows will participate in various forms of professional development to build leadership and advocacy skills. To learn more about the Southside Works Fellowship and to apply, click the button below:

February is Black History Month, so in the coming weeks we can expect to see a number of posts and articles describing Black luminaries and their profound contributions to society. This is important, and we should all take time to honor these exceptional individuals and their accomplishments. 

However, Black history is about more than recognizing extraordinary individuals. Black history is also—in fact, primarily—the story of community: of families, neighbors, and allies supporting and inspiring one another despite seemingly insurmountable odds. It’s a story that continues today.

So as we take this time to learn about the many Black individuals who have shaped the culture and opportunities we enjoy today, let us remember that these individuals are not exceptions to Black history but a part of it. They each drew strength and inspiration from the communities of which they were a part, and while many of these individuals are no longer with us, the source of their inspiration has only grown as a result of their achievements. 

At Emmaus House, we believe that Black history is not just about recognizing the past but connecting us to the present, to our many friends, neighbors, and allies. We don’t know what the future holds, but we know that community has the power to shape it. Happy Black History Month.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has reported that, according to the most recent Census data, Atlanta has the highest income inequality of any city in the US. The median household income for Black families in Atlanta is $28,000, as opposed to $84,000 for white families. And when you consider the disparity in geographic terms, it becomes even more apparent (think northwest Atlanta versus anything south of I-20).

Experts cite Atlanta’s long history of racial inequality as a potential cause, the effects of which have been exacerbated by the pandemic and high inflation. But despite high income inequality, Atlanta also shows signs of strong economic growth, ranking among the country’s best places to do business. 

This is puzzling, but also cause for some hope. It suggests that one important way of addressing income inequality is ensuring equal access to the many opportunities Atlanta has to offer.

Our Lokey Help Center provides a ladder to economic success by stabilizing individuals in crisis and supporting opportunities for increased household income. And in addition to our own programs, which support economic success and multi-generational education, Emmaus House partners with numerous organizations to provide job training, economic support, and life-stabilization services. 

Income inequality may describe our present, but it does not have to define our future. With engaged support, we can close the income gap one person at a time.

The holidays are in full swing at Emmaus House. Here are just a few of the events we have going on in December.

Grandparents Party

On December 8, we hosted our annual Grandparents Party for more than one hundred local grandparents. Grandparents in Peoplestown are often the guardians of their families, many of them helping to raise second and even third families without much help or recognition. We’re always glad to have this opportunity to honor them with food, entertainment, and gifts.

555 Seniors of Peoplestown Luncheon

On December 15, we hosted the 555 Senior Luncheon. The Peoplestown 555 Information Champions is a group of seniors who meet throughout the year to participate in Emmaus House’s legacy of activism. Each year, forty of our 555 seniors gather to share a meal, sing carols, and take home a gift card hand delivered by Santa Lou!

Children’s Christmas Festival

Our Christmas programming will culminate on December 24 with our annual Children's Christmas Festival. Children, parents, and volunteers will enjoy a storyteller, a magician, as well as Christmas movies and treats. Santa and Mrs. Claus will even be there to distribute gifts between 9:00 am and 12:00 pm.

We’re still seeking gift donations for this special event, and also volunteers to help wrap and deliver gifts for families who aren’t able to make it. To arrange a donation or to volunteer, please contact Rakia Reeves at 404-723-1886 or rakiareeves@emmaushouse.org.

Happy Holidays!

We hope that you are enjoying the holiday season and are able to make time for plenty of friends, loved ones, and festive fun. It’s a special time of year, and we believe that celebrating together is an important way of strengthening family and community ties.

For organizations committed to social impact, it’s also an important time for securing the funds necessary for operating in the new year. Emmaus House has been blessed with a community of engaged supporters who share our commitment to economic and social well-being in Peoplestown and Atlanta.

We hope that as the days wind down this year, and as you settle in to celebrate the holidays, you will take some time to invest in our community. Together, we can dismantle poverty, racism, and other barriers to opportunity in Peoplestown and Atlanta.

Here’s wishing you much peace and many blessings from all of us at Emmaus House.

On December 3, we will be hosting the 9th annual Community Forum for residents of Adair Park, Capitol Gateway, Mechanicsville, Peoplestown, Pittsburgh, and Summerville. All are welcome to attend.

This yearly event is an opportunity for residents to come together and discuss the critical issues that affect our community. This year, topics will include public safety, housing, and health.

Not only is it important to lift up the voices of those directly affected by these issues, but doing so also facilitates engagement and an enhanced sense of community among residents. We are proud to be hosting this important event.

The meeting will be held from 10 AM to 2:30 PM on Saturday, December 3. Breakfast and a hot lunch will be provided, and transportation to and from the event is also available. Contact Columbus Ward with questions:
columbus@peoplestown.com.

We are pleased to announce that we have partnered with Mimi’s Yoga Kids to provide a variety of fun mindfulness activities to our community. Ms. Camelia “Mimi” Felton led healing circles at our Freedom School parents nights this summer, and the participants were so impressed that they immediately requested the circles continue year round.

Mimi’s Yoga Kids offers a fun, upbeat way for children and their families to cultivate mindfulness, inner peace, and imagination.

It’s important for people of all backgrounds—but particularly those who come from marginalized communities—to find a mindfulness practice that speaks to them. We are thrilled to have this opportunity to support health and well being in our community.

To learn more about Mimi’s Yoga Kids at Emmaus House, click the link below.

The holidays are a special time for us at Emmaus House. To help our neighbors celebrate, we host a number of events and initiatives each year guaranteed to spread Christmas cheer. As you plan which causes to support this Giving Tuesday (11/29), we hope that you’ll consider supporting one or more of the programs. Click here to learn more about these events below:

Grandparents Party
Thursday, December 8, 6 PM - 8 PM

555 Seniors of Peoplestown Luncheon
Thursday, December 15, 11 AM - 1 PM

Children’s Christmas Festival
Saturday, December 24, 9 AM - 12 PM

During the Christmas Festival we also distribute stuffed bears that have been donated by the fourth grade students at Holy Innocents Episcopal School. Each year, at one of their weekly chapel services, students present their bears to be blessed and our Executive Director talks with them about how Emmaus House uses the bears to bring happiness to children in Peoplestown.