On Saturday, October 7, in a space the Atlanta Athletic Club often devotes to wedding receptions and company banquets, Rainbow Village played host to its annual “We Are Family” Benefit Gala. The event included a seated dinner, silent and live auction, a “Golden Ticket” raffle, the Joel P. Hudson Humanitarian Award presentation, and a heartwarming testimonial from Rainbow Village graduates Adrian and Mary. By the end of the evening, the nonprofit with a mission to bring Help, Hope, Housing, and Healing to families experiencing homelessness had raised a record-breaking $505,000 in support of its unique blend of transitional housing and life-transforming programming for families in need.
“What we do requires a lot of dedication and collaboration,” said Rainbow Village CEO Melanie Conner. “We are based in the heart of Duluth on a campus that houses 30 families at a time for up to two years. A network of staff members, board members, community partners, corporate partners, faith partners, volunteers, donors, and faithful prayer warriors make up the ‘village’ that surrounds our Village – and many of them were present the night of the Gala. It’s so incredible to me that they are not only there to share in the tragedies that lead families in need to our door, but they are also there to share in triumphs like this. In addition to funding the maintenance of our facilities and continued provision of life-altering programs to support both kids and parents in their journey to self-sufficiency, these funds will go a long way in subsidizing our growth and outreach efforts so we can aid even more families than ever before.”
There was not a dry eye in the room when Adrian and Mary shared what it means to them to transition from homelessness to homeownership. While these two friends have always dreamed of being homeowners, they had no idea how or when that would happen. They shared that the dream may never have become reality without Rainbow Village.
Presented by Northside Hospital, the Rainbow Village “We Are Family” Benefit Gala was backed by a wide range of family, foundation, religious, and corporate sponsors. Included among them were the Lorentzen Family, the DeLoach Family in honor of Pleasant Hill Presbyterian Church, Metro Waterproofing, Wilson Lewis CPAs, 12Stone Church, Morgan Stanley – The Terminus Group, Abernathy Development Company, Porter Steel, Georgia Power, Subaru of Gwinnett, Renasant Bank, Axis Companies, Nordson, Boots Up Endeavors, Leslie Harrison, and the Kress, Fletcher, and Bass Families, among others.
Not limited to the people inside the ballroom, the nonprofit created avenues for anyone to participate in the evening’s fundraising efforts through the silent auction and purchase of “Golden Tickets” – both available through the Rainbow Village website. Ali Floyd was declared the winner of the Golden Ticket – granting her the choice of one of three exotic beach locations for four nights and four guests. Another major highlight of the evening was the presentation of the 2023 Joel P. Hudson Humanitarian Award – named after the late Reverend Hudson, founding rector of Christ Episcopal Church, which served as the birthplace of Rainbow Village. Rainbow Village was honored to present this year’s award to Subaru of Gwinnett for the way they Share The Love with the community. Subaru of Gwinnett has selected Rainbow Village as its Hometown Charity for its annual Share the Love Campaign since 2015.
In addition to financial support, they have also shared time and talent by hosting on-campus events for Rainbow Village families, including Spring Break Bash, Back to School Events, sprucing up the campus with holiday decorations, providing the opportunity for resident kids to attend a ballet, and so much more. Rainbow Village is not the only beneficiary of Subaru of Gwinnett’s love and support of the community. They also support Planned Pethood, The Elachee Nature Center, Hopkins Elementary School, and the Leukemia Lymphoma Society. Jennifer Kessler, General Manager, and Julie Adams, Warranty Admin and Love Promise Champion, accepted this award.
While the event has come and gone for another year, opportunities to support Rainbow Village and the families it serves exist year-round.
To learn more about volunteer opportunities and/or make an online donation, please visit www.RainbowVillage.org.
The next event on the Rainbow Village calendar is the Microgrant Award Ceremony hosted by the Women’s Giving Circle on December 5 at the Gas South District.
For more information, visit https://rainbowvillage.org/womens-giving-circle/.
About Rainbow Village: Established in 1991, Rainbow Village is a transformative 501(c)3 nonprofit program located in Duluth, GA, that serves families 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 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.
