A Decatur family struggling in the down economy will get to celebrate the holidays in a newly refreshed home due to a group of former professional football players and members of the local home building community. On Nov. 18 members of the Atlanta NFL Players Association former players chapter, HomeAid Atlanta and the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association teamed up for a HomeAid Care Day to repair and rejuvenate a home for Decatur Cooperative Ministry’s Family House transitional program, which helps homeless Decatur and DeKalb families get back on their feet and rebuild their lives.
“Every family deserves to have a safe, comfortable home to celebrate the holidays in, whether it is a temporary sanctuary or a permanent home to call their own,” said Dextor Clinkscale, vice president of the Atlanta NFLPA former players’ chapter. “We are so thankful for this opportunity to give back to the community that gave us so much support during our playing careers.”
Former Atlanta Falcons Dewey McClain (1976-80), William Andrews (1979-86), and Major Everett (1987), joined Clinkscale (Dallas Cowboys, 1980-86) and former NFL players Ken Woodard, Ken Parker, Fred Banks, Bob Pickens, LaMar Campbell, Jim Nemeth and Kendall Newson to volunteer on the project.
“HomeAid Atlanta was proud to partner with the Greater Atlanta HBA and the Atlanta NFLPA former players chapter for this wonderful day of service to benefit Decatur Cooperative Ministry and the families they serve,” said Dan O’Dwyer, president of HomeAid Atlanta. “It was heartwarming to see people from different organizations coming together and pooling their resources for the common purpose of giving back and helping those in need in our community.”
More than 20 volunteers spent the day cleaning and painting the home’s interior, power washing the exterior siding and clearing debris from the gutters, removing overgrown plants and pruning shrubbery, and doing various repair tasks to help prepare the home for a happy, healthy and joyous holiday season.
“Through the HomeAid Care Day program, a mom and children working hard to get back on their feet came home to newly painted walls, a freshly raked yard and more. Decatur Cooperative Ministry could not finish so many improvements in such a short period of time without the support of dedicated volunteers,” said Beth Vann-Turnbull, executive director of Decatur Cooperative Ministry. “We are very grateful to the Atlanta NFLPA former players chapter, Greater Atlanta HBA and HomeAid Atlanta, not only for all their hard work but also for the generous and light-hearted spirit in which they did it.”
The 1,600 sq. ft. home is just one of nine homes used to temporarily house homeless Decatur and DeKalb County families as part of Decatur Cooperative Ministry’s Family House program, which provides assistance to approximately 14 families each year.
“We were grateful for the opportunity to team up with HomeAid Atlanta and members of the Atlanta NFLPA former players chapter to help a family in our community this holiday season,” said Mike Smith, president of the Greater Atlanta HBA. “As members of the home building industry, we feel we have an obligation to help those who need housing, and this project was a great way for us to do just that.”
The HomeAid Care Day project was part of Touchdown for Homes, a nationwide charitable outreach program of the National Association of Home Builders and the NFLPA that is bringing together local home builders’ associations and former NFL players to strengthen communities by building or renovating homes for children or families in need and veterans.
About the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association
The Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association (HBA) is a 1,000-member, not-for-profit trade association affiliated with the Home Builders Association of Georgia and the National Association of Home Builders. The HBA is the sixth largest local homebuilders association in the nation and is dedicated to promoting, protecting and preserving home ownership by maintaining the housing industry as a viable economic force in the Atlanta area. The official charity of the HBA is HomeAid Atlanta, a non-profit organization that builds and renovates transitional housing for metro Atlanta homeless children, women and men.
For more information about the HBA, visit www.atlantahomebuilders.com.
About HomeAid Atlanta
Founded in 2001, HomeAid Atlanta is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization working in partnership with the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association, and is a local chapter of HomeAid America, a leading national provider of transitional housing for the temporarily homeless. The HomeAid mission is to build and maintain dignified housing where homeless families and individuals can rebuild their lives. HomeAid acts as the housing developer and liaison between homeless service providers, builders, trade partners and community volunteers. To date, HomeAid Atlanta has completed 16 housing developments that serve the temporarily homeless, including victims of domestic violence, teen mothers, abused and abandoned children, and homeless families. For more information about HomeAid Atlanta, visit www.homeaidatlanta.org.
About Decatur Cooperative Ministry
Decatur Cooperative Ministry (DCM) is a nonprofit organization that alleviates and prevents homelessness, particularly among families. DCM was founded in 1969 and has been actively involved in serving the Decatur/DeKalb area ever since. The organization operates a transitional housing program for homeless families as well as an emergency shelter for women with children. Additionally, DCM works to prevent homelessness by providing assistance with rent, mortgage, utilities, and food. DCM provides families participating in its programs with personal growth and development opportunities such as financial management education, computer training, and support groups. DCM also offers worship, educational, and volunteer opportunities to individuals and groups from the local community and beyond.
For more information, visit www.decaturcooperativeministry.org.
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