Building industry volunteers transform nonprofit food pantry
HomeAid will complete a total of 14 Care Days for metro Atlanta nonprofits in 2024. Care Days are volunteer workdays providing free-of-charge maintenance and repairs for nonprofits serving people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. National home builder Toll Brothers joined a HomeAid Care Day on September 13 at St. Vincent de Paul Georgia (SVdP). Over the past 120 years, SVdP has grown to become the largest and most trusted statewide social services safety net organization in Georgia.
Toll Brothers employees volunteered at SVdP’s main service center in Chamblee. The group built a new checkout counter, added a cart corral, and rearranged the shelving to allow St. Vincent de Paul to serve more people in their food pantry. St. Vincent de Paul believes that creating access to food is a key determinant for household stability in low-income families. They reduce food insecurity through their food pantries, offering food recovery and distribution, as well as nutrition education, to ensure individuals and families in Georgia have food on the table.
Peachtree Custom Cabinetry, Construction Resources, and Accurate Fence donated labor and materials in support of this Care Day. In addition to the work done on September 13, Toll Brothers will install partitions in an intake room to provide more privacy for people in need to meet with SVdP case workers. The work of Toll Brothers volunteers combined with donations of materials provided thousands of dollars in savings for SVdP. These savings enable SVdP to spend more on the people they serve, like Henry, instead of on facility maintenance and repairs.
Henry lived in an extended stay hotel with his wife and five children. The youngest was just 10 months old. Henry was working in a restaurant for $12/hour and his wife was unable to work due to the youngest child’s age. He missed work while recovering from the flu and could no longer afford to pay for the hotel. SVdP helped Henry and his family by providing funds for two weeks in the hotel so that they would not be displaced. The family is now happy and stable in their new apartment.
Henry said, “Everything is going great now! My wife is back at work, and I got a raise and more hours at my job. We are thankful for SVdP getting us there.”
This was Toll Brothers’ third HomeAid Care Day. In January 2022, Toll Brothers joined a Care Day at The Drake House to build an extensive gravel walkway. In February 2022, Toll Brothers joined a Care Day at Covenant House Georgia to complete painting and outdoor tasks.
HomeAid Atlanta is a nonprofit organization founded in 2001, with a mission to help people experiencing or at risk of homelessness build new lives through construction, community engagement, and education. HomeAid builds, renovates, and maintains facilities for nonprofits serving people experiencing homelessness. HomeAid has completed 200 construction projects at locations for victims of domestic violence, teen mothers, veterans and more, utilizing connections with building industry professionals and community organizations. HomeAid also provides essential items like diapers, wipes, and hygiene products to those affected by homelessness. HomeAid is the designated charity of the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association. Learn more at www.homeaidatlanta.org.
