Sheltering Grace, a haven for homeless pregnant women in Georgia is embarking on a transformation journey to renovate their new property. Join us as we explore the heartwarming journey of empowerment, support, and hope that awaits within our walls.
This inspiring story will focus on the shelter’s mission, the significance of the renovation, and the positive impact it will have on the lives of women with limited resources in the community.
The Shelter’s Mission
- Sheltering Grace Ministry is a 501(c)3 non-profit ministry headquartered in Marietta, GA. The ministry was founded in response to the alarming number of homeless women with unexpected pregnancies in the Atlanta Metro area. Our goal is to interrupt the social and economic patterns that lead to homelessness along with the resulting effects on a woman’s family and on her community.
- Sheltering Grace Ministry has served the needs of homeless pregnant women in the Metro Atlanta area for the past 18 years.
When You Empower a Woman, You Empower a Generation.
- We resolve the initial crisis of homelessness through a three-phase approach. The first phase is the “Womanhood” phase. This phase includes a safe place to live during pregnancy and the tools pregnant mothers need to improve decision-making, enhance employment options, increase family income, act responsibly as the head of their household, and develop the self-reliance to progress into permanent independent living.
- The second phase is “Motherhood.” As the time for giving birth gets closer, there is more education about what giving birth will be like; specific preparations for how they will deliver their babies; and the basics (as much as anyone can teach another) of how to be a mother. With the help of professionals such as doulas, these women finish their last few weeks of pregnancy with the hope of a new life for themselves and their babies.
- The last phase is “Head of Household” which comes after they give birth and have received the appropriate care and quality time with their newborns. During this phase, the women learn how they will manage their own homes as they leave the program. It is usually the time when they secure new jobs, find a new home, and locate childcare as they get ready to pursue the long-term goals set during the program.
A New Home Opens in Austell, GA.
- A new home opens its doors in Austell, a nice neighborhood outside the Atlanta perimeter in Georgia. Watch the home tour, it stands as a beacon of hope, providing safe, comfortable lodging for those in need. Three women new to our program will now get the chance to participate in a life-changing experience. They will develop the necessary skills and transform into women who can take care of themselves and their children with new tools such as education, counseling, a family-like environment, and creating a short and long-term life plan.
- With a new spacious kitchen, a nice backyard, renovated bathrooms, new beds, large windows, a washer and dryer, private bedrooms, and new cradles within this new home, women are empowered to believe they deserve a better life.
Impact on Homeless Pregnant Women
- Speaking to some of the women who had just gone through the program, they will tell you the best part of their experience was having a place to bring their babies after giving birth. A clean, fully equipped home that meets all their needs allow a mother to enjoy her newborn. By taking away the anxiety of not knowing where they will sleep next, women are more than able to find the confidence and ability to be the best mothers and the best human beings they can be.
Conclusion
- As we continue to grow, there has never been a greater need for those who care about this cause to show support through their time, talent, and resources. By donating the equivalent cost of one Starbucks coffee per month, you can be a part of changing the lives of homeless pregnant women. If time and talent are how you prefer to support us, we can always use new volunteers to help the women care for their newborns, plan fundraising events, and grow our reach within the community.
If you would like to join the movement in combating homelessness, consider partnering with Sheltering Grace Ministry.
