All posts by Our House

Our House Welcomes New Board Members

Atlanta, GA – Our House is pleased to announce the addition of six new members to its Board of Directors: Matt Brock, executive director at Brock Built; Laura Diamond, business development director at Goodman Decorating; Dallie Gaskin, associate broker at Dorsey Alston, REALTORS; Anna Holcombe, corporate counsel at LexisNexis Risk Solutions; Natalie Morhous, president of RaceTrac Corporation; and David Siegel, senior manager at Aprio.

“These leaders represent a diverse group of individuals who will provide strategic direction as we navigate the COVID-19 landscape and move closer to becoming a Center of Excellence in the field of family homelessness,” says President and CEO, Tyese Lawyer.

These members join an additional 26 members of the Board of Directors, chaired by D’Ree Cooper, legal senior director at Travelport. Additional officers include Vice Chair Mike Martin of Jackson Spalding, Treasurer Beth Farnsworth of Ernst & Young and Secretary Suzannah Gill of Epic Insurance Brokers & Consultants.

Since its merger with Genesis Shelter in 2014, Our House has grown to serve over 500 individuals annually and, prior to COVID-19, approved a $4 million Capital Campaign effort to deepen its program offerings and reach more children and families impacted by homelessness.  With the new challenges presented by the pandemic, the organization is looking to increase ways to keep families housed and equipped with supplies that help them maintain self-sufficiency while sheltering in place.

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About Our House
Our House is a nonprofit organization serving children and families experiencing homelessness in the Greater Atlanta area. Since 1987, the organization has helped thousands of individuals overcome homelessness through its Early Childhood Education, Employment Training Services, Housing Services and Family Services programs. For more information, visit www.ourhousega.org.

Our House, Our Community, Our Nation

This week, Our House welcomed students back to our Atlanta and Decatur campuses. While excited to hear their little voices in the classrooms again, I cannot ignore the deeper conversations going on in our nation today. I recognize that injustices against black humans — more recently Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd — are part of a reality that has plagued our nation for too many years. Its effects have been passed down from generation to generation, seeping its way into the fiber of every part of our communities, and inflicting pain, trauma and despair on our children and families.

I want to change this narrative. As a provider of early childhood education, I know that the early years are most important for a child’s growth and development. Biases against humans are not something we are born with and it pains me to think the future for children we serve is anything less than bright. Children like Jamon, a Decatur preschooler who has worked hard and attended every Zoom class held by his teacher during the COVID-19 pandemic, deserve a bright future filled with all that is good in the world.

I also think of the parents of our children. Chanel is a single mother of four who recently completed her Associates in Healthcare Management and is starting her Bachelors in Business Administration this summer. She’s working hard to provide a better future for herself and her family. While in school, she’s learning how to navigate business. At home, she’s teaching her children how to navigate racism.

As part of our efforts to effect change, Our House will commit to working with our families, partners and supporters to lead the collective action to make our community safe for all humans. We will partner with families to share resources that deepen one’s understanding of race, human rights, social justice and activism. We will also strengthen relationships with partners to provide families we serve, staff and supporters access to health professionals that guide them through the mental and physical effects of injustices against humans. Finally, we will provide more opportunities for the community to connect with one another through our work and shared values. Despite the ongoing pandemic and social distancing guidelines, we recognize humans need healthy ways to engage, be better allies for one another and build an inclusive community for our children to grow in.

The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once stated, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” As President and CEO of Our House, I want to end this message by saying thank you to our Board of Directors who’ve reached out to express concern and support for how we can move forward. We are committed to using our platform to amplify the truth and voices of black lives, because they matter. Without open dialogue of how to overcome biases against humans because of the color of their skin, we will never be able to heal other diseases that plague our communities. We hope that you will join us in having these courageous conversations and making our communities better for all humans.

Tyese L. Lawyer
President and CEO

 

 

ECE Centers Open

Our House is excited to announce our ECE campuses in Decatur and Atlanta will open to families on June 1, 2020. Phase one of school reopening will require all parents dropping off kids to wear masks when entering the building. To manage the safety of our families and staff, children and parents’ temperatures will be checked upon arrival.

In accordance with health and safety guidelines recommended by the CDC, Our House will minimize the number of individuals that can enter its facilities at a given time. We appreciate your understanding as we transition back to welcoming our students to school!

COVID-19 Update: March 27,2020

March 27, 2020

In response to the latest mandates by government and partner agencies, Our House’s early childhood education program will remain closed through April 6, 2020. We understand this is an added burden for the over 100 children and parents served by our ECE program in Atlanta and Decatur, and continue to identify opportunities to ensure the families we serve are not forgotten.

For our families, we are exploring funding and staffing opportunities to provide digital education and support, onsite services including childcare for parents that lack the flexibility to remain home, and food and supplies for the nearly 500 individuals served through our interrelated programs. Our House will continue to partner with volunteers and nonprofits to ensure our donation closet is stocked and supplies such as diapers, formula, household and personal items are available as needed. We expect to have more clarity about how to move forward on April 13, 2020.

As members of the Greater Atlanta community, we are united in overcoming this pandemic while meeting the immediate needs of families experiencing homelessness. Together, we will emerge stronger.

Thank you to our partners at Jackson Spalding for compiling  today’s update on COVID-19. Please take some time to download today’s update and check back on our site as we learn more. Thank you for your support of Our House during this health and economic crisis.

How COVID-19 is Impacting Our House

March 18, 2020

These past few days have been incredibly busy for Our House as we navigate the recent world crisis, while also ensuring our children and families have the support they need to weather the economic and health-related impact of COVID-19.

We appreciate all supporters who have reached out to inquire about our children and families and identify ways they can help through this period of adjustment. Thank you for your unwavering commitment.

Our House recognizes many of our families work jobs with little to no paid time off and childcare has been critical to their ability to succeed. Unfortunately, we have had to cancel all early childhood education classes until March 31, 2020. We want our families and supporters to know our Advocates will be available to assist families via email during these times. Updates will also be provided via our Bloomz parent communication app, website and social media.

While our education program has halted, we continue to operate our 24/7 emergency shelter and provide families with a supply of household and personal items, as well as meals and access to resources to sustain their path to self-sufficiency. We are currently housing 17 families, and provide after-care support for over 100 families who have exited our housing program.

If you would like to help during this time, please consider an online donation to Our House. Your gift will ensure we can maintain supplies and continue to serve children and families impacted by homelessness.
As always, thank you for your continued support of Our House and the children and families we serve. We cannot do our work without you.

Tyese Lawyer
President and CEO

P.S. You can also donate supplies from our Amazon Wish List. We are in need of laundry detergent, hand soap, Clorox wipes and paper towels. Items can be shipped or delivered to our Atlanta campus located at 173 Boulevard NE. Please contact Marquez Allen to schedule onsite deliveries.

ECE Classes Canceled

March 17, 2020

Since the onset of the recent health crisis, Our House has remained committed to the safety of the children and families we serve. Due to the recent State of Emergency declared by Governor Kemp, as well as mandates set forth by our education partners, Our House early childhood education classes have been canceled until March 31, 2020. Both our Atlanta and Decatur sites will suspend classes effective immediately.  Family and Child Advocates will be available to families via email.

Our emergency shelter will remain open 24/7 to the children and families we serve. During this time Our House is committed to ensuring the safety and health of the families in our care.

We encourage families with access to Facebook to join our Alumni Group to ask questions and share tips and resources with peers. Our House will communicate with families any new updates and changes regarding operations and education activities via our Bloomz parent communications platform, our website, social media and by email.

If you are in need of other emergency care options, especially for health care and first responders, please contact our partners at Quality Care for Children via their help line: 1-877- ALL GA KIDS (877-255-4254).

We appreciate your understanding during this health crisis and look forward to safely returning to class in the coming weeks.

Our House Open for School

March 16, 2020
We are committed to supporting our families on the road to self-sufficiency. We recognize that many of our enrolled families work in positions with limited to no paid time off. It is in recognition of these equity challenges that Our House will open for children on Monday, March 16, 2020. We are working to ensure that if you must go to work, safe care for your children is not a barrier. In order to ensure the safest environment for our staff, parents can help us in the following ways:
  • Keep your child home if they are sick.
  • If you or someone you have been in contact with meet the criteria for the coronavirus disease, please self-quarantine.
  • When entering Our House facilities, wash your hands and/or use the hand sanitizing stations provided.
  • While Our House encourages a high attendance rate, you have our support if you want to keep your children at home.

We are working to ensure that our staff is healthy and available to provide the services that will help you obtain and/or maintain self-sufficiency. Staff continue to follow universal precautions, sanitize classrooms daily, and monitor their own health and safety.

Our licensing agency has provided information to help families and programs. Please visit the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning for a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the current situation and check daily for updates.

For more trusted information about the coronavirus disease, please read:

We have placed posters throughout the building that encourage staying home when sick, and outline cough and sneeze etiquette and hand hygiene. Please review and adhere to this guidance. You can download the CDC’s Share the Facts document and Stopping the Spread of Germs document to learn more.