For: Simple Needs GA
Marietta, Ga. For Immediate Release
SIMPLE NEEDS GA SEEKS STORAGE SPACE FOR FURNITURE PROGRAM
–Marietta nonprofit loses 1,300-sq.-ft. space near the Big Chicken, seeks replacement for storage of furniture, beds and more for people coming out of homelessness.
MARIETTA, Ga. (05/08/2018) — Donors and volunteers from across Cobb County help Simple Needs GA (SNGA) bring furniture and household items to individuals and families coming out of homelessness. But the Marietta-based nonprofit’s Simple Household Needs program may need to be scaled back unless SNGA can find replacement storage space for these donated items.
“The 1,300-sq.-ft. space that we formerly used to store furniture for our Simple Household Needs program is no longer available to us due to an ownership change,” explained SNGA Founder Brenda Rhodes. “We have moved the beds, chests-of-drawers, kitchen tables and other large items to commercial storage that, unfortunately, is just too expensive for us to afford over the long term.”
SNGA now needs to find comparable storage at a below-market rental rate by mid-June; otherwise, it will need to drastically reduce how many people and children its Simple Household Needs program can serve, Rhodes says.
“There are very few other furniture programs in this area and, as far as we’re aware, none like us that don’t charge any fees,” she said. Nonetheless, even if no replacement space is found, SNGA will continue to provide smaller household items such as dish sets, sheets, towels and more to as many clients as it can. “However, without additional space we’ll have to limit who we help with beds and other furniture to one or two families per month,” Rhodes explained.
SNGA’s other programs, which include My Birthday Matters, Spirit of Christmas, Comfort Kits, Simply Sheltered, Shoe Them Love and Uniforms for Excellence, are all going strong, Rhodes noted. “We can’t pay the high cost of commercial storage rental for our furniture program because this would eat into the budgets of these other programs, which fill important needs in Cobb,” she said.
SNGA welcomes suggestions on replacement spaces from donors, volunteers and community members. In addition to below-market rental rates, the space would need to be large enough to store mattresses and other large furniture and enable access for box trucks. It would need to be in or relatively close to the city of Marietta.
“If you happen to know of any possible alternatives in our area, please let us know,” Rhodes said. “The furniture is incredibly important for our clients. They, including the children, are often sleeping on the floor—or on air mattresses that SNGA loans to them when available until they receive beds. It’s not unusual for them to have nothing in their homes.”
SNGA’s Simple Household Needs clients have just transitioned out of homelessness or escaped domestic violence. “When we pull up with things like donated furniture, beds, tables and appliances, these families are overjoyed,” Rhodes said.
Tips may be emailed to brenda@simpleneedsga.org.
About Simple Needs GA (SNGA)
SNGA’s mission is to meet the simple needs of children, people experiencing homelessness, and others in need, while inspiring our community to do the same. The Marietta, Ga.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit offers several community-based programs. Donors and volunteers provide full-sized toiletries and other useful items to people living in homeless shelters. They furnish tents, sleeping bags, tarps and other essentials to those living in the woods or on the street, and supply families with furniture, appliances, cleaning supplies, toilet paper and other household necessities. Other initiatives include providing schoolchildren with required school uniforms; helping social workers buy kids new shoes via gift cards; bringing new presents and other items to homeless children celebrating their birthdays; and providing Christmas presents for children in need. For more info, visit SimpleNeedsGA.org.
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Media contacts: At SNGA: Brenda Rhodes, Founder, Brenda@SimpleNeedsGA.org, 678-266- 3344.
Simple Needs GA 