Thousands of Working Poor, Homeless to Enjoy Hosea Feed the Hungry's 40th Anniversary Thanksgiving Festival of Services Nov. 26

/PRNewswire/ -- On Thursday, Nov. 26, the doors of Turner Field will open up to approximately 30,000 working poor and homeless people in the Atlanta area as Hosea Feed the Hungry and New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, in association with The Braves Foundation, host the largest one-day sit-down dinner and meals on wheels operation in the nation - the 40th Anniversary Thanksgiving Festival of Services. In addition to serving increased numbers of working poor clients, approximately 20,000 to 25,000 people are homeless in Atlanta, many of whom are expected to participate in this year's Festival. Up to a staggering 60 percent of those individuals are children.

Guests will not only enjoy a hot, home-cooked Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings, but they also will have access to a medical clinic, clothing center, barber and beautician services, entertainment and church services. Because of its focus on youth, HFTH has also created a kids corner where children can enjoy the same services that are being offered to adults. Additionally, HFTH partnered with the Georgia Coastal Southern Christian Leadership Conference to host the first holiday festival in Savannah on Nov. 23.

"Every year, our holiday dinners, which are now being replicated in other cities, represent the hard work of thousands of volunteers who make this happen for the needy in Greater Atlanta," said Elisabeth Omilami, HFTH's executive director. "Because of the economy, rising unemployment rates and the recent September floods around Atlanta, HFTH is serving increased numbers of clients throughout the year who tell us they can't believe they are in our lines. We are dedicated to restoring dignity and stability to all the individuals and families who seek our assistance, but we need the community's continued support."

This holiday dinner season and long into 2010, HFTH expects to feed the needs of up to 250,000 individuals worldwide, an increase of more than 55 percent over last year. Because of the economy, corporate and individual contributions are down 35 percent, while monthly calls for help with human services are up a staggering 45 percent. HFTH is experiencing the largest increase in clients in the history of the organization. Between Jan. 1 and Nov. 24, 2008, it helped approximately 5,370 individuals with the human services it provides every day like rent assistance, help to pay utilities, food boxes, counseling, employment services and help finding temporary housing. During the same period in 2009, more than 6,600 walked through HFTH's doors and received services.

"We are not waiting or depending on those corporations who will not help us, or the government to rescue us," added Omilami. "We are inviting the community, the city, the state - all of our partners to rally together so that we can start rescuing ourselves now and to start preparing for future challenges now."

Embracing the future

HFTH operates on an annual budget of $1.5 million but needs $3.5 million to keep up with the growing numbers of families and individuals who need its help, and only 20 percent of that is administrative. All other funding goes directly to client services.

The Atlanta-based nonprofit subsists solely on financial and material donations from corporations and individuals. While HFTH is ready to meet the challenges in the New Year, it also needs the community to contribute more than ever to its cause.

"Beginning this year, everything we do must be geared towards transforming the economic and physical lives of the people we serve," Omilami said. "From the creation of our new Case Management Department to developing our housing component, HFTH is re-defining our mission."

Additionally, HFTH is connecting with the community more than ever by embracing technology to make it easier for people to receive vital information on its needs and to make financial contributions. These include:

-- Texting HFTH (space) (personal e-mail address) to 69302 to
automatically be added to HFTH's database to receive up-to-date
information
-- Going to Shop.hoseafeedthehungry.com e-commerce site to make food
purchases, support various services or to buy HFTH merchandise
-- Following Hosea Feed the Hungry on Facebook and Twitter


HFTH's valued community partners will ensure that it continues serving those in need for another 40 years. Everyone can make a difference in helping those in need, no matter how large or small a contribution.

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Symposium to present 2009 Metro Atlanta Homeless Survey

As the recession impacts the social and economic fabric of communities, local governments and agencies will present the results of the 2009 Metro Atlanta Homeless Survey during the 2009 Homeless Symposium Nov. 20 at Georgia State University.

The symposium will be held at 8:30 a.m. in the Speaker's Auditorium at the GSU Student Center, 44 Courtland St. S.E., and will include a summary of the survey and a panel discussion about its results.

"The symposium is designed to get those involved with providing assistance to the homeless to look at the survey results and their meaning, and to discuss the issues surrounding homelessness," said Tim Crimmins, director of the GSU Center for Neighborhood and Metropolitan Studies.

The survey is a project of the Metropolitan Atlanta Tri-Jurisdictional Collaborative on Homelessness and Pathways Community Network. GSU's Center for Neighborhood and Metropolitan Studies, GSU's Department of Sociology, and the United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta Regional Commission on Homelessness, are joining them in sponsoring the symposium.

The fourth-annual survey represents examines homelessness in the city of Atlanta and Fulton and DeKalb counties. The survey provides a way to look at different factors which might play a role in homelessness in 2009, including the effects of the recession, as well as the efforts in transitioning homeless persons into jobs, counseling and other programs, and those efforts' effects.

Prior to the 2009 survey, researchers completed a census of homeless persons within Atlanta and Fulton and DeKalb counties during a single day in January, and found a total of 7,019 homeless individuals and homeless family members in the three jurisdictions. The total census increased by 20 percent from 2003 to 2009, with a 6 percent increase from 2007 to 2009. The survey helps to flesh out this data, providing context and the factors behind the numbers.

For every survey since 2003, surveyors have gathered a standard set of demographic information, including history and reasons for homelessness, but with each year, researchers also hone in on different sets of specialized issues. This year, researchers also focused on vulnerability, foster care, and criminal history as a barrier to finding jobs and housing, among other issues, said Josie Parker, manager for research and data analysis for Pathways Community Network and a doctoral candidate in sociology at Georgia State.

The symposium is open to the public. For more information, contact Josie Parker at 404-639-9933, ext. 323, or josie.parker@pcni.org.

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Gas Chambers Still an Option in Several Georgia Counties

Georgia Voters for Animal Welfare is trying to reintroduce to our state lawmakers last year's bill (House Bill 1060) to shut down the remaining carbon monoxide gas chambers used to kill homeless dogs, cats, puppies and kittens in Georgia shelters. The law, if passed, would make lethal injection the only approved method of killing homeless pets.

See, at bottom, a list of the Georgia counties and cities still using gas chambers.

We need to act quickly and effectively to garner support among our state legislators. A peaceful demonstration on the front lawn/stairs of the State Capitol is one way to draw attention to our bill and to the barely-known issue of gas chambers.

DETAILS OF THE DEMONSTRATION

Date: Thursday, February 26th (rain or shine!)
Time: 9:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Location: State Capitol (the gold dome) main entrance on Washington Street downtown Atlanta
Directions: Exit 248A off I-75/85. Take MLK toward the gold dome, cross over Washington Street and through the next light to parking garage on right
Bring: posters saying "Ban Gas Chambers" or whatever you'd like to say, so long as you do not use profanity or say anything that will get us thrown out. No sticks/stakes, just poster board or foam core, hand-held.

Our goal is 100 people. That should be easy! We have 100x that many animal advocates in Georgia! We need to show our state lawmakers that the humane treatment of homeless pets is a high priority for many Georgia voters. Please don't use work as an excuse to not attend. We all work, but we all take a day off now and then. What better use of a personal day, a vacation day or a sick day will you ever have than this? Make your plans today and ask your boss for the day off. What does it say to the animals and to our legislators if this issue isn't worth one day off work to many, if not all of, Georgia's animal advocates? One day off to possibly end the torture of gas chambers. How can you say no? Please don't. Please be part of this important movement!

The State of Tennessee banned gas chambers a few years ago because a shelter worker died of co2 poisoning. The State of Virginia passed a ban on its gas chambers last year. "Davie's Bill" is pending in North Carolina at this moment. But Grace's Bill hasn't even been introduced to Georgia's General Assembly yet. We need your help to make it happen!

To learn more about gas chambers, visit the website of Animal Law Coalition:

http://www.animallawcoalition.com/gas-chambers

Here's what Animal Control Officer, Linda Cordry, in Liberty County had to say about the gas chamber she used before her local elected officials made the humane decision to switch to lethal injection:

"The gas chamber is simply a torture device for both animal and human alike. I hate that thing with a passion. It is NOT a humane way to put animals to sleep. It is not humane for those of us that have to witness its use! To hear the piteous cries that come from within that monstrous machine is unnerving at best. At least with lethal injections, you get to hold and wish these animals a safe journey to the bridge. You get to apologize for all the horrors they've had to endure at human hands. After all it is OUR fault they were born, not theirs. I wish I could make everyone understand the pain and sorrow I live with for having done my job (being made to use the gas chamber for so long). I still have nightmares about all the innocents lost over the years."

Whether or not you can attend the demonstration, PLEASE CALL OR WRITE TO YOUR STATE SENATOR AND HOUSE REPRESENTATIVE TO EXPRESS YOUR SUPPORT OF THE PROPOSED BAN ON GAS CHAMBERS! Here's how to find out who are your Senator and Representative and how to contact them:

http://www.congress.org/congressorg /dbq/officials/?lvl=L

Input your zip code. Then click on 'State' elected officials. Then input your full address. Then you'll see, under Sonny Perdue's name, the names of your Senator and House Representative. Then go to this website to get their contact information, bios, etc.:

http://www.legis.state.ga.us/

List of Counties and Cities still using gas chambers (to the best of our knowledge... there may be others):

Ashburn, GA
Barnesville, GA
Bulloch County
Butts County
Cordele, GA
Cuthbert, GA
Vienna, GA
Haralson County
Lanier County
Lowndes County
Macon, GA (City Council voted June 2008 to stop using its chamber July 1, 2009)
Mitchell County
Pulaski County
Spalding County
Sumter County
Warner Robins, GA

Thank you for reading and for joining the cause to spare our homeless pets prolonged and painful death by suffocation.



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