While watching the local news this morning we saw a story about the Genesis House.  This organization is a local charity here in Atlanta that receives funds from federal, local and state sources, as well as private donations to help homeless babies and their families, with a priority being given to newborns.  In July they will no longer be the recipient of these funds due to budget cuts I believe.  When my husband and I heard this we knew we needed to help out with a donation from PeetiePie.   To find out more about Genesis Shelter and how you can donate your time and/or make a tax deductible donation please visit http://www.genesisanewlife.org/ to learn more.

A few FAQ’s about the Genesis Shelter………

Who does the shelter serve?
Genesis serves babies six months of age and younger, and their families; with a priority given to families with a newborn.  This could mean a baby and a single Mom, a couple with a baby and other children, a single Dad and his baby, or even sometimes Grandparents caring for a grandbaby.  Approximately 80% of the families served are single Mothers with a newborn and one or more additional children.

What areas of the city does the shelter cover?
Genesis is located at the corner of Boulevard and John Wesley Dobbs, in the Old Fourth Ward of Atlanta, directly across the street from the Martin Luther King Center.  Genesis serves families from throughout the metro-Atlanta area.

Genesis has a budget of approximately $1.2 million.  Twenty-five percent of the budget comes from federal, state, and local government sources, the remaining amount must be raised from the community – including individuals, foundations, faith-based organizations, civic groups and businesses.

Why do we need a shelter for homeless newborn babies?
A homeless newborn baby in Atlanta has very few options. Before Genesis opened, the mother and the newborn were forced to seek shelters that were not suitable for brand new babies! These shelters often posed physical and developmental problems for the newborn with a lack of hygiene, overcrowding, restricted shelter hours and insufficient services. Genesis Shelter enables families to stay together, with each family having their own bedroom.

PeetiePie was pleased to be able to provide a generous donation to Feeding America on 6/2/12.  Through the assistance of local and national food assistance programs, Feeding America is able to provide nutritious, fresh foods to Americans struggling with hunger; safe and nurturing places for children to have a meal; emergency assistance for disaster victims; as well as a chance at self-sufficiency for adults trying to break the cycle of poverty and hunger.

To find out how you can volunteer your time and/or make a tax deductible donation please visit http://feedingamerica.org/ to learn more.

Facts of Child Hunger in America

• Nearly 14 million children are estimated to be served by Feeding America, over 3 million of which are ages 5 and under.
• According to the USDA, over 16 million children lived in food insecure (low food security and very low food security) households in 2010.
• 20% or more of the child population in 40 states and D.C. lived in food insecure households in 2009. The District of Columbia (32.3%) and Oregon (29.2%) had the highest rates of children in households without consistent access to food.
• In 2009, the top five states with the highest rate of food insecure children under 18 are the District of Columbia, Oregon, Arizona, Arkansas, & Texas. iii
• In 2009, the top five states with the lowest rate of food insecure children under 18 are North Dakota, New Hampshire, Virginia, Maryland, & Massachusetts. iii
• Proper nutrition is vital to the growth and development of children. 62 percent of client households with children under the age of 18 reported participating in the National School Lunch Program, but only 14 percent reported having a child participate in a summer feeding program that provides free food when school is out.i
• 54 percent of client households with children under the age of 3 participated in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).i
• 32 percent of pantries, 42 percent of kitchens, and 18 percent of shelters in the Feeding America network reported “many more children in the summer” being served by their programs.i
• In 2010, 16.4 million or approximately 22 percent of children in the U.S. lived in poverty.
• Research indicates that hungry children have do more poorly in school and have lower academic achievement because they are not well prepared for school and cannot concentrate.
• In fiscal year 2009, 48 percent of all SNAP participants were children
• During the 2010 federal fiscal year, 20.6 million low-income children received free or reduced-price meals through the National School Lunch Program. Unfortunately, just 2.3 million of these same income-eligible children participated in the Summer Food Service Program that same year.