Standing in the Gap for the Homeless BY SUSAN BROWNING SCHULZ
Simple Needs GA founder Brenda Rhodes thanks a young lady who asked for donations for the organization in lieu of gifts for herself.
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AROUND KENNESAW | August 2022
When Brenda Rhodes was volunteering in her community, she noticed some of life’s necessities weren’t readily available to people who were struggling and down on their luck. She wanted to fill in some of those gaps. “This is expected, since every nonprofit can’t do everything,” she said. “It started with requests from residents at a homeless shelter. They were provided travel-size toiletries, and, at times, not all were available (such as deodorant). My thought was that it was stressful enough living in such an environment; having things that they need for hygiene would help. “I also noticed that, when folks arrived, they often had a few things in a garbage bag. I figured having a duffel bag to put things in would also be of benefit. I started collecting bags and then eventually purchased them, along with full-size toiletries. I added pens and paper, as well as a refillable bottle for water. “I also started volunteering to serve people who lived in the woods and residents of the shelter who were moving out and starting over. They were asking me if I knew of anyone who had beds or furniture.” These volunteer experiences inspired Rhodes to launch Simple Needs GA (SNGA) with three initial programs: Comfort Kits, Simply Sheltered and Simple Household Needs. The organization became an official nonprofit in April 2010. After a few years and more research into the ongoing needs of our community, programs for children were added: My Birthday Matters, Shoe Them Love, Uniforms for Excellence and Spirit of Christmas. SNGA’s programs meet the needs of families and individuals in poverty or those coming out of homelessness, while inspiring community members to provide help as well. Two of the seven programs are for those experiencing homelessness. SNGA seeks to serve by doing things like bringing tents to people living in the woods, providing birthday gifts and party supplies or new shoes for a homeless child. The staff and volunteers work hard not only to provide basic needs but also to connect hurting and desperate people with the services essential for improving their lives. SNGA collaborates with other local charities and often includes those needs in its charity drives. A tangible example of filling the gap is the Spirit of Christmas program. If someone experiences job loss or a tragic event
