Community Matters: Rainbow Village is Making a Difference

By Our Town Gwinnett Staff

In 2017, Rainbow Village established its Women’s Giving Circle as a means for women with a passion for philanthropy and volunteerism to connect while increasing awareness about family homelessness and promoting the concept of “giving” of one’s time, talent, and treasure. In 2020, the group established its “Be the Change” Microgrants Initiative to benefit members of the nonprofit’s Aspire Residential and Thrive Alumni Programs. Over the last two years, the group has raised and awarded $16,800 to help current residents and alumni overcome obstacles in the path to achieving their goals. On Wednesday, December 7th, Women’s Giving Circle members, community guests, Rainbow Village staff, and microgrant applicants gathered at the Duluth Festival Center to celebrate the holidays, the organization’s many victories over the course of the last year, and to bestow a series of small grants to deserving recipients at its largest Grand Total to date – $23,650.

“This has become one of my favorite nights of the year,” said Rainbow Village CEO Melanie Conner. “Our first year was virtual, due to COVID-19, but this year and last, we were able to see the excitement and gratitude of each microgrant recipient firsthand, and that’s a powerful thing. As I looked around that room, I thought to myself ‘THIS is what the holidays are all about – coming together to bestow gifts and bring joy.’ Only these microgrants bring more than joy. They bring meaningful change. The finish line is in sight for many of our resident applicants. They’re nearing the end of our program, but they have a hurdle to clear before they can get there. These microgrants help them pay off medical bills, student loans, business license application fees, and so much more that may have been weighing them down or keeping them from saving what they need to pursue self-sufficiency. For our graduates, they still have their success coaching goals in mind and need a little help with car or home repairs. I love that our Women’s Giving Circle is there to help them with that.”

Marking the top honor for the night, the Barbara Howard High Achiever Award was bestowed upon a very deserving Adrian K., who has been a resident of Rainbow Village for a little over a year. Named in honor of the late Barbara Howard, this award reflects Howard’s energy, enthusiasm, and inspiration. In addition to being the owner of Georgiabased food processing company, Susanna’s Kitchen, for fifty-five years, Howard and her husband were prolific philanthropists. She supported Rainbow Village in a wide variety of ways including serving as the capital campaign chair to aid in building the Duluth campus. Her hard work and dedication helped the organization raise over $6 million to provide housing for families experiencing homelessness. Recipients of the Barbara Howard High Achiever Award have demonstrated

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