www.nicholashouse.org

1. www.nicholashouse.org
News from Nicholas House
1790 LaVista Rd, Atlanta, GA ●404-633-8386●fax 404-633-0297
Contact: Dennis Bowman
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Executive Director
404-633-8386 ext 102
DBowman@nicholashouse.org
HELP NEEDED AS FAMILY HOMELESS SHELTER MUST CLOSE DUE TO FUNDING
ATLANTA (Dec. 17, 2008) – Nicholas House, a well-respected and long-standing nonprofit that
helps homeless families achieve self-sufficiency, must close one of its transitional shelter programs
by mid-January that helps up to 45 homeless children and parents nightly. The action is necessary
due to unmet funding needs forcing the organization to re-organize to continue operations with less
expense.
“We’ve tried to raise the funds needed to keep this location operating, but at this point the
most responsible action is to close the LaVista facility and focus our efforts on continuing services
in our other programs that continue to have nearly 200 homeless children and parents working to
become self-sufficient,” said Juliet Reising, Nicholas House Board President.
The move affects its LaVista Road shelter located behind St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal
Church, which started the organization 26 years ago. The closing will eliminated transitional shelter
space for up to 12 families and 45 children and parents. The immediate impact means re-locating
eight current homeless families and 26 people into other Nicholas House programs or agencies and
will layoff seven employees.
The Nicholas House Board has been working to close a projected funding gap created by
economic impact, grant and donor declines and is finding the current economy compounding the
difficulty. As a result, the agency is re-organizing to reduce costs and continue operations at its
family shelter on Boulevard and its apartment-based program for families. However, additional
funding is still needed to transition the organization to the new way of operating that it believes is
fully sustainable moving forward.
“Nicholas House has been addressing family homelessness with a program that works for a
very long time. We can make an impact on a huge problem getting larger in our community. But we
need the funding to make it happen. Even though the economy is bad, Nicholas House needs
people’s financial help now more than ever for homeless children and parents who are working hard
to start a new life on their own,” Reising said.
-MORE-
1790 LaVista Rd, Atlanta, GA 30329● 404-633-8386○ fax 404-633-0297 ■ 830 Boulevard SE, Atlanta, GA 30312 ●404-622-0793 ○ fax 404-622-0388
Nicholas House Inc. is a 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt corporation. Federal Tax ID # 58-1762614. Gifts to Nicholas House are tax-deductible.

2. www.nicholashouse.org
News from Nicholas House
1790 LaVista Rd, Atlanta, GA ●404-633-8386●fax 404-633-0297
Nicholas House – Page 2
Family homelessness is a rapidly growing issue in Metro-Atlanta. According to one survey
each night more than 1,200 family members, including 800 children are homeless. The area now
will lose a well established transitional housing shelter known for its long-term success with
families. Up to 12 families and 45 children and parents stay at the facility that provides housing,
meals, case management, after-school programs, adult training sessions and more in an
accountability-based program to help a family be able to maintain their own housing and income
long-term. It also is one of the only locations where families can remain in tact while homeless
rather than separating genders, causing couples and siblings to go to differing shelters.
“While we have to close the LaVista location at this time, Nicholas House continues to need
the volunteer and financial support of the community as it provides programs to more than 200
homeless children and parents annually in other locations and will need to raise additional funds
soon to ensure we can transition to the new operations,” Reising said.
To donate to Nicholas House go to www.nicholashouse.org or call 404-633-8386.
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1790 LaVista Rd, Atlanta, GA 30329● 404-633-8386○ fax 404-633-0297 ■ 830 Boulevard SE, Atlanta, GA 30312 ●404-622-0793 ○ fax 404-622-0388
Nicholas House Inc. is a 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt corporation. Federal Tax ID # 58-1762614. Gifts to Nicholas House are tax-deductible.