North Fulton Community Charities

Meeting Community Needs

By Katrina McDowell on Oct 29, 2024 in Giving

This Yardi-supported nonprofit does it all! North Fulton Community Charities (NFCC) aims to help ease the hardships and foster financial stability in its communities.

North Fulton Community Charities was established in 1983 in Roswell, GA, and serves over 9,000 residents in need in North Fulton County, including families. NFCC offers five programs of service to support both short and long-term economic stability:

• Rent/mortgage/utility assistance
• Client choice food pantry
• Clothing choice
• Seasonal support
• No-cost education and workforce opportunities

By working with individuals through these programs, NFCC focuses on preventing homelessness by offsetting food, clothing, and seasonal costs. This ensures families can use those saved funds for other household expenses and provide opportunities to gain critical skills that lead to higher wages and better jobs.

“Our priority is to offer programs and services that meet the community’s needs and will create the most meaningful impact for those we serve,” said Sherri Morgan, director of development for NFCC.

Yardi’s funding has been instrumental in helping local at-risk families remain safely housed by providing direct rent, mortgage, and utility assistance. In 2023 alone, NFCC, with the support of Yardi, prevented homelessness and utility disconnection for 1,581 local families. NFCC’s team of caring case managers meets each family eligible for financial assistance and recommends aid to prevent evictions and utility disconnection while also providing critical referrals to other programs, both internal and external, to fill gaps in need.

“Preventing homelessness is crucial to allow children to stay in school, allow parents to continue working, and stabilize families so they can access resources that will advance them on their journey to economic independence,” explained Morgan.

In addition, the growth and success of NFCC’s programs are a source of pride for the community. With over 40,000 orders in the last year, the food pantry has saved users $4.7 million in grocery costs. The education program, NFCC’s fastest-growing program, has launched additional classrooms this year and two off-site to accommodate over one hundred adults on the waiting list for English classes. Now, the list is down to almost zero. NFCC’s commitment to removing barriers to its client’s resources by providing transportation and free child care to families is evidence of its dedication and impact.

“We at North Fulton Community Charities are incredibly grateful to Yardi for their commitment to improving our community. Their generous contribution will ensure that North Fulton families facing financial hardship remain safely in their homes and are equipped with the tools they need to move toward greater financial stability,” said Morgan.

Yana’s Ukraine Journey

Yana came from Ukraine a year ago with her husband and three children after her husband secured work with an American logistics company. Escaping the war-torn country, she left a successful accounting business and arrived in the United States with little English.

Yana was eager to enroll when she heard about NFCC’s English as a Second Language (ESL) program at her church. She began attending ESL classes in May 2023, and her family embraced English immersion. Yana moved quickly through the ESL classes and enrolled in NFCC’s GED program. The GED program allowed her to continue working on her English skills and earn her credentials to secure work. Even though Yana had earned a degree while living in Ukraine, a bomb hit her university in Ukraine, and all records were destroyed. Earning a GED would allow her to rebuild her life in North Fulton.

On February 27, 2024, Yana earned her GED. Now, she is enrolled in classes at Interactive College of Technology and plans to return to working in accounting. “This GED program improves English vocabulary, and the atmosphere is very friendly. Thank you for your support at every step,” said Yana.

Yana told NFCC program manager Wynona Kuehl that she is enjoying her new home. “It is similar to Kyiv, the motion of life and the comfort. The people smile and are friendly.” She also said, “I like the United States Constitution and how the three branches work together.”

“We congratulate Yana on her success and look forward to seeing her reach her goals,” expressed Morgan.

Volunteer Opportunities

North Fulton Community Charities welcomes Yardi team members to volunteer in any of its programs, including the food pantry, thrift store, seasonal events and educational programs. Volunteers, both individuals and groups, can come as a one-time or recurring opportunity to meet their schedules. Please contact NFCC’s volunteer services manager, Jessica Heidish, at [email protected] for more information on any volunteer opportunities.

Fun fact—NFCC’s Thrift Shop has again been nominated as one of Atlanta’s Best in 2024!

“Our Thrift Shop serves as one of the best places to thrift in North Fulton and as the host of our Clothing Choice Program, which provides free clothing, shoes and accessories to about 800 local families in need each month,” said Morgan. She continued, “Not to mention, all revenue from Thrift Shop goes back to supporting our programs. Please keep us in mind when you shop, donate gently used goods, and vote for us as one of Atlanta’s Best 2024. We are grateful for the support from Yardi!”

Find future non-profit profiles at https://www.yardi.com/blog/category/giving.

Yardi is Energized for Good! Visit www.yardi.org for more about our philanthropic reach.