The Golden Triangle Regional Homeless Coalition didn’t plan a celebration to mark its fifth anniversary. Even so, it got a big present Tuesday, even bigger than organizers had imagined.
On Tuesday at the Courtyard-Marriott in Columbus, 100+ Women Who Care Columbus awarded its first Impact Award, with the local homeless organization edging out two other finalists for the $15,700 prize.
The finalists were chosen at random during the meeting, and GTRHC was selected for the grand prize on a vote of the membership. The other finalists — Father’s Child Ministry and The St. Vincent DePaul Society — were provided a $500 grant and, along with the other 11 nominated groups, will be eligible for the big award at the group’s next meeting in October.
Other nominated groups were Helping Hands, Happy Christmas Fund, Life Choices Pregnancy Care Center, Columbus Arts Council, VFW Post 4272, Safe Haven, Columbus Lowndes Free Medical Clinic, Main Street Columbus, Lowndes County 4-H Club and the FORGE Foundation.
The award money distributed Tuesday came from $100 donations from each of the group’s members, who pledged $100 for each of the two annual Impact Awards. The amount of the award was not known until shortly before the selection of the winner as new members signed up before the start of Tuesday’s meeting.
By then, 167 members had joined and each contributed their $100 toward the award.
Jamie Davidson, who along with Beth Imes co-founded the organization that held its first meeting just two months ago, was stunned by the response.
“It’s crazy,” Davidson said. “I thought coming into the meeting, we’d have 150 members. But when I saw people lined up before the meeting to join, I was just amazed.”
Upon joining, members were given the opportunity to nominate a local organization that met two basic criteria: The nominated organization must be a 501(c)3 in good standing and must provide its services in Lowndes County.
Fourteen organizations were nominated with their names dropped into a hopper. Three finalists were chosen at random from that group, with the member who nominated the organization making a five-minute presentation at Tuesday’s meeting before the vote was taken.
Lindsay Clemons presented for the Golden Triangle Regional Homeless Coalition, which was co-founded by Episcopal priests Sandra DePriest and Anne Harris in 2014.
The coalition provides housing and other services for the homeless in Lowndes County.
“There are two goals,” Clemons told her audience. “First, to identify and vet individuals or families who were homeless who, with assistance, could change the trajectory of their lives. Second, to blanket them with the services they need, whether it’s medical assistance, job placement, education. The services provided depend on the person’s specific needs.”
The coalition currently has two apartments, but also provides short-term hotel rooms for emergency situations. To date, it has provided apartment space to more than 40 people while providing 200 others with short-term housing in hotels.
The group’s ultimate goal is to build a complex of small houses that can be used for transitional living.
Clemons noted that 100 percent of donations go to providing services.
“It has no office, no paid staff, no overhead. It’s 100-percent volunteer,” Clemons said.
With its first Impact Award announced, 100+ Women Who Care Columbus will look to its next award presentation, which will be held Oct. 22 at the Marriott.
Along with the 13 organizations already nominated, members can make additional nominations until Sept. 22.
Davidson said the next award may be even bigger than the first as the group continues to add members.
“We are still getting people who approach us saying they just found out about what we’re doing and want to be a part of it,” Davidson said. “It continues to grow and gain momentum, so who knows how much we’ll have by October. It’s already exceeded expectations.”
For membership and other information, visit: 100wwccolumbusms.org.
Slim Smith is a columnist and feature writer for The Dispatch. His email address is [email protected].
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 32 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 32 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
READER FAVORITES
Related Photos
Jamie Davidson
Beth Imes
