The final episode of the series, Meet Your Community, features a turn of the tables. Erin Barger, President, and CEO of the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia, the first community leader interviewed in this series becomes the interviewer. Erin takes the seat at the microphone and interviews the host of the series, Frank Granger, Minister of Christian Community at First Baptist Church of Athens, GA.

The aim of this series is to deepen our awareness of needs in our community, and meet some of the people and organizations working daily to meet those needs. In addition to learning about our community, we can envision ways to use our gifts and resources, personally and collectively, to help in meeting those needs.

The fifth episode in the six-part series, Meet Your Community, features Grace Bagwell Adams the Principal Investigator of the Athens Wellbeing Project. Today we meet Grace and hear about the significant research and information provided through her work with the Athens Wellbeing Project which serves to assist our community leaders and institutions by providing a comprehensive snapshot of our community’s unique needs and assets in Athens-Clarke County.

The aim of this series is to deepen our awareness of needs in our community, and meet some of the people and organizations working daily to meet those needs. In addition to learning about our community, we can envision ways to use our gifts and resources, personally and collectively, to help in meeting those needs.

Links and Resources for Additional Information:

Athens Wellbeing Project

Website: https://www.athenswellbeingproject.org/

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/athenswellbeingproject/

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AthensWellbeingProject/

The Athens Wellbeing Project Student White Paper Symposium will be held on Wednesday, November 15, at Georga Hall on UGA’s Health Science Campus (located on Prince Avenue). The time is from 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. Attendance is free. For additional info contact Rebecca Baskam, rbaskam@uga.edu

The fourth episode in the six-part series, Meet Your Community features Chanda Santana the Founder for Divas Who Win. In addition to hearing Chanda’s story behind the inspiration and founding of Divas Who Win, we learn about the significant work of this organization serving women trapped by the bounds of sex trade, which often includes complications of addiction. Divas Who Win provides comprehensive support, programs, and a loving community as women make the journey to a new life.

The aim of this series is to deepen our awareness of needs in our community, and meet some of the people and organizations working daily to meet those needs. In addition to learning about our community, we can envision ways to use our gifts and resources, personally and collectively, to help in meeting those needs.

Links and Resources for Additional Information:

Divas Who Win website:

https://www.divaswhowin.org/

Purchase the Book, The Genesis Xperience on Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/Genesis-Xperience-knew-her-beginning/dp/1726459942/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=The+Genesis+Xperience&qid=1613484717&s=books&sr=1-1

The third episode in the six-part series, Meet Your Community features Spencer Frye the Executive Director for the Athens Area Habitat for Humanity. In addition to hearing Spencer’s story that led him to this role, we learn about the ongoing and expanding work of Habitat which is dedicated to building stronger communities by providing stable housing for individuals and families.

The aim of this series is to deepen our awareness of needs in our community, and meet some of the people and organizations working daily to meet those needs. In addition to learning about our community, we can envision ways to use our gifts and resources, personally and collectively, to help in meeting those needs.

Links and Resources for Additional Information:

The Athens Area Habitat website:

https://www.athenshabitat.com/

Spencer Frye referred to a study done by Georgia Tech and Kennesaw State University. For more information on this click here: https://www.athenshabitat.com/homeowner-statistics-2016/

The Nehemiah Project was referenced in our conversation today. This is one story about the Nehemiah houses in NYC:

https://www.npr.org/2018/10/04/654085265/the-american-dream-one-block-can-make-all-the-difference

Redlining refers to the practice of refusing to back mortgages in neighborhoods based on racial and ethnic composition. For information on this click here:

https://www.bostonfairhousing.org/timeline/1934-FHA.html

This is the second of a six-part series called, Meet Your Community. Today we meet Madison Sanders, Executive Director of Family Promise. We hear about her service and the multiple programs of Family Promise which address both the needs and prevention of homelessness for families.

The aim of this series is to deepen our awareness of needs in our community, and meet some of the people and organizations working daily to meet those needs. In addition to learning about our community, we can envision ways to use our gifts and resources, personally and collectively, to help in meeting those needs.

Additional Information about Family Promise of Athens

Website: https://www.familypromiseathens.org/

Ken Medema Concert – November 12, 2023

Sunday, November 12 4 PM at Milledge Avenue Baptist Church

All "ticket" sales will go to Family Promise

La Table – February 6, 2024

February 6th at 1055 Barber Street

Link for More Information and Pictures: https://www.familypromiseathens.org/events

Information about Homelessness

Athens Homeless Coalition Community Data

https://endathenshomelessness.com/impact

Clarke County Information:

https://www.accgov.com/10473/Homelessness

State of Homelessness in America:

https://endhomelessness.org/homelessness-in-america/homelessness-statistics/state-of-homelessness/

This is the first in a new six-part series called, Meet Your Community. Today we meet Erin Barger, the president, and CEO of the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia. We’ll learn about her service, and how the food bank works to address food insecurity by providing consistent access to nourishing food and relevant education throughout a 14 county area.

The aim of this series is to deepen our awareness of needs in our community, and meet some of the people and organizations working daily to meet those needs. In addition to learning about our community, we can envision ways to use our gifts and resources, personally and collectively, to help in meeting those needs.

Links:

Website for the Foodbank of Northeast Georgia:

https://foodbanknega.org/

Erin Barger spoke about the Hunker Down Against Hunger fundraising event. Here is the direct link for more information:

https://foodbanknega.org/event/hungerbowl2023/

Meet Your Community is a new 6-episode series beginning October 5, 2023 and running weekly through November 9. Each episode will feature one leader from some of our Athens Area community service organizations. The series seeks to raise awareness for our listeners about these organizations, the people they serve, and how others can support them through volunteering and giving. These conversations will also explore some of the other critical needs in our community, and ways we can partner to meet those needs. The organizations featured include: Foodbank of Northeast Georgia, Family Promise of Athens, Athens Area Habitat for Humanity, Divas Who Win, and The Athens Well-Being Project.

This is the final conversation in our Fall 2022 podcast series, “Conversations about Church, God, and the Pandemic,” These seven one-on-one conversations featured a different church member sharing conversation on five basic questions:

• Their church background and experience in childhood
• Why they chose First Baptist Athens
• A favorite Bible story
• Where they would take God to dinner
• Their discoveries from the pandemic.

The conversations are rich with stories, inspiration, discoveries, and surprises.

You are invited to check out our other podcast, “Open to Explore Devotions,” beginning Monday, November 28. There you will find daily Advent devotions Monday through Friday for the four weeks leading up to Christmas. The devotions come from members sharing personal stories on the theme, “Come, let us walk in the light of the Lord.”