Mardi Gras Clay Festival

A free fun filled family event which includes mask & bead making, wheel & hand building demonstration and clay lessons for kids. The event also includes:

• Gumbo Lunch & Bowl Sale: 1:00 pm. – 4:00 p.m.

• $10 donation for the delicious Gumbo and Handmade Bowls

With all proceeds supporting North Fulton Community Charities

For information on this event, please visit www.roswellcollective.com or 770.641.3990

Stein Mart Grand Opening

Saturday March 13: Private Preview Shopping Event for Stein Mart at North Point Market Center benefiting NFCC and The Drake House. For a $5 donation in advance or at the door you will get $5 off your purchase and 10% off one item. To purchase a $5 pre-sale ticket, contact Vonda Malbrough at vmalbrough@nfcchelp.org or 770-640-0399 x 215.

ABOUT NORTH FULTON COMMUNITY CHARITIES: Our mission is to prevent homelessness in North Fulton by supporting families during short-term emergencies with food, clothing, rent, utilities and other basic needs.

Roswell, GA (February 19, 2010) Hear ye…Hear ye…The NFCC Thrift Shop will become a Roswell Runway from noon until 2:00 pm. on Saturday, March 20, 2010 when young members of CATS model prom dresses. CATS, which stands for Called to Serve, is a group of girls attending Alpharetta High School that are involved in community service projects.

In 2009, North Fulton Community Charities assisted a record 5,300 local families – an average of 130 families every day – and provided $100,000 each month in financial assistance (44% more than the previous year). Our Food Pantry is now distributing 9 ½ tons of food every week. With the local unemployment rate over 10%, the need in our community is growing faster than our resources.

Volunteer Coordinator Karen Rupp said, “Attending the prom can be so expensive, our hope is to reduce some of the cost by providing a nice selection of dresses and accessories for a reasonable price. We think that this will give more local area high school girls the chance to attend their prom without it placing a financial burden on the family.”

To make this event a success, NFCC is requesting the following donations:

• New or Gently used prom dresses

• Shoes

• Jewelry

• Purses

• Make-up artist

• Hair Stylist

• Dry cleaners

The Thrift Shop, located at 11270 Elkins Road just off Alpharetta Highway, will sell the dresses after the runaway show. The event is open to the public and welcomes all prom-goers.

For more information on the Prom Fashion Show, please contact Karen Rupp 770.640.0399 x230 or krupp@nfcchelp.org or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/nfcchelp.

ABOUT NORTH FULTON COMMUNITY CHARITIES: Our mission is to prevent homelessness in North Fulton by supporting families during short-term emergencies with food, clothing, rent, utilities and other basic needs.

“This will be our first annual “Biggest Book Sale Ever,” said Bebe Nicholson, thrift shop manager. “We had so many book donations in 2009 that we now have an entire storage unit full of books.

“Book lovers will have a field day, because there are so many titles. Volunteers have uncovered everything from rare, old books to current bestsellers. Sometimes a buyer will find a first edition or a book signed by the author,” Ms. Nicholson added. “We have fiction, nonfiction, cookbooks, children’s books, you name it. I’m a book lover myself, so I can’t wait!”

North Fulton Community Charities helps people in North Fulton with emergency financial assistance, food and clothing.

“Our client numbers have skyrocketed with the economic climate and unemployment numbers being what they are,” Ms. Nicholson said. “The book sale will be a fun way to turn our great donations into revenue that can benefit the charity.”

The thrift shop is located at 11270 Elkins Road in Roswell, just off Alpharetta Highway. The store will re-stock books every day Monday through Saturday, February 8-13.

Store hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

For more information on North Fulton Community Charities or how you can help your neighbors, please Vonda Malbrough 770.640.0399 x215 or vmalbrough@nfcchelp.org or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/nfcchelp.

ABOUT NORTH FULTON COMMUNITY CHARITIES: Our mission is to prevent homelessness in North Fulton by supporting families during short-term emergencies with food, clothing, rent, utilities and other basic needs.

With the continued recession and many local adults still out of work, NFCC is seeing more and more families in need of food, financial help and clothing. The office was so busy with families seeking financial assistance that many were turned away and asked to return the next day. In four days, NFCC had assisted 601 families (2,014 individuals) and given food out 579 times. Requests for assistance climbed throughout 2009 and are now 45% higher than the end of 2008. In 2009, NFCC averaged 130 families per day, gave out nine tons of food and staple goods each week and provided $100,000 in financial assistance each month.

Executive Director Barbara Duffy said “NFCC is seeing more and more families struggling to keep a roof over their head and food on the table. Would you be able to choose between paying the water bill or gas bill? Buying food or paying the rent? Buying medicine or putting gas in the car? These difficult decisions are adding more stress to families already consumed by the depressing search for work. We continue to hope that this challenge is temporary but we anticipate the recovery for many families will be slow. The individual stories are heartbreaking, like the Alpharetta woman who waited for hours, asking for only $33.16 to pay her car insurance.”

“The response from our North Fulton community has been wonderful” Ms Duffy continued. “Food, volunteers and donations are coming in at record pace to help meet the need. It seems whenever we run short, someone shows up at our door with another trunk full of food or another generous check for assistance. We are so blessed to live in a community that works together to help our neighbors who are hurting.”

For more information on North Fulton Community Charities or how you can help your neighbors, please Vonda Malbrough 770.640.0399 x215 or vmalbrough@nfcchelp.org or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/nfcchelp.

ABOUT NORTH FULTON COMMUNITY CHARITIES: Our mission is to prevent homelessness in North Fulton by supporting families during short-term emergencies with food, clothing, rent, utilities and other basic needs.

$18  Buys a MARTA card for someone looking for work.

$25  Pays for prescription medicine for a sick child.

$50  Keeps the water on for a senior on a fixed income.

$100 Keeps the house warm or lights on.

$250 Pays the balance of rent for a single mother whose hours at work were cut back.

$500 Stops the eviction for a family where the father is facing surgery and trying to make ends meet on Workers Comp.

$1,000 Pays emergency needs of a number of families in crisis.

The Annual Breakfast was held on Wednesday, November 11th to honor the supporters of NFCC and to highlight the great works that this organization provides to local families in need. The breakfast began with a welcome from the Board President, Mario Lizaso and a touching testimony from a client who has been assisted by NFCC. Deborah thanked all of the guests for their donations which have provided assistance to both her and her ten year old son during these tough times. After hearing her touching words, there was not a dry eye in the room. This breakfast also highlighted some special honorees.

Faith Based Partner of the Year: Roswell Presbyterian Church
Civic Partner of the Year: Roswell Women’s Club
Business Partner of the Year: Zero-G Creative
Volunteers of the Year: Bob & Mary Ann Cox

The breakfast was a tremendous success and gave NFCC an opportunity to recognize the supporters in the community and thank them for their continued involvement. The event also allowed both new and existing supporters time to focus on upcoming holiday projects and volunteer opportunities. For more information on North Fulton Community Charities or how you can help your neighbors, please Vonda Malbrough 770.640.0399 x215 or vmalbrough@nfcchelp.org.

ABOUT NORTH FULTON COMMUNITY CHARITIES: Our mission is to prevent homelessness in North Fulton by supporting families during short-term emergencies by providing the basic needs of food, clothing, and financial assistance.

NFCC has Urgent Needs for Food and Financial Donations

Roswell, GA (October 19, 2009) NFCC food pantry and Emergency Financial Program are in need of food and financial donations. With the current unemployment rate at 10.3%, NFCC is seeing over 130 families per day. Just three weeks ago, the office broke a “new record” and saw 200 families within one day. The demand for food has also increased with nine tons of food and staple good being distributed weekly and the Emergency Financial Assistance Program, since January, is currently exceeding over $100,000 in financial assistance each month.

NFCC is seeing a number of families who were making ends meet; but, with the current economic recession, these families are struggling. With the holiday season fast approaching, the Holiday Program is also seeing an increase and has already qualified 1175 families. NFCC’s assistance is in high demand but resources are limited and we are in dire need of food and financial donations.

Executive Director Barbara Duffy said, “Right now we are able to assist families only with the funds that arrive in the daily mail. There is no extra. Once that amount has been given out, we tell families in need of financial assistance to check back with us tomorrow to see if NFCC will be able to help. Food is also going out the same day it is donated. Any help you can give would be appreciated and will be put right to work helping local families.”

Our motto is, “Together We Can Help,” and help is really needed during this time. We want to thank the community of North Fulton for continuing to support our mission, which is keeping families in their home. Once again, NFCC is reaching out to the community and asking everyone to offer comfort and support to their neighbors, during these difficult times. For more information on North Fulton Community Charities, please Vonda Malbrough 770.640.0399 x215 or vmalbrough@nfcchelp.org.

ABOUT NORTH FULTON COMMUNITY CHARITIES: Our mission is to prevent homelessness in North Fulton by supporting families during short-term emergencies by providing the basic needs of food, clothing, and financial assistance.