Forsyth-Online: Your Community ONLINE! Cumming and Forsyth County, GA.

FOLINFO

The Place of Forsyth

Mission

"To listen compassionately to those deprived of basic needs, and together with them, find creative ways to alleviate their suffering."

The Place of Forsyth County, Inc. began in 1975. Each year our work expands to ensure that we are able to assist residents in their time of need. The Place has provided emergency basic needs in Forsyth County for 32 years. We operate through the support received from our donors, grants, thrift store sales and the United Way of Forsyth County .

Services include:

Direct Emergency Assistance

Elderly Assistance

First Call for Help

Medical Fund

Noon Meal

Hispanic Program

Surplus Food Program

Youth Enrichment Program

Thrift Store

Ways you can help:

Donation Needs

In Kind Donations for Clients
All In Kind donations and items the agency needs should be taken to the program office Monday-Saturday 8:00 a.m.- 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Food Needs

One can meals

Powdered Milk

Ensure

Canned meats/fish and fruit

Peanut butter

Jelly or Jam in plastic containers

#1 Spaghetti noodles

Canned Spaghetti Sauce

Canned potatoes

Canned vegetables

Note: We cannot accept commercial sizes, expired, broken or damaged containers. All food items must be commercially packaged

Food Drives
Food Drives are always appreciated. We do ask you to coordinate with us for a specific need list. Often we have too many of one item and a shortage of other critical food items. Food drives ensure that we are always able to meet the needs of our community.

Urgent Ongoing Needs
Large Brown Grocery bags -- needed to distribute food to our Clients

Grocery Card Donations for Clients
Cards are only used to meet the needs of our clients if need is justified. We would prefer you bring them by and not put them in the mail.

Items the Agency Needs

Equipment

New or like new Commercial Buffer

Commercial Rug Shampooer

Digital Scanner

Supplies

Anti-bacterial Cleaners

Copy Paper

Paper Products

First Aid Kits

Cleaning Supplies

Services Needed -- Donated

Electrical

Plumbing

Landscaping -- specifically weed control

Checks

Checks may be mailed to:

The Place of Forsyth County
2550 The Place Circle
Cumming, GA 30040

Agency Volunteer Needs

Volunteer Opportunities -- Regular Schedule

Thrift Store Volunteers call 678-947-8825. Volunteers needed Monday-Saturdays. We ask for a 4 hour weekly commitment.

Volunteer opportunities to support our various programs. (See the Services section of the website). Call 770-887-1098 for more information.

Truck driver(s) needed with clean driving record and must be 62 or under to pick up food and bring it to The Place on Wednesdays or to cover during vacation days.

Volunteer Opportunities -- Lunch Sponsors

Please refer to the Agency Calendar for when Sponsors are needed.

Annual-Seasonal Volunteer Opportunities

Back to School
Each year, help is needed the first week of August
July 9 we will start signing up families that cannot afford to purchase their children's school supplies
Note for 2006, volunteers and sponsors provided backpacks for 164 children.

Hands Across Forsyth
This program provides Thanksgiving food and Christmas gifts for the children of families that are facing financial hardships
English and bilingual volunteer help is needed with the sign-up procedures, office work, returning phone calls, etc. Training is provided.
Please call Ruth @ extension 233 if you are interested in helping with this program for 2007.

Schedule
Applications will be taken almost every Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. during this time period.

Toy Sale
Volunteers are needed to help with our annual Toy Sale fundraiser held the first week of December.
This event is restricted to low-income clients Wednesday through Friday and Saturday is open to the public.
All items are new and sold at half price and the proceeds are designated for our Emergency Assistance Fund.

Special Needs
In addition to the ongoing and seasonal needs, there are special needs as well. Contact us to learn where you might be able to provide volunteer support to The Place.

For further information, call 770-887-1098 or visit ThePlaceofForsyth.com

Chronology of The Place
2006	December - Two AED's (automated defibulators) installed, one on each floor of our faciity.
*2005*	September - Emergency response coordination with United Way to ensure a community collaborative to help all Katrina evacuees with their emergency needs. July - 30th Anniversary
*2003*	December - The Thrift Store now accepting checks, we use E Check system where Nova credits amounts directlry to our checking account. March - Wednesday Noon Day meal implemented to supplement current food programs to ensure that no one in Forsyth County goes hungry. Februrary - Collaborative with "There's Hope for the Hungry" to help ensure resources are adequate food available to meet the needs of our residents.
*2002*	September - Hands Across Forsyth - Holiday Program merged and becomes a program of The Place of Forsyth County, Inc.
*2001*	December - The agency moves to our new facility designed to meet agency needs: 2550 The Place Circle. As the community and clients have changed, so has The Place adapted to the needs. The programs still provided by The Place include: Emergency Assistance, Surplus Food , Thrift Store, Youth Enrichment, United Way First Call for Help, Food Pantry, Elderly Assistance, Hispanic Outreach, Extreme Emergency. Services are coordinated with other agencies/organizations including the following: Forstyh County Medical Fund, local churches, St. Vincent's de Paul, and all community churches.
*2000*	July - 25th Anniversary of The Place.
*1999*	February - The Place spun off from Catholic Social Services as a separate and independent agency governed by their own local Board of Directors and totally suppoted by the community and United Way. The county was no longer considered a poor rural communty withouth the means to financially support the needs of residents. Known as The Place of Forsyth County, Inc. Social Services
*1996*	Monthy Senior Client Luncheon Program implemented.
*1994*	Directorship changedf to layperson.
*1993*	Good Shepherd Place, a 48 unit apartment building for low to moderate inclode elderly is completed. The Helpline, funded by United Way, began as an Inforamtion and Referral Service. Helped start Migrant Education Program and local Masses in Spanish for Hispanic clients.
*1992*	EPIC (Effective Parenting Informatin for Children) Parenting Program began.
*1991*	Hispanic Outreach Program began to provide ESL Classes, translation/interpretation, advocacy and legal referrals to growing Hispanic population.
*1990*	Moved into a permanent facility at 1480 Bettis Tribble Gap Road. Helped establish the Forsyth County Human Resources Council, which began Hands Across Forsyth, a coordination of holiday giving for low-income residents.
*1989*	Helped establish Family Haven, a shelter for battered women and their children.
*1988*	Elderly Assistance Program initiated.
*1987*	Began Tax Assistance Program to provide help for low-income and elderly clients in completing tax returns.
*1986*	Dairy Goat Enterprise feasibility study to provide local farmers a new source of income and way to remain in the agricultural occupation in thei rapidly changing community.
*1985*	Opportunity Housing, a non-profit corporation to develop low-cost housing was established. Began as a Community Service work site for probationers and 3-time offenders.
*1984*	The Place Endowment Fund was initiated by a bequest and a grant.
*1983*	Forsyth County Medical Fund established to assist low-income families in obtaining prescriptive medicing and emergency dentail care. A collaborative effort with the Wilson Clinic to provide an infant car seat rental program was begun. Herb garden of The Place was initiated by the Forsyth County Garden Club.
*1982*	Introduced art therapy, children's tutorial, self-help workshops in farmsetading and sel-help funds as new programs. Participated in the establishment of Sojourners' House. Began teaching Parenting Classes.
*1979*	Established Wilson Clinic (Now Georgia Highlands Medical Services).
*1978*	Wood Shop was opened to engage low-income and/or disable men in creative activities.
*1977*	The Place relocated from The Church of the Good Shepherd to two rented buildings on Pirkle Ferry Road.
*1975*	July 1, four "Adrian Dominican" Sisters arrived in Cumming to begin working with low income people to develop programs to meet their most basic needs. The first services developed were the Thrift Shop, Food Pantry, Emergency Fund, Personal Counseling, Advocacy, and Christmas Toy Sale (in that order).