Rainbow Village Shows Appreciation for its Volunteers Ahead of Historic Expansion

While the sound of saws and hammers filled the air at their Downtown Duluth campus, the leadership team at Rainbow Village was busy planning a show of gratitude for some of its most fervent supporters. With just a matter of months to go on its Building Homes, Building Hope Capital Campaign – expanding their current transitional housing capacity from 30 to 66 families for up to two years – the nonprofit dedicated to bringing Help, Hope, Housing, and Healing to families experiencing homelessness hosted a very special awards ceremony. The First Annual Volunteer Appreciation Awards was held on April 24, recognizing everyone from individuals and youth-founded nonprofits to local and national companies, at the end of the nationally celebrated Volunteer Appreciation Week.

“Rainbow Village is made stronger every single day because of our volunteers who choose to give their time, their energy, and their heart to our families,” said Melanie Conner, the 501(c)(3) organization’s CEO. “Whether they served a meal, led an activity, packed donations, mentored a family, volunteered at an event, or simply showed up wherever there was a need, their presence made a difference. Volunteering is more than checking a box or completing a task. It is creating moments of relief for a parent, joy for a child, encouragement for a struggling family, and connection for a community working toward stability. The kindness and consistency that our volunteers bring to each task remind our families that they are seen, supported, and not walking this journey alone.”

The recipients of the 2026 Rainbow Village Volunteer Appreciation Awards included:

• Partner with a Purpose – Perimeter Church
• Behind-the-Scenes Hero Award – Subaru of Gwinnett
• Outstanding Leadership Award – Happy to Help, Inc.
• Volunteer Group of the Year – Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Upsilon Alpha Omega Chapter
• Rising Star Volunteer Group Award – Sri Sathya Sai Center of Northeast Atlanta
• Community Engagement Volunteer of the Year – Sandy Barber
• Family Engagement Volunteer of the Year – Carol Berlin

Although Summer 2026 volunteer opportunities are limited, Conner shared that following the expansion, Rainbow Village will require more volunteers than ever before as the organization more than doubles the number of families it currently houses. Future volunteer opportunities span the gap from preparing apartments for incoming families and supplying dinner on Family Meeting Nights to working the reception desk at fundraising events and stuffing snack bags for the Rainbow Village Academy program – just to name a few. Anyone interested in volunteering with Rainbow Village is encouraged to complete the online volunteer interest form and plan to attend the Volunteer Interest Meeting in August. For those who wish to help but are unable to devote the time, Rainbow Village gratefully accepts donations and contributions to its Building Homes, Building Hope Capital Campaign. For more information about Rainbow Village and its mission, please visit www.RainbowVillage.org.