Stone Mountain resident Audrey Morgan knows the value of hard work and helping others. She has been a major supporter of Our House over the years and her contributions have made a big difference in its programs.
Our House, which celebrates its 25th anniversary on March 16, provides early childhood education and comprehensive support services to homeless children and their parents.
"Audrey Morgan has been a valued friend and supporter of Our House and we appreciate her contributions to our success," said Tyese Lawyer, executive director. "We are celebrating twenty-five years of providing a place where homeless children can learn and get a great start on their lives and education. The Audrey and Jack Morgan Wing of Our House is dedicated to her and her late husband's belief in our mission."
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Mrs. Morgan is chairman of the Audrey B. and Jack E. Morgan Foundation. She formerly was executive vice president and chief operating officer of Our-Way, Inc., the nation's largest independent re-manufacturer of commercial air conditioning and refrigeration compressors. The company is located in Tucker. Ms. Morgan started with Our-Way when it was founded in 1960 and continued until her retirement in 2002.
Our House will mark its 25th year with a gala celebration on March 16 at the Commerce Club in Atlanta. For more information and tickets, please visit ourhousega.org.
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The statistics spell out the harsh reality on homelessness and its impact on children. More than 41,500 children experience homelessness each year in Georgia. Homeless children are 16 percent less proficient at reading and math than their peers, and fewer than 25 percent graduate from high school.
The founders of Our House saw this critical need in the community and offered a solution that continues to work
Today, Our House's track record tells a more positive story. During fiscal year 2012, 147 children from 98 families were served. In the early childhood education program, 93% of the children achieved developmentally appropriate milestones and 100% received age-appropriate immunizations and well child exams. And, 90% of eligible Pre-K students were deemed ready to matriculate on to Kindergarten, as measured on the Kindergarten Readiness test.
Our House opened on March 28, 1988 to make a difference by providing early childhood education, family advocacy and employment readiness.
- Its early childhood education program is a center of excellence that nurtures a child's development and assures they have a promising academic future.
- Our House helps parents become self-sufficient through counseling, skills training, career opportunities, affordable permanent housing and early childhood education for their children.
- These programs and services work together to prepare the children, help their parents and stop the cycle of homelessness.
In recognition of its work, Our House was a recipient of the 2013 Martin Luther King Jr. Community Service Award. The Rollins School of Public Health in conjunction with the Goizueta Business School at Emory has bestowed the award annually for the past 20 years to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Recently the Bank of America Charitable Foundation awarded a grant to Our House. The grant was given to a total of nine nonprofits in metro Atlanta that address critical needs, such as hunger and shelter, to longer-term solutions that promote financial wellness through access to benefits and resources.
