Charity opens new maternity home in Austell

Community leaders and supporters gathered to celebrate the opening of Sheltering Grace Ministry’s new maternity home in Austell. Dr. Ralph Bell, the organization’s executive director, expressed the goal of taking homeless and pregnant women to home ownership within 24 months.

Sheltering Grace Ministry, a nonprofit headquartered in Marietta, has opened its second maternity home to assist pregnant women facing financial and housing challenges. Each home can accommodate two women and their babies, providing not only shelter but also resources to transform their lives. 

The mission of Sheltering Grace is to break the cycle of homelessness, which affects a significant number of Cobb County residents. Melanie Kagan, the CEO of the Marietta-based Center for Family Resources, noted that Cobb County has around 200 individuals living on the streets and approximately 4,000 people, part of families, residing in motels, cars, or with friends and family.

Sheltering Grace receives over 1,100 requests for support each year. The organization provides residents with counseling, parenting workshops, financial literacy lessons, and other tools through a three-part program that begins two weeks before a mother gives birth. Dr. Bell emphasized that they offer an opportunity for individuals to make positive changes in their lives.

The new Austell maternity ward is situated on a three-and-a-half acre lot, and the organization plans to construct three additional maternity wards on the same property. With these additions, Sheltering Grace could support up to a dozen women and their babies simultaneously.

Sheltering Grace relies on community support for its operations. It has been donor-funded since its establishment in 2006 and has refrained from applying for government-funded grants to maintain its religious affiliation. Dr. Bell encourages donations through the #Be1of5000 campaign, which aims to enlist 5,000 people to donate $10 per month. This, he believes, will expedite the achievement of the organization’s goals, which he says are now within reach.