Henry County Times

By Jason A. Smith Times Correspondent A spirited celebration enveloped volunteers at a local non-profit agency over the weekend, as they reflected on another year of work- ing to benefit the community. Miracle Mission Hope House, Inc., held its annual Appreciation and Awards Dinner Saturday at Timberridge Presbyterian Church in McDonough. Board members and volunteers marked the occa- sion with jubilant worship while taking stock of their accomplish- ments over the past year, and looking toward the future with anticipation. Marlene Lemons is the execu- tive director for the organization. She said the nonprofit’s mission is to eliminate hunger, foster hope and promote self-sufficiency for low-income families and disad- vantaged people in Henry County and surrounding areas. Lemons praised her team of vol- unteers for striving to create an environment in which businesses, individuals and the faith commu- nity can work together to allevi- ate hunger and homelessness. “We have serviced over 700 in- dividuals and families,” she said. “We serve them with basic neces- sities and educational services, food, clothing, toiletries, GED classes, job-readiness skills, and also basic computer skills.” Seeds for the Miracle Mission Hope House were planted in 2005, when Lemons and a team of volunteers began feeding the homeless in Atlanta on a monthly basis. The team expanded in 2010, partnering with UnitedWay in the process to reach more peo- ple. Beginning in 2011, Miracle Mis- sion Hope House was able to help more disadvantaged people in the community by becoming a certi- fied learning center and offering GED prep classes. In 2017, Miracle Mission Hope House provided basic necessities for 175 clients each month. Lemons pointed out that the group logged roughly 13,680 vol- unteer hours for that year, as well as partnering with Toys for Tots and United Way for various proj- ects. In addition, said Lemons, the or- ganization has amassed a growing network of business partners to increase its reach in the area. The Henry County Times March 21, 2018 Page 7 see Impact, page 14 Local nonprofit celebrates its community impact Miracle Mission Hope House Executive Director, Marlene Lemons (seated in center) is surrounded by volunteers at the organization’s annual Appreciation and Awards Dinner. Photo by Jason A. Smith Inside Henry Pasley & Nuce, LLC Pasley & Nuce, LLC FREE CASE EVALUATION. CALL US TODAY: 470-503-5510 390 Racetrack Road, McDonough The decision to hire a lawyer is an important one. You should always have a lawyer that you are comfortable with. www.pnlawgroup.com Offices in Griffin, Thomaston, Barnesville, & McDonough •Social Security Disability •Workers’ Compensation •Personal Injury/Car/Truck Wrecks •VA Disability NOW OPEN IN McDONOUGH Help when you need it most. At Pasley & Nuce, LLC, our attorneys have significant trial experience with proven track records in a wide array of legal matters.