The Leadership Catoosa class is holding a fundraiser for the Catoosa County Homeless Children’s Fund. From left are Capital Bank electronic banking specialist Lacey Dye, Costco supervisor Dana Dunn, Crye-Leike Realtor affiliate broker Jeff Dedmon, Catoosa County Schools social worker/homeless liaison Melissa Holcombe and Catoosa County Economic Development Association Economic Development Coordinator Katie Thomason.Tickets
Tickets for the luncheon benefiting the Catoosa County Homeless Children’s Fund are $25. Make checks payable to Catoosa County Public Schools, Attention Lacey Dye, and mail to P.O. Box 2146, Fort Oglethorpe, Ga., 30742. At the luncheon, additional pledges will be accepted in memory or honor of someone.
More Info
Catoosa County Leadership Class of 2016 luncheon benefiting the Catoosa County Homeless Children’s Fund has an official Go Fund Me page that can be found at gofundme.com/sjxbjkdw.
The Leadership Catoosa Class is spearheading a benefit luncheon for the Catoosa County Homeless Children’s Fund.
It is set for Thursday, April 28 at the Renaissance Center, located at 630 North Avenue in Rossville. The silent auction starts at 11 a.m. and lunch starts at noon.
“The goal is to at least raise $10,000,” said Crye-Leike Realtor affiliate broker Jeff Dedmon, who is a member of the Leadership Catoosa Class organized by the Catoosa County Chamber of Commerce. “The leadership class is selling tickets for $25.”
Fellow Leadership Catoosa member Lacey Dye, who works as an electronic banking specialist Capital Bank, said an article in the Catoosa Weekly about the children’s fund caught the group’s eye and they wanted to help the cause.
The Leadership Catoosa Class gathers once a month to study a certain topic, like local education and government at work.
“Catoosa County Homeless Children’s Fund has identified 326 children as homeless this school year,” said Catoosa County Schools social worker/homeless liaison Melissa Holcombe. “For the kids identified as homeless, we provide academic and social support. I’m so thrilled that the Catoosa Leadership Class is helping the homeless. The homeless population is so invisible in all communities. For them to recognize that the kids need services is great. We do free meals, clothing, emergency medical, dental, tutoring, cap and gown, a field trip and school activity support.”
Catoosa County Economic Development Coordinator Katie Thomason, also a Catoosa Leadership Class participant, said going through the leadership class has helped her develop key contacts, expand her network and exposed her to the ins and outs of the county.
“We wanted to give back to our community,” Thomason said in regards to the upcoming fundraiser.
“For me this was the opportunity I had looked for a while,” said Dedmon. “I’ve been successful and it was time to give back. The homeless children I am excited to help them. Sometimes we do work and forget what’s going on around us.”
“I was much more reserved and quiet and the Catoosa Leadership Class helped me open up,” said Capital Bank electronic banking specialist Lacey Dye. “I’ve gone further with work and with all aspects of my life.”
Fast facts
Facts about Children’s Homelessness in Catoosa County …* More than 300 students in Catoosa County meet the criteria to be considered homeless.Most of these kids around 80 percent are considered homeless because their families are doubled up due to economic reasons. These families have been evicted from their homes and do not have the means to move into another home. They are not doubled up for convenience, or as roommates.* Ten to 15 percent of these homeless families are staying in extended-stay hotels where all of the family is in one room.* About 5 percent of these families are in domestic violence shelters or are considered unsheltered, which means they are living in trailers, tents, buses and cars.* Once a family becomes homeless, the average time until they become permanently housed again is nine to 12 months.* To learn more, contact Melissa Holcombe, Catoosa County Homeless Liaison, at 706-937-3568.