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Thrift Re-Opens and Pantry Changes to Outdoor Market!
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New pantry outdoor market offers client choice.
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Here at CAC we are making every effort to re-open some of our services face-to-face in the safest ways possible for everyone; volunteers, clients, staff and the general public. We have implemented safety measures that exceed CDC recommendations including requiring masks, 6 feet social distancing, reducing the number of people allowed at once, temperature checks, routine sanitizing and more.
The food pantry self-shop market format has returned as an outside market! This allows for client choice under the safest conditions. The new outdoor market is located at the back the food pantry building under the large awning.
Upscale Thrift will re-open the week of August 17 for shopping on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and donations on Tuesdays and Thursdays 9:30 am-1:30 pm.
In the upcoming months you will continue to see changes as we determine ways to best provide all CAC services. We look forward to welcoming back our CAC community in the safest ways possible. Please read CAC's COVID-19 Safety Protocols here.
Please follow us on Facebook or check our website for updates.
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Volunteers are needed so that CAC can continue to provide services. In person and remote opportunities available! Returning and new volunteers welcome! If you have the heart and the time, we can find a job for you!
The new outdoor market food pantry needs volunteers for check-in, check-out and other duties. The delivery/processing area continues to need volunteers daily. New shifts range from 2.5 hours to 4.75 hours.
Upscale Thrift is seeking front door greeters and cashiers for the retail store.
Financial Assistance volunteers are needed to interview clients remotely via phone and work online from home.
Adult Education is seeking volunteers willing to teach ESOL/English online via Zoom.
Please visit our website for volunteer position descriptions and to sign up online.
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Small Business Owners Struggle to Survive COVID Crisis
By the end of July CAC had distributed almost $1 million in COVID relief. Most of it helped residents experiencing lost wages pay rent to avoid eviction, such as Shirley, a small business owner who works in the trade show industry. She sells merchandise to retailers. Her income is 100 percent commission. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the trade show industry was the first to be shut down in March and hasn't reopened yet.
"This has created huge challenges for people who own small businesses," she said. "More people need to understand the broad impact the financial crisis is having, not just on those we typically think of. "
While trade shows have been cancelled, her business rent has not. She was faced with paying rent for her business and her residence with no income coming in.
"When I'm working I make good money but the reality is when you can't work your bills don't change," Shirley said.
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From left: Sandy Springs Society Vice President/Finance Melissa Patterson; President Elect Gail Jokerst; Immediate Past President Jan Stewart; Current
President Susan Sutterfield.
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Community partners have granted more than $1 million to CAC in 2020 for COVID relief efforts. The generosity of these long-time community supporters as well as faithful congregations, individuals, and businesses, has allowed CAC to respond very quickly to help families hit the hardest by the pandemic. Among those recently received was a grant from the Sandy Springs Society, a local philanthropic organization, for $47,043. CAC has also been awarded large grants for COVID relief from the city of Sandy Springs, Fulton County and DeKalb County. Read the Full Story
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CAC volunteer Karen Deutsch, left, accepts donation of 20 backpacks from Judith McKay of Altrusa International of Atlanta, GA.
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Whether students are learning online or back in the classroom, we can help local children prepare for the upcoming school year! CAC is dedicated to ensuring that every child is prepared to learn and succeed by providing free school supplies to local kids most in need. CAC is preparing to help up to 1,000 local students.
Just $40 Gives a Child
a New Backpack and School Supplies!
- CAC gets more for your money by buying in bulk!
- Retail cost is a minimum of $60
- CAC packs school supplies per grade requirements!
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COVID-19 Assistance by the Numbers
CAC continues to provide COVID relief to residents experiencing job and wage loss due to the pandemic shutdown. Requests for assistance continue to be much higher than on average. From mid-March to the end of July CAC has helped:
- 6, 534 people from 2,274 households/families. More than half of them are new to CAC.
CAC typically helps about 6,500 individuals a year.
- 721 households with rent assistance totaling $955,773. Compared to about $300,000 for all of 2019.
- 1,667 households with food, distributing 338,736 pounds of food. With many families getting food more than once a month, the pantry is receiving about 200 visits a week.
- CAC is delivering food to about 100 senior citizens, medically fragile or home-bound individuals each week.
As the requests for assistance continue to come in, CAC, with your support, will continue to help as many families as possible during this unprecedented time.
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City Donates 10,000 Masks
The Mayor of Sandy Springs Rusty Paul and the Sandy Springs Fire Department donated 10,000 masks to CAC! The masks are available to volunteers and clients who come to the CAC Food Pantry and for other services when we begin to provide more services on-site. Thank you city of Sandy Springs for helping to provide our community with masks for their safety during the COVID-19 pandemic!
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Join us for a special version of Vintage Affair this year!
Live yet Virtual from Home!
More information coming soon!
If you would like to join our in-home hosts and host a small gathering of your friends for our Island Getaway Vintage Affair
please contact Pam Jones, development@ourcac.org
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Please Donate Food for Local Families
CAC is giving food to about 300 families a week and the pantry is low on important staples. If you are able to donate food, CAC is in need of these items:
Rice
Soup
Macaroni & Cheese
Canned Pasta Meals (raviolis etc.) Canned Vegetables (green beans, peas, mixed)
Meat Entrees (canned chili, beef stew, Hormel Completes) Juice and Milk boxes for kids
Baking Mixes (muffins, biscuits, cake etc.)
Food Pantry Hours for Donations & Distribution
9:30 am - 1:30 pm, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays
CAC Food Pantry, 8607 Roswell Road, Sandy Springs, GA 30350
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"Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all your assistance and kindness to me. Bless you all." - ST
"Bless you all for working during COVID. I so appreciate all of you!" - JM
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Helpline 770-552-4015 - Online Request
Food Pantry
8607 Roswell Rd, Sandy Springs, GA 30350 Branch Offices
5 Dunwoody Park South, Bldg 5 Suite 113, Dunwoody, GA 30338 (for food only)
Mailing Address PO Box 501298, Atlanta, GA 31150
Office 770-552-4889 | Helpline 770-552-4015
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Funding for CAC is provided in part by the City of Sandy Springs, Fulton County Human Services
and the United Way of Greater Atlanta.
The Community Assistance Center (CAC) brings together the Sandy Springs and Dunwoody communities to provide compassionate assistance to neighbors in need by providing financial support, helping to meet basic needs and promoting self-reliance. CAC works to prevent homelessness and hunger locally with the support of 28 congregations of all faiths, public and private grants, civic organizations, schools, businesses and individuals. Supporters provide financial resources, in-kind donations and volunteer manpower.
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