(PHOTOS) New Life Community Alliance community impact day
Sisters Lakecia and Kyrah have some cotton candy during New Life Community Alliance Community Impact Day in greater Decatur on Saturday, July 29, 2023. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Greater Decatur, GA — New Life Community Alliance, a nonprofit providing wraparound services to neighbors in South DeKalb County, held its community impact day on Saturday, July 29 at its Flat Shoals location in greater Decatur.
Attendees enjoyed grilled hot dogs and hamburgers, sno-cones, cotton candy, face painting, games and giveaways. A total of 932 backpacks filled with school supplies were given out to help students start the new school year. The event was a joint effort between the NLCA and New Life Church.
“[Saturday was] our community impact day and the major focus of [the day] is to connect the alliance and church community with our community and our environment around us, helping people in a demographic where there are major needs,” said Pastor Marlin Harris, senior pastor of New Life Church and board chairman of the NLCA. “Everything from domestic needs to food insecurity to support with electric bills, helping people become better with their life. That’s why we’re here, to let our community know that we love them and we care about them. That’s the heart of community impact day.”
Harris created a community center that has been providing services for community members for over 20 years, which recently officially separated and became NLCA this year. The NLCA partners with the church on many efforts, but is not a religious organization. The NLCA provides services such as a food pantry, clothing closet, barber and salon services, adult education, career services, behavioral health support, housing support, after school and summer programs and more.
For information about the nonprofit, click here.
Five-year-old Jason West shows his Batman face painting during New Life Community Alliance Community Impact Day in greater Decatur on Saturday, July 29, 2023. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Fifteen-month-old Shikarm Silas has a snack and plays a game during New Life Community Alliance Community Impact Day in greater Decatur on Saturday, July 29, 2023. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Children play in an inflatable during New Life Community Alliance Community Impact Day in greater Decatur on Saturday, July 29, 2023. Photo by Dean Hesse.
From left, 8-year-old twins Minor and Messiah Brown and their sister Natalie, 9, show their new backpacks filled with school supplies during New Life Community Alliance Community Impact Day in greater Decatur on Saturday, July 29, 2023. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Pastor Marlin Harris, Senior Pastor of New Life Church and board chairman of the non-profit New Life Community Alliance (NLCA) (left) talks about his hope to build mixed income and senior housing on land adjacent to the center with guests touring the facilities, including DeKalb County Commissioner Ted Terry to Harris’ left, during Community Impact Day on Saturday, July 29, 2023. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Volunteers sort donations for the New Life Community Alliance (NLCA) clothing closet during Community Impact Day on Saturday, July 29, 2023. The clothing closet is part of NLCA Dignity Services that seeks to meet the urgent and emergent needs of clients by providing a food pantry, emergency shelter during cold-weather months, barber and salon services and the clothing closet all at no cost. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Volunteers make sno-cones during New Life Community Alliance Community Impact Day in greater Decatur on Saturday, July 29, 2023. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Keturah Genisis (right) and other volunteers work the food line during New Life Community Alliance Community Impact Day in greater Decatur on Saturday, July 29, 2023. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Nine hundred and 32 backpacks filled with school supplies were given away during New Life Community Alliance Community Impact Day in greater Decatur on Saturday, July 29, 2023. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Volunteer Brother Elliott Tennant points to the backpack giveaway during New Life Community Alliance Community Impact Day in greater Decatur on Saturday, July 29, 2023. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Volunteer barber Tony Simmons gives Gene a haircut during New Life Community Alliance Community Impact Day in greater Decatur on Saturday, July 29, 2023. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Guests take a tour of the New Life Community Alliance (NLCA) facilities during Community Impact Day on Saturday, July 29, 2023. NLCA recently partnered with Flat Shoals Elementary School to provide an after-school program, as well as a summer camp program to help bring struggling third and fourth graders up to grade level in reading and math. NLCA plans to continue to grow this program, while also working toward the development of an early childhood learning center, and eventually a charter school option. NLCA also provides a GED program, financial literacy, and a youth mentor program. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Elder Dr. Morcease Beasley volunteers on the grill during New Life Community Alliance Community Impact Day in greater Decatur on Saturday, July 29, 2023. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Employment and health and wellness resources were available during New Life Community Alliance Community Impact Day in greater Decatur on Saturday, July 29, 2023. Photo by Dean Hesse.
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