Atlanta (February 13, 2019) – Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP has selected The Drake House, which provides housing and educational opportunities for homeless families, as its 2019 nonprofit partner. The Drake House is the only North Fulton-based agency providing private apartments that keep families together, including the often-separated male children over the age of twelve. It has served 464 families, including more than 800 children, since 2006.
The Drake House helps families become financially stable through a variety of educational, empowerment and mentoring efforts. The nonprofit helps them remain in the community, keeps children in their schools and creates opportunities for employment to aid in the transition to stable housing. On Jan. 26, the nonprofit opened a second apartment community, The Drake Village, which means it can increase the number of families it serves from 16 to 32.
“With our recent expansion, this partnership with MMM will allow us to grow our programs as we are doubling capacity,” said Kathy Swahn, the nonprofit’s executive director. “We could not be more appreciative of their support as we journey through this exciting year,” she added.
MMMPact, the law firm’s corporate social responsibility program, kicked off its year-long partnership with The Drake House with a celebration January 31 at MMM headquarters in Buckhead. The firm makes a financial gift and will hold a fundraiser later this year to generate additional funds. Lawyers and staff will also volunteer. In addition to choosing one nonprofit partner, MMMPact has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to nonprofits over the years.
“Homelessness in North Fulton and Sandy Springs is not about a single mother finding a job; it is about a single mother being able to support her family on what she earns,” said MMM partner Lynn Wilson, who serves on the nonprofit’s board of directors. “The lack of affordability is driving many single, working women and families out of stable housing. In addition, adding additional trauma to a suddenly homeless 12-year old boy – or to his mom and siblings – by separating them is unacceptable,” Wilson added.
Wilson says The Drake House’s strong executive team and efficient business practices contributed to its selection. “It is an efficient, well-run organization where everything is done at the highest level of accountability and professionalism,” Wilson said. These attributes keep administrative costs down and enable MMM’s contribution to fund important programs, such as after-school programs for children and mentoring for single mothers.
After an initial period where housing is provided at no charge, families pay rent based on a sliding scale and attend programs aimed at improving their lives. The Drake House also helps the single mothers save money and improve their credit ratings so they can secure their own permanent housing. To learn more about Drake House or make a donation, visit TheDrakeHouse.org.
About Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP
Morris, Manning & Martin (www.mmmlaw.com) is an AmLaw 200 law firm with national and international reach. We dedicate ourselves to the constant pursuit of our clients’ success. To provide our clients with optimal value, we combine market-leading legal services with a total understanding of their needs to maximize effectiveness, efficiency and opportunity. MMM enjoys national prominence for its real estate, corporate, litigation, technology, healthcare, intellectual property, energy & infrastructure, capital markets, environmental, international trade, and insurance practices. MMM has offices in and around Atlanta, Raleigh-Durham, Savannah and Washington, D.C. The firm also has a business development office in Beijing, China.
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