ATLANTA — A local nonprofit dedicated to helping Atlanta's most vulnerable now needs support after thieves targeted the group's office twice in the last two weeks.
11Alive has featured the nonprofit Love Beyond Walls' efforts multiple times over the past few years, including the "Love Sinks In" campaign during the pandemic when organizers installed sinks in the streets to ensure families experiencing homelessness had access to soap and water.
That effort is just one of the many ways founder Terence Lester and teammates advocate for and support those struggling with poverty.
"We have a food co-op. We help people unhoused recover their identification cards," Lester said. "We do showers. We just launched the wellness program offering counseling to those who are vulnerable. We even launched a mobile state unit where we actually use RV units to temporarily house those who don't have an address."
But it's discouraging, Lester admits, following recent thefts and property damage at the center's College Park space.
"We had over 400 donation boxes taken away from our organization, things that we actually disseminate to the community," Lester said. "We have hundreds of families and people who don't have an address come here per month for resources."
After thieves swiped the care packages last Thursday, Lester said there was a subsequent break-in attempt over the weekend. The nonprofit has cameras, but those responsible damage them. The crime hinders their team's efforts to help the community, Lester explained, and partnering organizations they share resources with.
"It hurts because you have to get back out there and fundraise more or like try to convince people to donate to your organization for people who are actually in need in real time," Lester shared. "The thing I've been doing over the last few days is just reminding myself of 'my why' and why we are doing this work."
That work comes with an understanding of the desperation that can drive acts of crime, Lester added, but at the time, he described the setback as dire as supplies that families are counting on must now be replaced. Nevertheless, he and the team remain committed.
"We say in our team meetings that we exist to create a world where no one is invisible, and we're committed to that for the long haul," Lester said. "This is life's work for me personally, and we're going to continue to press forward, show up with love with dignity with support, and continue to embody a heart of compassion."
Those interested in supporting the nonprofit's work as the team replenishes supplies can learn more here.