City of Refuge Athens
We exist to bring light, hope, and transformation to individuals, children, and families living in crisis in the Athens, Georgia area.
Our Mission: To serve families, children, and individuals in the Athens area who are living in crisis. We do this by:
1. Helping to mitigate food insecurity by providing groceries and supplies to families in need. 2. Providing food, uniforms, and supplies to partner schools. 3. Offering an After School Tutoring to Clarke County elementary and middle school students. Through our service, we strive to show people in crisis that they are valued, love, and have resources for transformational change.
Programs
Serving individuals and families in crisis:
Delivering perishable and non-perishable groceries, including meat, produce, and bread, to six neighborhoods each week
Delivering children’s food bags designed specifically for easy preparation by kiddos to six neighborhoods each week
Delivering household supplies
Showing people in crisis that they are valued, loved, and important
Meeting spiritual needs by sharing the hope of Jesus
Serving children in CCSD schools:
Delivering grocery boxes and children’s food bags to twenty-six schools weekly for the 2023-24 school year
Delivering family food boxes to multiple schools as identified by school administration
Procuring and delivering hygiene items, uniforms, underwear, socks, backpacks, and other supplies to partner schools
Providing food to various summer schools, day camps, and school parking lot distributions during the summer
After School Tutoring and Mentor Program
April Grocery Distribution Schedule
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English
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Spanish
Monday Food Distribution
Our parking lot food distribution happening TODAY, APRIL 15th, at 3:45 will be at 8780 Macon Hwy Athens, GA 30606.
Hear from two of our long-time supporters and volunteers about why they are connected to City of Refuge Athens.
City of Refuge Athens was founded in October 2018 by Geoff and Connie Rushing.
Geoff is a retired pastor from Grace Fellowship Church and he and Connie have big hearts for service and a deep love and compassion for people in need. They began as City of Hope Athens with the vision of bringing hope to those in the Athens area who are living in crisis and who feel that there is no way up or out. In 2021, COHA transitioned to City of Refuge Athens. Along with their faithful volunteers and supporters, they work to meet the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of underserved individuals, families, and children in Clarke, Oconee, and Barrow Counties.
CCSD Elementary School Counselor:
“City of Refuge Athens is a wonderful outreach and ministry to the students and community of the Clarke County School District. They not only recognize the physical needs of our community, but the emotional and spiritual needs as well. The supplies, donations, and programs they have developed influence the whole child. They take a very personal perspective and have met with our counseling staff on multiple occasions to listen and identify specific needs for our students, families, and even staff! They are a phenomenal outreach and serve with compassion!”
CCSD Elementary School SITE Coordinator:
“We have a wonderful partnership with City of Refuge Athens. They help the whole Clarke County School District with needs - mattresses, grocery boxes, weekend snack bags, hygiene products, snacks for after school programs, school uniforms, and shoes. They helped with turkey dinners and Christmas gifts for families in need. City of Refuge Athens does a lot for the schools and the community. We are very grateful to have their support.”
Client:
“I just wanted to tell you thank you so much for the food distribution on Thursday. We have been struggling (like a lot of people) and it helped us tremendously. I was able to make a nice breakfast this morning and my kiddo was able to have some fun snacks that he hasn’t had for a while. From the bottom of my heart…thank you!”
A Heart of Service
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, and he has anointed me to be hope for the poor, freedom for the brokenhearted, new eyes for the blind, and to preach to the prisoners, 'You are free!'
Luke 4:18
