Today we’d like to introduce you to Carolyn Kelly.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I left the corporate world in May 2001. Twenty years later in July 2021, I started a new journey with The Welcome Co-op team as a Resource Coordinator. The Welcome Co-op serves four resettlement agencies in the Atlanta metro area, the International Rescue Committee, Catholic Charities of Atlanta, New American Pathways, and Inspiritus. We secure and set up housing and provide clothing for these agencies’ refugee clients.
The Shop of Hope inherited its name from a volunteer/advocate, Susan Snow Hope, that served IRC clients by providing household items and clothing. When The Shop was re-opened in September 2021, it was decided to provide only clothing for refugee families that are referred to us from the Co-op agencies. We have served clients who have arrived from Afghanistan, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Myanmar, Peru, Tanzania, Ukraine, and many others.
Our team’s job is to sort through the numerous donations we receive and provide seasonal clothing that is culturally acceptable to our clients. We provide free new and gently used clothing: shirts, pants, skirts, dresses, shoes, scarves, jackets, coats, and hats. Our inventory includes new socks, jewelry, and purses when available. Our families are allowed multiple visits so that they can start becoming independent as they support themselves in our Atlanta communities.
The most gratifying moments are when the children receive shoes and coats. Their faces light up! Also, seeing parents being satisfied that they have provided some of what their children need. The mothers are excited to receive purses and jewelry. Our team works hard to make this happen.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Currently, our greatest challenge is relocating. We need a larger facility to serve the Welcome Co-op clients in the Clarkston area. This would be a new home for our Housing and Shop of Hope teams.
Our donors have been so generous! However, we constantly wrestle with having enough children’s shoes and men’s shoes (sizes 7-9.5). Providing new and gently used clothing for our young boys sizes 10-16, and small/medium clothing for men tops off our list of challenges.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
After completing high school, I attended Eastern New Mexico University and received a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration/Accounting. My first job was with Conoco in Ponca City, OK as a computer programmer. That position was not a good fit for me, and I returned to Albuquerque and started to work for a credit union. That experience opened a door for me to continue working for Credit Unions when I moved back to Georgia. Later my corporate career pinnacled with me working for PacTel/AirTouch/Verizon telecommunications in their Accounting and then later IT department.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I grew up as a military kid. My family moved about every three or four years. We lived in Georgia, Stuttgart and Nelligen, Germany, Fort Dix, NJ, El Paso, TX and Albuquerque, NM. This resulted in me attending nine schools from kindergarten-12th Grade. I became accustomed to adjusting to new cultures and meeting people quickly.
