Today we’d like to introduce you to Marlon Newson.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Heart of the Streets started in our kitchen. My wife, daughter, and I decided we would make the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and pass them out to the homeless and needy. Our journey began at Woodrow Park in Atlanta. Woodrow Park is an area congregated by homeless men and women, mostly Israelite, so-called African Americans. We decided we would come back the next week. We made more sandwiches and carried boxes over to the park. As the weeks progressed, we added potato chips and cold water and we moved from Woodrow Park to Hurt Park.
The number of homeless people in Atlanta’s Hurt Park was even more than that at Woodrow. It was a sad sight that our people were in such great need. We were able to park on site this time, so we didn’t have to carry boxes so we came back week after week, eventually adding t-shirts, toothbrushes and even feminine products. But every week the people asked for more and since we were funding this ourselves, we knew we needed to do more. In order to do more and to give more, we needed to get organized. To expand our services, we needed to design a program that would allow us to reach the very heart of the streets on a much bigger level.
And this is how we were born.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
We don’t at the moment have much financial sponsorship outside a few small businesses and money from our own pockets. Naturally, this has its challenges as the vast majority of what we do is on a shoestring budget. But I am a man of faith so I am of the mind that my Father will never impress upon me more than I can accomplish, so I embrace this challenge. I know that he will, undoubtedly provide as he has for over a year now.
Please tell us about Heart of the Streets Inc.
Heart of the Streets Inc. is a food and hygiene program for the homeless and needy. We are dedicated to healing the hearts of people in impoverished neighborhoods from homelessness, poverty, and neglect. To accomplish this, we give away food, clothing, and hygiene products. Our goal is to lead with love and our mission is to be all things, to all people.
The specific objectives for this program are: to raise awareness concerning poverty in Atlanta and the state of Georgia, to be a resource for families suffering from homelessness, neglect, and poverty. To provide food, hygiene, clothing, and other basic needs to poor and needy men, women, and children, to sponsor, host and/or participate in conferences, events, and activities that promote and enhance spiritual, mental, and physical nourishment and growth in our communities.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I would change nothing, as a man of faith, I am lead by the Spirit of the Almighty Yah through Yahoshua messiah, and I believe that everything happens for a reason. I don’t mean that in any “cliched” way. I truly mean it. Our mistakes, failures, mishaps, and success all help to bring us to where we are intended to be. Every experience culminates in helping us to achieve our greatest purpose and to become the greatest version of ourselves. To change anything, at least in my opinion, would be to rob us of who we were meant to be. Heart of the Streets Inc has its challenges but I believe it’s for a reason, to make us stronger, better.
Pricing:
- Heart of the Streets Inc Sponsorship Packages begin at $25-$100
- Purchase a Heart of the Streets Inc T-Shirt: $20.00
- Heart of the Streets Inc Cash App: $Heartofthestreetsinc
- Donate to Heart of the Streets PayPal account at info@heartofthestreetsinc
Contact Info:
- Address: Heart of the Streets, Non-Profit Inc.280 Merchants Dr. #3004Dallas, GA 30132
- Website: https://www.heartofthestreetsinc.com/
- Phone: 404.414.5916
- Email: info@heartofthestreetsinc.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heartofthestreetsinc12/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heartofthestreetsinc
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/heartsinc12
Image Credit:
Heart of the Streets Inc.
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