Joy Grows Here April 2026

Spring reminds us that even small seeds can grow into something beautiful. At THCA, that growth comes to life through our community. With every family helped and every smile shared, joy begins to take root.

Every day here at THCA, I am so fortunate to see joy take root, see it blossom and bloom, and see it grow – because you all support it to grow.Every time you care for our neighbors, you support joy to grow.Every time you make the needs of others a priority, you help joy grow.Every time you give of your time, your skills, your resources, you are making joy grow in our community by sharing it.

And just as these spring flowers are beautiful, joy that is shared is, too.Joy in the faces of the children, joy in the faces of their relieved parents, joy in the faces of unhoused neighbors, joy in the faces of seniors, and, too, joy in the faces of volunteers and staff. And, I hope, joy in your face.Because you and your support are making joy grow here.

As everything around us starts to bloom, we are reminded that what we do together truly matters. The seeds we plant today through service, generosity, and compassion grow into stronger communities tomorrow. What a joy to behold!

And, talk about making joy grow – together, we raised over $37,000 for THCA at the 2026 Hunger Walk Run. This money will go into our account at the Atlanta Community Food Bank to purchase food there. You made joy grow when you donated to the walk.You made joy grow when you shared our messages on social media.You made joy grow when you walked in the rain just a few Sundays ago.We ran right past our goal and raised more than we ever have. Thank you!

Through partnership with Project DASH, for a small fee of $4.95, DoorDash delivers a food box to seniors and those with disabilities. We serve 50 families each week now. By the end of the year, we will grow to serve 100 families each week.
Through partnership with supporting community organizations, we coordinate at least one Mobile Food Pantry each month, giving away about 10,000 pounds of food, mostly produce. We will continue this program to make healthy food available at alternate sites and times.
Partnering with supporting community organizations, we are launching our newest program – a hybrid between delivery and a mobile pantry. We are identifying up to 5 community partner sites in various locations, where we bring about 20 boxes of food to share on a reservation basis in the evening. Sites will be closer to where neighbors live or work and the time more convenient for many.

To make this growth possible, we have hired a full-time Program Manager – only the third full-time position here at THCA! And as exciting as that is, it is even more exciting that we have been able to hire Madeline Ormenyi. In the last few weeks of her Master’s program at Emory University, she is a former Intern here at THCA, and she is here to grow these programs to better meet our neighbors where they are, to share the joy.

In addition to staff to guide the programs, we know it will take funds to cover the DoorDash fees, the purchase of refrigerated box truck to transport large amounts of food safely, new equipment, new signage…Look for more information soon about how you can help us continue to grow and share the joy with our neighbors.

We are so grateful that you have continuedto choose joy,to grow joy,to share joy. In Joyful Gratitude,

Rev. Dr. Lisa Heilig Executive DirectorP.S. One of the best ways to keep up with THCA is to follow on social media: Facebook and Instagram. We post updates of families served, special events, and other items of interest.

Last month, on March 29th, I was honored to be invited and to participate in the the 15th Annual Atlanta Interfaith Hunger Seder, along with several esteemed spiritual leaders in the area. It was a very joy-filled event!To read more about it: An Interfaith Seder for the Hungry

Even as we choose and grow and share joywith human neighbors at THCA, we are also doing so with the Earth. Approximately 30-40% of the world’s food supply is wasted.By rescuing perfectly good food that would otherwise go to a landfill and sharing it with our neighbors,we are helping our Earth as well as our neighbors. Happy Earth Day!

If you ever wonder what food and supply items we need most at THCA, we keep an updated list on our website. Food items need to be unopened. But, canned or boxed items can be accepted up to 6 months past the “Best By”date. We can also accept unopened frozen food items.

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