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BE KIND TO AN
HOME & REAL ESTATE Trends • Development • City Living
Community Care
CHRIS 180 building new home for longtime Westside resident, young mothers
By Collin Kelley
HRIS 180, the Atlanta-based
nonprofit organization dedicated
to providing trauma-informed
holistic health services to chil
dren, youth and families, held
a groundbreaking ceremony to announce
the launch of a project to stabilize families
on Atlanta’s Westside.
CHRIS 180 partnered with the
MicroLife Institute to construct a single
family home in the Washington Park
neighborhood for Deborah Glover, a
71-year-old woman who has lived in the
area for decades, in a shed without water
or electricity.
Glover connected with CHRIS 180
through its Community Health Worker
program at the Westside Empowerment
Center. After staff members met with
Glover and learned about her situation, the
CHRIS 180 team explored options with
her — one of which was micro-living. Due
to Glover’s passion for her community and
mentoring, she suggested that she could
help young mothers in the community
who needed a safe place to live.
CHRIS 180’s Chief Operating Officer,
Cindy Simpson, and MicroLife Institute
teamed up to draw up plans for a new
home that Glover could share with young
mothers in need. At any given time, up
to two single mothers and their children
will live in the Glover home, and receive
wraparound support from CHRIS
180 and guidance from Glover as they
transition to a better life.
“Through this home on the Westside,
young mothers will have a steppingstone
as they transition to permanent housing,”
said Kathy Colbenson, LMFT, President
and Chief Executive Officer of CHRIS
180. “Our goal is to provide stability
for children, youth, families and legacy
residents on the Westside and strengthen
the community. We see, in this project,
a model of micro-living and community
that can be replicated to help address the
problem of homelessness. This includes
supporting neighborhood leaders like Ms.
Glover who can help us expand our care
throughout the community.”
The groundbreaking was held at 981
Ashby Terrace where construction is
underway and expected to be completed by
the end of the year.
Funding for the Glover project was
provided by Atlanta Women’s Health
Group, Amerigroup Community Care,
Georgia Power and Westside Future Fund.
Generous donations were also given by
friends and family of Cindy Simpson in
honor of her late wife, Lisa Galm. un
Your Next Home Could Be ln...Westview
By Collin Kelley
Where is it? Eight minutes west of
Downtown by hopping on 1-20 or put on
your walking shoes or jump on your bike
and take the Atlanta BeltLine’s Westside
Trail.
Didn’t there used to be a streetcar line?
Yes, a streetcar used to run through the
neighborhood from Downtown to the
main gate of historic Westview Cemetery.
With transit planned for the BeltLine, a
streetcar or light rail line may connect the
neighborhood once again.
Speaking of the cemetery, is anyone
famous buried there? The 600-acre
resting place was created in 1884 to
help alleviate overcrowded Oakland
Cemetery. Westview’s roster permanent
residents include Coca-Cola founder Asa
G. Candler, the soft drink company’s
president Robert Woodruff, Atlanta
Symphony Conductor Robert Shaw,
Atlanta Falcons owner Rankin Smith, Civil
Rights icons Rev. Joseph, Evelyn Lowery,
Vivian Jones and Donald Hollowed, and
beloved local restaurateur and LGBTQ
activist Ria Pell, to name a few. The
recently formed Friends of Westview is
working to restore some of the historic
structures.
How much are homes? Homes from the
high $200,000s to more than $500,000
for an existing home and available
lots starting at $99,000. The historic
neighborhood is filled with Arts & Crafts
bungalows, Foursquares, Tudors, and
ranches.
Where to dine? A little bird told us that
Pinky Cole’s original Slutty Vegan is
reopening soon in Westview’s commercial
district along Ralph David Abernathy
Boulevard. Locals also love Firewall Food
Stop’s menu of wood fired pizzas, hummus,
and artisanal sandwiches, while My Potato
Factory serves up stuffed baked potatoes,
fajitas and more. Dee’s Cafe serves up
soulful breakfast and late lunch.
20 SEPTEMBER 2021 | ffi]
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