Yolanda Figueroa’s four children entered a contest to have an “extreme bedroom makeover” by the Agape Community Center – something that at first glance, seems just to involve putting a new coat of paint on the walls and a few cosmetic changes.
But this makeover was truly extreme, because all of her children were once sleeping in the same bed. Thanks to some of Georgia State’s social work students, her children and others in the Bolton Road corridor – one of the poorest parts of northwest Atlanta – now have their own beds and their personal spaces to call their own.
“We have never actually won anything, and when they told me that the kids had won the bedroom, I didn’t believe it. I wasn’t going to believe it until I saw it,” Figueroa said. “When I saw them bring the beds, I realized it was the real thing. Now they have their own space, and no one is fighting for the blanket.”
The GSU students were some of many who engaged in community projects this semester as part of their master’s degree in social work program. Students work on the projects, proposed by different community organizations, during the second year, taking what they’ve learned and applying it in the field.
Agape, an outreach ministry of Trinity Presbyterian Church that supports residents in the Bolton Road community, proposed the “extreme bedroom makeover” project after noticing that on children’s Christmas wish lists, the kids were asking for basic items like towels and comforters.
“We thought that this was somewhat disturbing, that children were not asking for skates, toys and dolls. They were asking for things they needed,” said Nell Benn, executive director of Agape, which requested GSU social work students to work on the project.
In the Agape project, the five GSU students – Jody Caldon, Joseph Ellinger, Theresa Heygi, Gaby Muniz and Lisa Watts – had to coordinate many aspects of the project, starting with determining the children’s needs.
For the makeover, the children wrote essays or drew pictures about why they needed a new bedroom. But for them, simply needing a bed – even if they were sleeping on the floor, as some did — didn’t come to mind at first.
“Several of the children wrote ‘I would like posters,’ or ‘I would like a TV.’ They didn’t actually put ‘I need a bed,'” said Watts, who is also an intern for Agape. “We really had to dig around to see who was sleeping on the floor or sharing a bed, because it wasn’t something the children thought to include in why they needed a bedroom makeover.”
Students also had to perform a task that all non-profit organizations do: finding sponsors, something that’s never easy in the best of times, and something that is especially hard now, given the economic climate. But the students were able to find support, ranging from a corporate sponsor to many smaller donations – even money from bake sales.
“There were some difficulties in bringing sponsorship, but at the same time, this is a success story because we were able to do it,” Hegyi said. “If you put a lot of effort and motivation, you are able to do it.”
The GSU students also brought the contributions of volunteers into the mix, where they put in the hours to give the children bright new bedrooms. And the volunteers themselves became more excited to continue to work with Agape.
“One of our sponsorship crews said they wanted to adopt children for Christmas, one of the church groups we worked with wanted to help tutor children on Mondays and provide dinner, and one of the in-kind donors who provided paint would like to participate again,” Watts said. “It definitely affected the community.”
The GSU students’ hands-on work was impressive, Benn said.
“Let me say that if we had not partnered with GSU, this project is something that would never have happened,” she said. “They have been very involved, and this is what social work is all about.”
Figueroa, who is struggling to find employment in the economic downturn, is grateful for the GSU students’ help.
“It’s hard to give your kids everything they want as a single mom,” she said. “Now they have their space. If it wasn’t for Agape or [the GSU] students, they would not have it. I really appreciate it and I hope God gives more to all of them. It’s just amazing.
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