National Church Residences Partners with Fulton County Board of Health to Offer Free COVID-19 Testing in Southwest Atlanta

ATLANTA – In partnership with the Fulton County Board of Health and in collaboration with Fulton County Commissioner Marvin S. Arrington, Jr. and Atlanta City Councilmember Joyce Sheperd, National Church Residences will open a walk-up and drive-thru COVID-19 testing site to the public. Testing will take place in the parking lot at Lakewood Christian Manor, an affordable housing senior living community located at 2141 Springdale Road, SW, Atlanta, Georgia 30315 on Monday, July 6, 2020 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Neither a doctor’s note for referral is required for testing.

“Testing is critically important to stopping the spread of the disease,” said Director of Population Health, Jacque Thornton. “This site was selected to enhance neighborhood access to testing in the southwest Atlanta area.”

Residents may be tested whether they have COVID-19 symptoms or not. COVID-19 testing is now available to all residents regardless of symptoms. Fulton County and community partners are offering FREE COVID-19 testing at locations throughout the county. Additional Fulton County testing sites can be found here.

Free COVID-19 Testing Events

Monday, July 6, 2020 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Lakewood Christian Manor

2141 Springdale Road, SW

Atlanta, GA 30315

This free COVID-19 testing event is in partnership with the Fulton County Board of Health. It is open to the public and for Lakewood Christian Manor residents and staff.

Wednesday, July 29, 2020 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Andrew & Walter Young Family YMCA

2220 Campbellton Road, SW

Atlanta, GA 30311

This free COVID-19 testing event is in partnership with The Family Health Centers of Georgia, Inc. This event is open to the public and for Baptist Towers and Baptist Gardens residents and staff.

About National Church Residences

National Church Residences serves more than 42,000 seniors through its array of housing and health care services. The not-for-profit organization is driven by a vision of advancing better living for all seniors, enabling them to remain home for life. With 340 communities in 25 states and Puerto Rico, it is the nation’s largest not-for-profit provider of affordable senior housing and the largest manager of service coordinators. The organization also offers residential senior communities, home and community-based services, as well as permanent supportive housing for the formerly homeless and disabled. For more information, visit us at NationalChurchResidences.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Our Juneteenth Story

Happy Juneteenth! Amplifying my sister, Malaika Marable Serrano's LinkedIn post about our great-great grandfather, Morris Marable.

Our Juneteenth story:

Morris Robinson was born around 1839 and had sandy blond hair, blue-green eyes and fair skin. His father was a plantation owner in West Georgia and his bi-racial mother worked in the house.

Morris was a slave.

When Morris was about 8 years old, his own father sold him to an Alabama planter named Marable for $500. That day, Morris Robinson became Morris Marable and he never saw his mother again.

During the Civil War, he ran away with his sweetheart and about $40 worth of gold. Together, Morris and his wife created a new life for themselves and raised their children to be compassionate, God-fearing, entrepreneurial, and civic-minded members of society.

I'm proud to be the great-great granddaughter of slaves. On this special day in U.S. history, I encourage all of us to celebrate the creativity, innovation, and contributions of African-Americans throughout U.S. history and around the world.

A Change is Gonna Come

“A Change is Gonna Come.” - Sam Cooke

This is the first weekend that I’ve spent with my mom at her home since the COVID-19 outbreak. I haven’t been to a salon in months, and with all that’s happening in the world with the global pandemic and Black Lives Matter protests, I found a moment of peace within myself while she was braiding my hair today. Being together was restorative.

It’s my hope that we find real change. It’s time people in power stop talking and start doing. Ar...e we really going to root out systemic racism given all that has brought us to this point? If so, it’s going to take time and leaders in power to really listen and start taking action.

As a community advocate, I’m energized by the diverse participants who are leading protests around the world. Our participation is a vital part of the movement and our enthusiasm for real change NOW speaks volumes.

My promise as a former Fulton County candidate is that I will hold leaders in all spaces accountable for their actions, and that I will work hard with other like-minded individuals and organizations to get out the vote in November so that we can see this same collective energy for real positive change at the polls.

Join me at www.Facebook.com/SouthFultonVotes.

Along the Color Line: Coping with a Global Pandemic and Race Relations Simultaneously in 2020

Sojourner Marable Grimmett

How do woke minds breathe in the middle of a COVID-19 pandemic that is disproportionately affecting Black and brown communities; all while across the country protesters are rising up advocating for peace and justice because of another unlawful killing of a black man at the hands of police?

I am a peaceful protester. For as long as I can remember, I have held a protest sign in my hands waving it in the air among 60-something year old environmentalists in Boulder, Colorado, to co-creating lactation pods for moms at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and at the 2017 National Women's March on Washington, and most recently chanting “Black Lives Matter” among like-minded spirits walking towards the Georgia State Capitol in downtown Atlanta, Georgia.

I’ve never been one to watch the coverage, but have always been a part of the movement protesting against hatred of every kind. Having studied civil disturbances in graduate school, I understand the history and measures employed by white supremacists and terrorists cowardly infiltrating and misplacing blame against activists shining light via protests of violence against Black and brown bodies. Additionally, the media consistently mislabels protest coverage further exacerbating stereotypical notions of blacks as “thugs” vilified on front pages of newspapers and social media.

The nation is crying for change. And the leader in charge is the worst example of leadership possible, one who has never been detached from racism and one who actively promotes and instigates acts of oppression on all of its forms.

I believe the majority are standing up to the minority of those who hate and are collectively championing for effective and positive change. I continuously reflect on how to become more of an agent of healing as we prepare for the days ahead.

I’m the proud mother of two remarkable Black sons. My oldest son, Roland turns 13 on Saturday. His hair makes him taller than his dad. He is quite, kindhearted, and smart. Yet summer travel plans have changed not because of the worst pandemic in 100 years, but because of the state of America. I am stressed being out with my sons and husband navigating daily errands or leisure time outside our home for fear of coming across a crooked racist who understands their power and fate over my Black family's lives.

The president isn’t acknowledging the pain and agony of our country's state, the 400 years of systemic racism. We are seeking justice, safety, and peace. I stay prayerful for my sons and other Black boys and men. Now I’m entrusting in our teachings and God’s will to protect them when away from under my roof.

Barack Obama is right -- "the choice isn’t between protest and politics. We have to do both."

Some ways to get involved:

·       Start a conversation

·       Get involved -- volunteer, help out

·       Access more information

·       Speak out and share your story

·       Organize

·       Support local and online Black businesses

·       Teach your kids and family members to:

o   have conversations about race

o   learn the best ways for them to be activists/active contributors into their communities        

o   learn about other underrepresented cultures and work towards being advocates and allies for others

o   understand their rights as well as having to teach young kids of color how they can try to stay safe when engaging with police/people in positions of power

A number of people have privately reached out to me, asking how I'm doing and what they can do to be supportive. I appreciate all of this and I think the best thing we can do for each other and ourselves, is to come together as a community. Listening with open hearts and minds, being willing to engage in self-reflective work and active allyship - even when it's difficult or uncomfortable - is what the world needs right now.