By Rita McInerney

Bless each of these apartments. May each family sheltered here experience a compassion that enables them to go forth empowered to continue their lives anew. (From dedication prayer)

Interfaith cooperation was blessed along with the bricks and mortar Sunday, Feb. 2, at the dedication of the Interfaith Outreach Home.

A transitional home for 10 families, it’s located at 5200 Buford Highway, Doraville, on the grounds of Advent Lutheran Church. The builder was the Interfaith Association of North Atlanta, a cluster of about 30 churches willing to help people in need of shelter and other daily necessities.

There are 10 apartments in the building, which cost approximately $325,000 to construct, according to Sister Carolyn Oberkirch, RSM, president of the home. Tireless in her fundraising efforts for the venture, Sister Oberkirch said the dedication was “a most moving experience” showing churches working together with such “wonderful community spirit.”

Families selected to occupy the units, two rooms, kitchen and bath, must be employable and both parents must be willing to work. Number of children is limited to three and they can be up to 16 years of age. Length of occupancy will depend on the needs of each family.

Each family will pay rent of 30 percent of its adjusted gross income once jobs are found, according to Magretta Martin, executive director of the home.

The families are being referred by the Task Force for the Homeless, shelters, churches and social service agencies. Some families have been turned down, according to Ms. Martin, because “they’re not willing to live by our rules.”

No smoking is permitted inside the building. Use of drugs or alcohol “would mean go,” she said.

She is delighted by the way “God answers prayers” for the home’s needs, mentioning the possibility, without being asked, of the DeKalb County Health Department establishing an on-site neighborhood clinic in the building. More demonstration of God’s interest were offers from two banks to open checking accounts for the families. Blinds for the entire building were donated by a well-known window blind maker.

The four first-floor apartments are handicapped accessible, with wider doors, larger bathrooms and lower surfaces in the kitchens. There is a ramp for entrance outside. Two of the six units upstairs are slightly bigger to house larger families. There is a laundry room on each floor and an adult lounge near the 900 square-foot space designated for the day care center. A food pantry will be available to the families.

Volunteers will serve as family advocates, helping one family at a time with job searches, financial advice, acquiring permanent housing, tutoring and a variety of other needs.

Sister Oberkirch has received generous support from her parish, Our Lady of the Assumption in Atlanta, where she serves as outreach minister to the poor and elderly. It was a parishioner’s gift of $100,000 in stock that launched Interfaith Outreach Home about three-and-a-half years ago.

The list of people involved with the home is lengthy. Funds came from the business community and businessmen, churches and private donors. A three-year loan of $100,000 was obtained from McAuley Institute, a corporation of the Sisters of Mercy that loans money for housing at below market rate.

Our Lady of the Assumption and All Saints Church in Dunwoody are among congregations that have painted, furnished and equipped units with everything from kitchen supplies to decorative accessories. St. Pius High School students supplied kitchen equipment, dishes, cutlery, pots and pans and other necessities, for a unit furnished by a church congregation.

Several parishioners from St. Jude’s in Sandy Springs have been involved as board members, fundraisers and donors. Some volunteers come from St. Andrew’s parish in Roswell. Marish School donated office furniture.

A Campaign for Human Development local grant came from Catholic Social Services of the Archdiocese in 1990.

Ms. Martin is especially appreciative of the sacrifices made by Advent Lutheran for the home. The small congregation approved a long-term lease on part of the property for the building and gave Ms. Martin office space and telephone use for about six months.

Advent’s pastor, the Rev. Raymond Porter, first had the idea of building on the property. When a board of directors for the proposed home was set up in 1988, Sister Oberkirch was named president and Porter vice-president.

One family was already in residence when the dedication took place. A hard-working couple, they helped ready the building for the big event, Ms. Martin said. “They’re the kind of family everybody had in mind when the home was first dreamed of,” she said.

Annual operating cost is expected to be $150,000 with the $9,000 quarterly payment on the loan from the Sisters of Mercy a large chunk of the cost.

“Now we’re looking for people to help us burn off the loan,” Sister Oberkirch admitted.