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Builders renovate Tapestry House

Fulton County Commissioner Bill Edwards characterized homebuilders Mayfield Homes and The Knight Group and 37 contractors and suppliers as "part of the fabric of the community" for their work in renovating and constructing the 6,000 sq. ft. Tapestry House in Fairburn in South Fulton County.

Edwards' remarks came during the dedication ceremony for the residence that will be a home for unwed teenage mothers and their babies while they learn parenting skills and have the opportunity to finish their high school educations.

Speaking on behalf of Tapestry residents, a tearful 16-year-old Darlene Golson, who is living at another Tapestry House in College Park while completing high school, called the Tapestry Ministry a "miracle" in her life. She credited the program with giving her and her son a second chance to become contributing members of the community.

Mayfield Homes President Sean Doughtie, who along with The Knight Group Vice President Chris Knight, coordinated the work of subcontractors and suppliers, said, "A lot of good work has gone on here, but it does not compare to the kind of good work that will take place here in the next 10 or 20 years."

The 37 suppliers and subcontractors provided all of the material and labor for the renovation — from the concrete for the driveway to the shingles on the roof — free or at deeply discounted prices.

The Tapestry House renovation was initiated as a result of a partnership among HomeAid Atlanta in affiliation with the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association, Tapestry Youth Ministries and Fulton County government.

HomeAid Atlanta became active in January 2002. It is a local chapter of HomeAid America, the largest provider of shelter beds in the United States. HomeAid Atlanta's mission is to build and renovate transitional housing for temporarily homeless children, women and men throughout greater Atlanta. This mission is accomplished by mobilizing members of the local homebuilding industry to donate labor, materials and expertise to established, successful care providers, in order to expand shelter capacity.

Tapestry Youth Ministries was established to assist teen mothers between the ages of 14 and 17 living in either unsafe or unstable environments. Many of these young women refused to enter state custody for fear of being separated from their children. With homes in College Park and Fairburn, Tapestry Youth Ministries is one of two licensed facilities in metropolitan Atlanta that serves teen mothers and their babies.

Fulton County awarded a $150,000 deferred-payment HOME loan from the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development to acquire the property, $130,000 in Community Development Block Grant funds for renovations and debt retirement and $35,000 in CDBG funds to help with operating costs.