About
re:loom employs and empowers homeless and low-income individuals through weaving beautifully designed products out of recycled materials.
re:loom is a program of Initiative for Affordable Housing, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that has operated in metro Atlanta for more than 30 years. We provide safe, permanent affordable housing, employment, financial assistance, and comprehensive social services to help over 650 struggling individuals each year address the root causes of homelessness/poverty and pave the way for a brighter future.
Our three programs:
- Homeless Services Program: Initiative provides eligible homeless women with children with agency-owned housing for up to 24 months and intensive professional case management to aid in the transition into permanent housing and employment.
- Affordable Housing Program: Initiative owns and operates 355 apartment units in four complexes rented at affordable rates to families and seniors to help ease the critical shortage of affordable housing in metro Atlanta.
- re:loom—weaving a better life: Initiative founded re:loom in 2009 as a low-barrier employment program for women in our Homeless Services Program, refugees from the nearby Clarkston community, and other area residents in need. Employees are trained to weave on traditional floor looms, using donated fabrics to produce new home décor and fashion items for retail sale and are provided full-time, paid employment with benefits. Through individualized assessment, hands-on training, and life skills mentoring, women who have previously struggled to maintain employment due to life traumas and educational gaps are given the tools to confidently enter or re-enter the workforce and provide safe, healthy households where their children can thrive.
In addition, re:loom successfully diverts thousands of pounds of excess textiles from landfills and incinerators each year, making a meaningful environmental impact and allowing employees to participate in the fast-growing sustainability marketplace.