DeKalb State Court Judge Ronald Ramsey coordinated the second annual “Angel Wings” initiative for homeless students before they left for the winter break. The initiative provided $50 gift cards for 50 homeless students and their families. McDonald’s franchise owners John and Shiroleen Hurt answered the call again and provided the gift cards.
The Hurts, who own 15 McDonald’s in DeKalb, supported the same effort last year, providing gift cards to 25 homeless students.
Ramsey said he hopes the effort will continue to grow each year and is very grateful to the Hurts who share his heart for the community. As the former Chief Legal Officer for the DeKalb County School District, Ramsey said that he understands the needs of students and their families who struggle with economic stability and often live in extended stay, or other transitional housing. He added that it is our collective responsibility to lift up residents who are in need, especially youths in the community who, with help and support, can choose the right path and be productive and positive citizens and future leaders, instead of choosing a path of crime and violence.
Ramsey, Mrs. Hurt and School Board member Vickie Turner coordinated their efforts this year with Monomay Malathip, executive director of the Division of Student Support and Intervention, who mobilized students of the Student Advisory Council to gather a room full of other gifts for the homeless families such as toys, toiletries and food items at a breakfast event catered by culinary students from Clarkston High School, at the School District’s Administration Building on Dec. 16.
Mrs. Hurt met with the culinary students at the event and informed them of scholarship opportunities provided by the McDonald’s corporation on an annual basis and pledged their continued support.
Ramsey said he is grateful for the collaboration that is being cultivated with parties involved in this initiative. He quoted one of the long held tenets of the school district: “The school cannot live apart from the community.”