About the Nonprofit
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The Community Helping Place (CHP) is a 501(c)(3) located in Dahlonega, Georgia. CHP is dedicated to assisting those in need that live in Lumpkin County. Services provided include a food pantry, free medical and dental clinic, emergency financial assistance (for rent, utilities, etc..), and referral support services. These services are made possible by the generous donations of individuals, businesses, churches, and civic groups. In addition, we rely on approximately 180 volunteers who donate their time to help meet the needs of others in their community.
HISTORY: Thirty-one years ago, the Food Pantry was literally a pantry (closet) in the basement of Dahlonega’s St. Luke’s Catholic Church. As the requests for assistance increased in Lumpkin County, the local churches realized that they – as individual churches – could not meet all the needs. The churches got together to form the Ecumenical Ministries Council (EMC) to work as a group to help those in need in Lumpkin County. The Ecumenical Community Ministries (now CHP) was established as a centralized outreach by the Dahlonega Lumpkin County Ministerial Association. In 2001, the first full-time director was hired and the name was changed to The Community Helping Place (CHP). As the years continued and we observed a greater need in the community, CHP added the White Christmas Program in 2004 and Summer Food Program in 2006. In October of 2008, we opened a Free Medical Clinic to serve the uninsured working poor and Dental Care was added in 2013. CHP later purchased and renovated the Rock House-which serves as our current location!
TODAY: We are the largest outreach program in Lumpkin County, providing basic needs such as food, clothing, health care and emergency financial assistance to residents of Lumpkin County