--- title: When Small Acts Make a Big Difference- Lifting Up Women, Veterans and Families in Need description: Pelagie Foundation supports women, veterans and families facing homelessness with shelter, mental health care and dignity–focused community services author: Dr Marina Nani (Editor-in-Chief) date: 2025-07-07T14:44:25.000Z updated: 2026-09-24T22:52:30.497Z canonical: https://richwoman.co/article/when-small-acts-make-a-big-difference-lifting-up-women-veterans-and-families-in-need image: https://cdn.nanimediahouse.com/qwpacfmqhpg.jpg categories: Philanthropic Minds content_type: Spotlight region: Georgia publication: Rich Woman Magazine --- The woman hesitated at the doorway, her worn jacket pulled tight against the morning chill. Inside the Pelagie Resource Center, she could see people moving about with purpose – staff members offering gentle smiles, someone filling out paperwork at a desk, another person emerging from what looked like a small salon area with freshly styled hair. For weeks, she’d walked past this building, knowing she needed help but unsure if she belonged here. Today, finally, she stepped inside. Across Georgia, thousands of women, veterans and families face similar moments of uncertainty. The state’s [Point-in-Time count estimated about 12,000 individuals experiencing homelessness](https://homelessnomore.com/homelessness-in-georgia-current-statistics-county-data-and-how-you-can-help-in-2024/) in 2024, with [domestic violence serving as a major driver](https://richwoman.co/article/silent-rights-chantelle-morrison-s-fight-against-domestic-violence) of housing instability for women and families. Meanwhile, [veteran homelessness increased more than seven per cent](https://missionrollcall.org/veteran-voices/articles/the-state-of-veteran-homelessness-2024/) from 2022 to 2023, with female veterans facing unique challenges including histories of intimate partner violence and military sexual trauma. ## A Foundation Built on Practical Support The Pelagie Foundation has been meeting people at these crossroads since 2015, offering what founder and executive director describes as ‘wraparound support’ for underserved populations. Through its [Pelagie Resource Center](https://pelagie.org/about), the organisation provides emergency shelter, job readiness training, [mental health support](https://richwoman.co/article/hope-s-lantern-student-starts-nonprofit-for-women-s-mental-health-support) and essential resources like ID vouchers, internet access and hygiene items. The Foundation recently expanded its services with the launch of Christ-Lee’s Hair Boutique, a nonprofit salon providing free and sliding-scale hair services alongside workforce training for women, cancer patients and military spouses. They also operate the Pelagie Care Clinic, offering telehealth services and mental health counselling to remove barriers that might prevent someone from seeking help. These services address what case managers see daily: people who have lost not just housing or financial stability, but the small dignities that most of us take for granted. Access to a shower, a clean change of clothes, or a professional haircut can seem trivial until you don’t have them. ## When Small Acts Make a Big Difference Research consistently shows that [personal grooming services like haircuts significantly enhance physical well-being, mental health and self-esteem](https://borgenproject.org/how-access-to-haircuts-empowers-the-vulnerable/) for vulnerable populations. The inability to maintain basic grooming routines can block employment opportunities and deepen cycles of homelessness and poor mental health. At Christ-Lee’s Hair Boutique, this plays out in real time. Cancer patients undergoing treatment find renewed confidence as they learn to work with changing hair textures. Military spouses, often isolated from family support networks due to frequent relocations, discover both practical skills and community connections. [Women emerging from domestic violence situations](https://richwoman.co/article/community-led-housing-solutions-spark-new-wave-of-homelessness-support) can literally see themselves differently in the mirror – no longer defined by trauma, but ready to reclaim their sense of self. The Foundation’s ID voucher programme addresses another seemingly small barrier with enormous implications. Without proper identification, people cannot access most services, apply for jobs, or even prove their eligibility for benefits they’ve earned. For veterans navigating complex healthcare systems or survivors of domestic violence who may have fled without documentation, obtaining new identification becomes a crucial first step toward stability. ## Where Human Connection Meets Practical Solutions The internet access provided at the Resource Center might seem basic, but for job seekers completing applications, families maintaining contact with social workers, or students keeping up with coursework, reliable connectivity represents a lifeline to opportunity. Virtual mental health counselling through the Pelagie Care Clinic removes geographical and transportation barriers that might otherwise prevent someone from receiving care. Studies applying [Maslow’s hierarchy of needs to adults with serious mental illness](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4130906/) who have experienced homelessness reveal that securing basic needs like housing subsequently improves self-esteem and motivation for employment. Participants consistently express that achieving stability allows them to focus on goals like gainful employment and financial independence. This understanding shapes how Pelagie Foundation staff approach their work. Rather than viewing services as separate programmes, they recognise the interconnected nature of human needs. Someone might arrive seeking emergency shelter but discover that workforce training, mental health support and even a new hairstyle all contribute to their path forward. ## Building Community Through Crisis Women fleeing domestic violence need safe shelter, but they also need job skills, childcare resources and the confidence that comes from feeling presentable in professional settings. Veterans struggling with housing instability benefit from emergency accommodation, but they also need healthcare access, benefits navigation and connection to other veterans who understand their experiences. Military spouses face particular challenges, with career disruption from frequent relocations and limited access to professional development opportunities. [Research indicates that personal care services substantially impact women](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8409246/) by improving self-esteem, mental health and job readiness, helping reduce stigma and isolation while enabling individuals to present themselves confidently. ## How to Get Involved The Pelagie Foundation welcomes volunteers, sponsors and media partnerships for its community outreach events. Those interested in supporting the organisation can contribute directly to programmes like Christ-Lee’s Hair Boutique, which depends on donations to maintain its sliding-scale fee structure. The Foundation also seeks partnerships with local businesses and healthcare providers to expand its network of support services. Volunteers can assist with everything from administrative tasks at the Resource Center to providing specialised services like job interview preparation or technology training. The Foundation particularly values volunteers who can offer consistent support, understanding that relationship-building takes time and that many clients benefit from seeing familiar faces during vulnerable moments. The woman who hesitated at the doorway that morning eventually found herself seated in Christ-Lee’s salon chair, explaining to the stylist how long it had been since she’d had a professional haircut. As the stylist worked, they talked about the client’s background in retail management and her hopes of returning to work once she secured stable housing. By the time she left the Resource Center that day, she carried not just a fresh hairstyle and a folder of job search resources, but something harder to quantify: the renewed sense that her future held [possibilities worth pursuing](https://richwoman.co/article/siblings-in-the-spotlight-how-family-bonds-power-jarc-s-summer-fundraiser-after-budget-cuts). [Organisations like Pelagie](https://richwoman.co/article/12-dimensions-not-12-steps-rethinking-recovery-support-at-red-door-life) prove that genuine change happens not through grand gestures, but through consistent, caring attention to human dignity. In a state where thousands of families face housing instability and economic uncertainty, the Foundation meets people where they are, providing practical support that addresses immediate needs whilst recognising that sometimes the smallest gestures create space for the most significant changes.