Meet Ellie Thaxton | Community Advocate

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ellie Thaxton and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ellie, let’s start by talking about what inspires you?
It sounds cliche, but my daily inspiration comes from the life and words of Jesus Christ. A story Jesus told that continually moves my heart is the Good Samaritan. A man gets brutally beat up by robbers and left for dead. Two religious people walked by without doing anything, but a man- later dubbed “the Good Samaritan”– stopped for the beat-up man and used his OWN resources to care for him and put him in a hotel so the man could heal. Similarly, I often see that when someone is in need, the most they’re often given is a list of nonprofits that may be able to help. Of course, I appreciate the value of nonprofits because I work with them myself, but we must not forget the value of everyday citizens helping one another. Personal connection to another human being, a personal demonstration of love, is often what hurting folks need the most. This story is also potent because in a time where the idea of self-care is often taken to the extreme, the Good Samaritan reminds us of the power of self-sacrificial love, of giving up one’s comforts and reservations for the good of another. And this kind of love is what changes the world.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Eleven years ago, fresh out of college, I moved to Clarkston, GA driven by a passion to serve refugees, immigrants, and children facing abuse and neglect. In 2019, as a new mom myself, I was able to walk alongside an amazing mother of 3 who had left her children’s father due to domestic violence. She couldn’t keep up with the bills by herself and ended up being evicted and was separated from her children during a period of homelessness. I was disturbed to learn that nationally, housing instability is one of the most common reasons children get taken into foster care. In fact, 84% of the children caught up in the “child welfare system” because of poverty, not abuse. Thankfully, my friends and I rallied together and were able to raise the money she needed to get back into stable housing and be reunited with her children, and she’s been maintaining stability herself ever since!
From this experience I knew that when the pandemic started, we had an eviction crisis coming, and single mothers would be the most impacted. I called up some friends with greater leadership gifts than me, and we were able to start a rent relief effort that helped over 300 families to stay in their homes through the pandemic! I now work alongside Giving Grace, a program of the Atlanta-based nonprofit Remerge. One of the powerful works Giving Grace does is to prevent children from the trauma of foster care by helping parents facing homelessness to keep or secure housing. We are a grassroots, volunteer-le

Eleven years ago, fresh out of college, I moved to Clarkston, GA driven by a passion to serve refugees, immigrants, and children facing abuse and neglect. In 2019, as a new mom myself, I was able to walk alongside an amazing mother of 3 who had left her children’s father due to domestic violence. She couldn’t keep up with the bills by herself and ended up being evicted and was separated from her children during a period of homelessness. I was disturbed to learn that nationally, approximately 84% of the children in foster care are there because of poverty, not abuse. In fact, housing instability / homelessness is one of the most common reasons children get taken into foster care. Thankfully, my friends and I rallied together and were able to raise the money my mama friend needed to get back into stable housing and be reunited with her children, and she’s been maintaining stability herself ever since!

From this experience I knew that when the pandemic started, we had an eviction crisis coming, and single mothers would be the most impacted. Partnering with a few local organizations, I was able to start a rent relief effort that helped over 300 families to stay in their homes through the pandemic! I now work alongside Giving Grace, a program of the Atlanta-based nonprofit Remerge. We are a grassroots, volunteer-lead program whose work is funded by posting about community needs on our Facebook group of 9000+ members who donate until each need is funded. One of the most powerful works Giving Grace does is to prevent families from being torn apart by foster care by helping parents facing homelessness to keep or secure housing. For example, last week we came across a single mom of a newborn who had lost her housing and had an open DFCS case. We were able to keep her family together by raising the money for her apartment deposit. Being part of Giving Grace and seeing the generosity of our supporters infuses hope into my heart in the midst of the overwhelming suffering I encounter daily. Please join our Facebook group called “Giving Grace” and learn how you can support these precious families to move from barely surviving to thriving! We can’t do this amazing work without your support!

I would say one thing that sets me apart is my tenacity- I don’t easily take no for an answer. I take seriously Jesus’ command to love others as I love myself. It definitely has not been an easy road though! I spend many late nights asking everyone I know for help for a mom in need. I often sound like a broken record talking about this issue. I’ve felt anger from seeing innocent people suffer injustice and frustration knowing there is plenty of wealth out there but the poor can’t access it. I’ve racked my brain and run out of ideas on how to raise the funds. So I pray. I can’t give up, because I know that I wouldn’t want my children to be hungry, sleep outside, or to be taken from my custody.

Regarding lessons I’ve learned, if you’re into the Enneagram Personality Tests, I’m a type 8–The Protector or Challenger. With this personality, I’ve learned not to get too confident in my own perspective about a situation but to listen to others and work as a team. I’ve learned the importance of taking time for friendship, heart reflection, and prayer instead of working around the clock.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
In my opinion, Stone Mountain is a unique wander that visitors just have to see. So day 1, we’d hike Stone Mountain to see the skyline. We’d then go to some international restaurants in Clarkston, and maybe Refuge Coffee. Next day, we would hike or bike the gorgeous Chattahoochee River trails and chill at the Chattahoochee Coffee Company because it is so serene like a resort. That night we would have a culinary exploration of Buford Highway to try foods and drinks from many nations, especially the Buford Highway Farmers Market! Day 3-4 we’d do Piedmont Park, the Botanical Gardens then Ponce City Market and the Beltline. Of course we’d leave some time for just catching up and hanging out at the house, and fit in a stop at my favorite thrift store, Last Chance Thrift in Decatur, and stop to show them the horses at the Little Creek Horse Farm and Park on the way home!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I have to give credit to God first. My life was very broken until I was 15 years old when a kind man told me about Jesus. I decided to follow Him with all my heart, and since then He has guided me in a lifegiving path. He has taught me how to love and forgive without expecting in return and has turned around every hard thing that has happened in my life to something that can bless others.

I also owe credit to my mom. She was a fierce mama bear in her advocacy for me. I was born with a rare bone disorder. Before I was diagnosed, she could tell something was wrong. She persisted in going to different doctors until I received a diagnosis. If it wasn’t for her pushing for a diagnosis and treatment, I may not be able to walk today. I believe I got my advocate spirit from her.

Invisible Children, an organization focused on freeing child soldiers in central Africa, was influential in my journey as a fighter for justice. I first got involved with their movement at 16 years old, and their mentorship is what helped me see that even as a young individual, one can make a meaningful impact on pressing global issues rather than merely sinking into despair. Through Invisible Children, I was able to mobilize my high school to raise over $15,000 for a war-torn school in northern Uganda, travel to serve internally displaced people in northern Uganda, and even lobby my senators to see bills passed to aid victims of the war. So I am grateful to them for believing in me.

Website: https://remerge.org/giving-grace/

Instagram: instagram.com/givinggraceatl

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/753366974750959/

Image Credits
Black and white photo- Ashley Barnhill, Hometown Photography