Meet Emory Paul: Homeless Nonprofit President

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

Hi Emory, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
My nonprofit was sparked when I was passing out backpacks filled with supplies with a club at my school, and we were unable to provide everyone with a backpack. When a man who was homeless asked me if we had an extra backpack and we replied that we had unfortunately run out, I saw the despondent and hopeless look in his eyes. It was at that moment that I knew I needed to make a difference and turn my passion into action. I realized that though I could never do enough, I could always do more. This led me to found Soul Supplies with hope that I could serve people experiencing homelessness on a much larger scale thanks to a nonprofit’s access to grants and partnerships.

What should our readers know about your business?
Soul Supplies is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that serves the homeless community in Atlanta through the distribution of backpacks filled with hygiene products, essential supplies, food, clothes, and much more to the people experiencing homelessness in downtown Atlanta. We also operate a referral system where we connect homeless individuals with shelters and housing programs. As the Founder of Soul Supplies, I am most proud of our dedication to humanizing the homeless population, raising awareness to the many issues that affect homeless people, and creating an environment where homeless people feel loved and respected. People who suffer from homelessness are not just “homeless people”; they are humans who have fallen on hard times and unfortunate circumstances in life and need love, care, and assistance. They are people who have as much potential to do good as any other person and should be treated as such. In addition to passing out the bags, we make sure to introduce ourselves, shake their hands, and ask each homeless man or woman their name and story. I believe that by us trying to connect with them and make them feel as if they are cared for and loved, along with giving them a platform and a voice to tell the world their story, is what sets us apart from other organizations that pass out supplies. In the few months that we have been officially operating, we have delivered over 55,000 items of supplies and raised nearly $20,000! We have partnered with some incredible organizations, from the Arthur Blank Foundation to Whole Foods. This is only the beginning, and we can’t wait to continue to raise awareness to the drastic issue of homelessness and serve the homeless community in Atlanta and beyond.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
We would definitely visit Piedmont Park and the Atlanta Beltline for a walk then grab lunch at Amalfi Pizza and finish the day at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. There are so many great restaurants and places to visit in Atlanta! Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I could not have grown my nonprofit without the amazing support system I have in my life! The GivingPoint Social Innovators Academy provided me with the initial support and mentorship that allowed me to start Soul Supplies. From here, I was introduced into the work to end homelessness by Georgia State Professor, Dr. Nicholas Forge, staff from The Backpack Project, Inc., Tracy Woodard from Madhousers Atlanta, as well as many others in this field of work. My success and growth is all thanks to those who helped me get here!

Website: https://www.soulsupplies.org/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soulsuppliesatlanta/?hl=en

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/soulsupplies/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/soulsuppliesatl

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/soulsuppliesatlanta/