By Debi Starnes, Atlanta

 Debi Starnes has owned Sugar Magnolia Bed and
Breakfast in Atlanta, Georgia, since 1993. Debi
Starnes, also the president of EMSTAR Research, Inc.,
serves on the Board of the Gateway Center in Atlanta,
a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping the
city’s homeless population.
Atlanta’s Gateway Center offers help to the city's
homeless individuals through a variety of programs
and services, many of which rely on the assistance of
outside volunteers. Every volunteer with the Gateway
Center must first complete an educational orientation
designed to provide participants with an in-depth
understanding of the complex issues surrounding
homelessness in Atlanta.

 The orientation also helps volunteers
appreciate the way in which the Gateway
Center addresses these issues, which goes
beyond the typically limited efforts of some
charity and church groups. Following
orientation, volunteers can take part in a
number of different activities. To register for
an upcoming volunteer orientation, visit
www.gatewayctr.org.