After smashing previous records with its 2025 Second Chance Golf Classic, a Metro Atlanta nonprofit has done it again. Hosted on September 14 at TPC Sugarloaf in Duluth, the 2026 Second Chance Golf Classic brought together 204 golfers and raised an astounding $473,300 to further Rainbow Village’s mission. With a daily purpose to bring Help, Hope, Housing, and Healing to families experiencing homelessness, those funds will supplement the organization’s operational funding so it can continue to give the families it serves a much-needed “mulligan” through transitional housing and transformational programming. Rainbow Village’s unique holistic approach equates to a 95% success rate among program graduates as they find self-sustainability beyond the borders of the nonprofit’s Gwinnett County campus.
“Our title sponsor, Primerica, has been a true changemaker for this fundraiser the last two years,” said Melanie Conner, CEO of Rainbow Village. “Like Rainbow Village, its team is focused on changing lives for the better. While its clients benefit from a variety of financial solutions, its company culture and the Primerica Foundation support nonprofits like ours, benefiting thousands of people over the years. We are also grateful to Northside Hospital for its enduring year-round support as our Legacy Sponsor, all our other amazing sponsors and volunteers, and to every single one of the 200+ golfers who showed up and showed out in support of families in need.”
Played on three separate courses at TPC Sugarloaf, the First Place Winners of the Champions Course (aka The Stables) was the Amplifi Team; the Rainbow Village Course (aka The Meadows) was the Franklin Templeton Team; and Second Chance Course (aka The Pines) was the Exam One Team. Three individuals also won the Closest to the Pin contest, and four won the Longest Drive contest.
Next up on Rainbow Village’s event calendar is its annual We Are Family Tailgate Benefit Gala, to be held at The Country Club of the South on Saturday, October 24. Ticket and table sales close at midnight on October 5.
While she is grateful for the success of the Second Chance Golf Classic, Conner warns that much work remains. “Less than 10% of our funding comes from local government resources, while 90% of our funding is privately secured through individual donors, corporations, churches, foundations, and fundraising events like our Second Chance Golf Classic and We Are Family Gala,” added Conner. “That funding helps us keep the proverbial lights on while continuing to provide transitional housing and proven programming that helps our families journey towards self-sufficiency through success coaching, Pathways to Progress classes, and a solid sense of community.”
Groups and individuals who wish to purchase tickets or a table of ten for the upcoming “We Are Family” Tailgate Benefit Gala are encouraged to visit https://bit.ly/3RRwXCG before October 5 at midnight.
If you have a scheduling conflict, Conner also ensured supporters don’t need to attend the Gala to take part in the fun and make an impact. She highlighted this year’s World Traveler Golden Ticket, which features accommodations for two to one of five global destinations – including a choice of Tuscany, Italy; Bali, Indonesia; Phuket, Thailand; Dublin, Ireland; or Santorini, Greece. At $100 per Golden Ticket, this raffle is now open at https://bit.ly/4vJHfTo – the winner of which will be announced during the Gala but need not be present to win.
While proceeds from the Gala will help fund daily operations and special programming at Rainbow Village, the nonprofit is in the midst of its Building Homes, Building Hope Capital Campaign. The successful conclusion of the Capital Campaign will fund the completion of two new apartment buildings on Rainbow Village’s newly expanded campus – more than doubling its transitional housing capacity for unhoused families with children. To donate to the Capital Campaign, visit https://rainbowvillage.org/capital-campaign-building-homes-building-hope/.
