Since 2005 Deskan has provided the following:

1. The Food Pantry
Deskan provided grocery boxes of food to over 2,500 families. Deskan also helped serve over 21,426 hot meals at homeless shelters in Atlanta, Local Hotel and Extended Stay Motel in Decatur and Stone Mountain area.

2. Annual Community Holiday Giving
The Community Holiday Giving Program distributes to over 2,000 families, personal hygiene products, clothes, food, household goods, student uniforms, school supplies, and book bags, assist with graduation costs, toys and medical care for emergency indigent families. Deskan also provides items to over 2,000 families who may not be able to provide a turkey/chicken/ham or warm clothing, coats and blankets for their families during the winter months, Thanksgiving and Christmas Holidays. Since 2008, Deskan has partnered with United Way and Toys-For-Tots and Deskan New Jersey to make this program a continued success.

3. Clothing Closet
Deskan has provided clothing to local organizations that share in the cause of “Second Chance for Individuals” Women of Domestic Violence, In Home Foster Care Services, Families of Natural Disaster (flood, fire or loss of home) in places like New Orleans, New Jersey, Tennessee, Mississippi, Haiti, Guyana, and Belize, Central America.

4. Helping the Homeless
Homelessness is not a choice.... Help IS! Homelessness is not unique to in town Atlanta communities: it is becoming a growing problem in surrounding counties as well. United Way data shows that approximately 2/3 of homeless calls originated in counties that surround the Atlanta area.
The fastest growing group of homeless people is children under 9 years of age. Atlanta is the poorest city in the U.S. for children - more children in Atlanta live in poverty than in any other city. 48% of all the children in Atlanta live in families with annual incomes of less than $15,000 a year. Almost 40% of homeless in the US are under 18 years of age. Additionally 40% of homeless men are veterans.

• 50% of youth aging out of foster care and the juvenile justice systems will be homeless within six months because they are unprepared to live independently, have limited education and no social support.

• Approximately 5,000 homeless youth die from assault, illness and suicide every year.

• 42% of homeless youth will be physically abused:

• 13% will be sexually assaulted.

• 57% of homeless kids don't eat at least one day a month

National Poverty and Homelessness

• Nationwide, two factors have contributed to the increase in homelessness over the past several years—an increase in poverty and a decrease in the availability of affordable housing units.

• Some one is homeless (as defined by the McKinney—Vinto Act) if they lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, or if they are living in a shelter.

• The 2006 Mayor’s conference found that 51% of people who became homeless the year before were single men, 30% were single women, 17% were families with children, and 2% were unaccompanied youth.

Medical Mission & Missionary Work
Deskan provides clinic for medical care, medical evaluation and consultation, and health education and prevention education. The clinic also provides donated reading glasses to those in-need and over-the-counter medications are dispensed at the clinic which is staffed by a local Pharmacist. Participants work in small clinics, hospitals, schools and churches located in rural towns where they provide free medical care for thousands of patients in need of medical attention.

Our primary commitment is to provide surgical and medical care for children to enhance each child's opportunity for a better life. Our secondary commitment is to ensure ongoing medical care by teaching local health care providers and providing donated supplies and equipment to each area we serve. Our third commitment is spiritual upliftment through prayers and devotions.

Participants pay their own round-trip airfare, mission fee (food, housing, ground transportation, etc.) and bring supplies and medicines.

We have set up a special web site where you can make a donation to a friend or family member you may know who will be joining us on a future medical mission. If you don't know a medical missionary, you can still help by using the sponsorship site to make a general donation to DESKAN Medical Missions. Your donation will be used where most needed to support the work of the missionaries.