About Morning Glory Transitional Home

Morning Glory Transitional Home is a designated 501(c)(3) non for profit corporation founded by Ms. Joan Kirby. Ms. Kirby saw a need to help families affected by Hurricane Katrina by providing temporary housing and services to help them get back on their feet.

Since 2010, Morning Glory Transitional Home has been active and instrumental by assisting women who are seeking a second chance to begin a new journey by developing specialized programs which provide temporary housing, assistance with obtaining permanent housing, conducting developmental and community workshops, case management.

Morning Glory Transitional Home’s mission is to provide a safe environment for our clients to reach their goals and increase their opportunity for success. The participants of the organization’s programs are evaluated by their success in obtaining employment, stable housing, and efficient personal finance management. The organization has an 85% success rate of clients efficiently reaching their goals and having successful futures.

                           Our Founder

Joan E Kirby

Founder/Chairwoman/CEO

Morning Glory Transitional Home came to existence when the Founder, Mrs. Joan E. Kirby saw a need for an organization that exclusively focused on assisting women who were combating homelessness and hardship. Mrs. Kirby bought a two-story home in the heart of Stone Mountain, Georgia, where she could provide a safe space for women to reside and receive a fresh start. After Hurricane Katrina, many families were left displaced and without a home leading Mrs. Kirby to utilize the home to provide temporary housing for families with children who were victims of the hurricane. This led to the birth of Morning Glory Transitional Home in 2008, which has been actively helping to improve the lives of women. Mrs. Kirby retired from DeKalb County Board of Health and has since dedicated herself to helping the community.  Mrs. Kirby is an active ordained Pastor.

Contact Information: [email protected], [email protected]

Meet A Few of Our Board and Team Members

Sameka J. Orekyeh, MPH 

Executive Director

Ms. Sameka J. Orekyeh currently serves as the Executive Director and Chairwoman for Morning Glory Transitional Home. Ms. Orekyeah is an integral part to the organization by helping to bring the vision of the founder to life. She leads the strategic vision and initiatives of the organization by developing and implementing progressive programs, comprehensive business plans, and creative ideas. Ms. Orkyeah has a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from Georgia State University, a Master of Public Health from Walden University, and a Business Analyst certification from Emory University. She is currently employed as a Data Analyst/Data Programmer with extensive experience working in collaboration with the State and Local government.

Contact Information: [email protected]

[email protected]

Teresa Beckett

Executive Assistant

Ms. Teresa Beckett is the Executive Assistant to the CEO and Executive Director and has been an active board member at Morning Glory Transitional Home since 2018. She has completed her Bachelor of Science in Information Systems and Homeland Security at Strayer University. Ms. Beckett is also certified in IATA Temperature Control and currently is employed as an Import Account Supervisor.

Bernice Williams

Mission Advisor 

Ms. Bernice Williams is the Mission Advisor and has been an active board member at Morning Glory  Transitional Home since 2018.  Ms. Williams is an active member in the DeKalb County community as an ordained evangelist.  Ms. Williams leads outreach ministries locally and internationally by feeding the homeless and provide Christian counseling to all that is need.  Ms. Williams professional and personal experience makes her a pillar in the community, in her local church, and in the organization. 

Contact Information: [email protected]

Dr. Matthew N.H Ellis

Community Engagement/ Outreach Manager

Dr. Ellis serves as the Community Engagement and Outreach Manager while also being an active board member for the Morning Glory Transitional Home team since 2010. He has been instrumental in community engagement by collaborating with the students of Historical Black Colleges and Universities such Morehouse College, Spellman University, and Clark Atlanta University to actively participate in numerous events like the Feed Atlanta Project. Dr. Ellis completed his Bachelor Degree at Morehouse College and went on to complete his Doctorate of Medicine at Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine.

Contact Information: [email protected]

Malachi E. Parham

Junior Assistant

Mr. Malachi Parham has been apart of the Morning Glory Transitional team as the Junior Assistant since 2020. Mr. Parham has been innovative in his role by foreseeing the organization’s marketing initiatives by expanding our presence on social media. Mr. Parham has led the recreation of our website with hopes to encourage and integrate more people to join in on the mission of the organization.

Contact Information: [email protected]