Augusta, GA

Augusta Dream Center helps teens have a night to remember, for free

Published

2 years ago

March 10, 2024

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Augusta Dream Center helps teens have a night to remember, for free

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The Augusta Dream Center helped make some teenagers’ prom dreams come true.

Oftentimes getting set up for prom is an expensive process for a memory that could last a lifetime.

It’s a way to help take away any financial stress that comes with prom.

It adds up quickly when it comes to clothes, hair, makeup, and more, but hundreds of girls got all of that for free today at Stephens Creek Church.

It was a day dedicated to making each and every person that walked in the door feel special.

“Specifically for high schoolers, especially that are underprivileged or don’t really have the opportunity to go prom dress shopping. It’s really cool that they offer this opportunity,” said Sarah Smith, a volunteer.

It’s not just for South Augusta, but all across the CSRA.

“I love seeing other girls walk down looking so beautiful and feeling themselves just feeling like how a girl should feel. And when I saw everyone walking down in those dresses, I’m like they must be so happy right now. They look so pretty. They look so happy,” said LJ Lopez, who attended the event.

More than 200 girls chose from up to 3000 donated dresses while also getting their hair and makeup done and choosing from hundreds of accessories for free.

“Just think about how inflation has impacted all of us. So, you know, the cost of their prom tickets are astronomical, if you have a couple of kids in high school. I mean, how do you do that?” said Kellie Newman, Augusta Dream Center Director.

But happiness like this isn’t something you can put a price on.

“I really don’t think there’s a much greater reward than pouring in and investing into the next generation. And so, teenagers today are under so much more stress than ever before, just in this world today we live in, the culture and social media and all of those things,” said Newman.

So the last thing they should stress about is something every teenager looks forward to.

“It’s just like really cool to see like their transformation with their confidence and clothes and everything,” said Mary-Caroline Waldrop, a volunteer.

Everything may have been free but many of them left with something money could never buy.

“Grateful. I appreciate it. Made me feel like Cinderella,” said Aaliyah Samuels, who attended the event.

Augusta Dream Center says this was their biggest Cinderella Day since they started seven years ago.

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Augusta, GA

One dead following a shooting in Richmond County

Published

12 hours ago

March 28, 2026

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One dead following a shooting in Richmond County

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The Richmond County Coroner’s Office said a person has died after a shooting on Division Street Saturday afternoon.

Officials say the shooting happened at the 2100 block around 4 p.m.

The victim was shot at least one time and taken to Wellstar MCG, where he later died, the coroner’s office says.

The sheriff’s office also went to Division Street at approximately 4 p.m. in reference to the incident, deputies say.

An autopsy has been scheduled.

No further information is available at this time.

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Augusta, GA

Sandusky Ohio News | Sandusky Register

Published

24 hours ago

March 28, 2026

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<br /> Sandusky Ohio News | Sandusky Register <br />

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Augusta, GA

Augusta’s Turpin neighborhood to get affordable homes with $1.85M federal grant

Published

1 day ago

March 27, 2026

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Augusta’s Turpin neighborhood to get affordable homes with .85M federal grant

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The historic Turpin neighborhood will soon welcome more affordable homes after Augusta Habitat for Humanity was awarded $1.85 million in federal funding this week.

The grant will fund the construction of at least 12 homes in the area.

“Habitat for Humanity applied for federal funding, and they were awarded the funding,” said District 2 Commissioner Stacy Pulliam.

Reviving a historic community

The Turpin neighborhood was once home to professionals, including educators, doctors, and lawyers.

“These big professionals that lived mostly over this way,” one resident said of the neighborhood’s history.

Pulliam described the area’s former prominence as “its grand days of glory, when it was the place.”

The project brings together city organizers and community partners through the Georgia Initiative for Community Housing, or GICH.

“We have so many partners. We have the Housing Authority on board. We have a representative from the Hub on board,” Pulliam said. “There’s so many great partners at the table that’s helping pull all of this together.”

Federal support and future plans

The project received backing from Senators Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock.

Habitat for Humanity, with support from GICH, focused its application on Turpin Hill intentionally, as officials say the community had been needing to be addressed for years.

With Habitat for Humanity continuing to advocate for more funds, Pulliam said their motivation could lead to additional housing development in the future.

“We keep going and going and going,” she said. “Now we can do 20. Now we can do multifamily. So it’s fueling our fire to get more housing, but not just housing, to clean up the area.”

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