Best ways to volunteer in Atlanta to help the unhoused

The most recent estimate put the city of Atlanta’s unhoused population at around 3,000. However, many experts say that’s an undercount and that in particular, it’s difficult to get a good number of individuals who don’t have a regular or adequate nighttime residence.

Whatever the number, people without permanent residences need lots of assistance. How can you help? By volunteering time and making donations to an outreach program:

Atlanta Mission

Atlanta Mission serves close to 1,000 unhoused men, women, and children every day. Since its founding in 1938, the Atlanta Mission has grown from soup kitchen to a prominent local provider of emergency shelter, rehab and recovery services, vocational training, and transitional housing.

The Atlanta Mission also keeps a running list of urgent needs in addition to its regular volunteering and donation opportunities. If you are interested in donating or volunteering, start with their volunteer page. The Mission has more suggestions about ways to help year-round.

Website: atlantamission.org; Contact: 404-588-4000

Nicholas House

Nicholas House is the only shelter in Atlanta offering housing to any homeless family. It operates an emergency shelter and has two different programs for families with some income but perhaps not enough to maintain stable housing. It also runs a program offering housing to chronically homeless families facing special challenges. There are many different ways to volunteer from preparing meals, to playing with kids or helping them with their homework, to mentoring adults.

Website: nicholashouse.org; Contact: 404-622-0793

HomeAid Atlanta

HomeAid Atlanta builds and renovates transitional housing facilities for the homeless service agencies of Atlanta. Unlike more generalized outreach programs, HomeAid Atlanta seeks the specific skills and materials needed to construct housing. Visit homeaidatlanta.org and explore HomeAid’s need for builders, trade contractors and building material suppliers, as well as their needs from others in the community.

Website: homeaidatlanta.org; Contact: 678-775-1401

Atlanta Children’s Shelter

The Atlanta Children’s Shelter provides services to homeless families with children under the age of 5. The organization serves children through direct services like early childhood education, nutrition and wellness programs, as well as parents via social services, case management, rapid re-housing and employment support.

The Shelter’s management believes Atlanta’s unhoused population is considerably larger than official estimates and that close to 2500 are children. Children’s Shelter can offer enrollment to only 40 families in need. You can donate or get involved with ongoing family services by visiting acsatl.org.

Website: acsatl.org; Contact: 404-892-3713

Gateway Center

Located in a building that was once the Atlanta city jail, Gateway Center today offers 369 beds for men who are “actively working to end their homelessness.” The program enrolls them into on-site residential programs that include training and support, recuperative care, stabilization, employment, pre-treatment, Veterans’ programs and more.

Website: gatewayctr.org; Contact: 404-215-6600

Still looking for the perfect outreach partner?