Author Archives: Hope Atlanta

Atlanta’s homelessness response is not one program or one property. It is a coordinated ecosystem grounded in housing as the solution. At the center is Hope Atlanta, working alongside Partners for Home and community partners through a Housing First, place-based approach.  That work is visible at:  WATERWORKS Permanent supportive housing with on-site case management, healthcare […]

By Julio Carrillo, CEO of Hope Atlanta  There are moments in a city’s life when the world is watching. In 2026, the world will indeed turn its eyes toward Atlanta. Stadiums will fill. Cameras will roll. Visitors will arrive from every continent. But long before the first whistle blows, a deeper question stands before us: […]

Strong communities do not happen by accident. They are built through shared responsibility, practical problem-solving, and leaders who step forward when challenges grow more complex. In Atlanta, one of the clearest examples of this kind of leadership can be found in the partnership between QuikTrip and Hope Atlanta. Recognizing that community stability, safety, and well-being […]

By Kellie Glenn, Chief Development Officer, Hope Atlanta People often ask how I found my way into nonprofit fundraising, and for me, the answer begins long before I ever entered this field. I am a social worker first. Early in my career, I worked with children who had experienced abuse and neglect. I loved those […]

As we enter the season of Thanksgiving—a time rooted in gratitude, generosity, and reflection—thousands of Georgians are facing a winter of profound uncertainty. Freezing temperatures are arriving early. SNAP benefits are halted during the federal shutdown. And families who were already stretched thin are now being pushed into crisis at a time of year when […]

Every day, Hope Atlanta’s teams are on the frontlines of Atlanta’s homelessness crisis. From MARTA stations to encampments under highway bridges, our outreach workers meet people where they are—often at the most difficult moments of their lives. When crisis hits and prevention isn’t possible, the first and most critical step is housing. By providing a […]

In Atlanta, the need has never been greater. What once was 3,000 calls for help each month has grown to more than 15,000 — each one representing a neighbor in crisis, a family on the brink, or a veteran seeking stability. Our community has always rallied around this mission, and because of your compassion, Hope […]

Calls to Hope Atlanta’s office have skyrocketed, climbing from 3,000 to more than 15,000 each month. Behind every one of those calls is a story: a mother sleeping in her car with her children, a senior struggling to afford rent, or a young person facing an eviction notice. At Hope Atlanta, we believe homelessness is […]

If a tap breaks, we don’t stand by as water floods the floor—we turn it off at the source. Yet when it comes to homelessness, our systems often do the opposite: we focus almost entirely on emergency response after the flood has already occurred. Shelters, emergency rooms, and law enforcement are essential, but they are […]

According to the National Center for Homeless Education, children experiencing homelessness are 87% more likely to drop out of school than their housed peers. And for the students who do stay in school, the impacts are still profound: research shows that they are more likely to struggle with attendance, concentration, behavioral health, and academic performance. […]

Why Hope Atlanta Is Investing in Place-Based Strategy Neighborhoods shape everything—from housing access and job opportunities to mental health outcomes and generational wealth. In fact, a person’s ZIP code is one of the strongest predictors of their health—even more than their genetic code. That’s why Hope Atlanta has adopted a Place-Based Strategy that aligns housing, […]

You may have noticed it, too.The person outside your grocery store. Sleeping in a car in your office lot. Sitting quietly at your train station. Homelessness in Atlanta is no longer confined to downtown. It’s more visible—and more varied—than ever. One of the biggest misconceptions about homelessness is that it’s mostly caused by mental illness […]

As homelessness becomes more visible—and more complex—in communities across Atlanta, Hope Atlanta’s Summer 2025 Field Report offers a powerful window into both the challenges and the solutions. With family homelessness up 14% and chronic homelessness down 9%, the 2025 Point-in-Time Count reflects a shifting landscape—and a need for adaptive, data-driven responses. Hope Atlanta’s Field Report highlights how […]

Across the country, family homelessness is rising at an alarming rate. In 2024 alone, the number of people in families with children experiencing homelessness surged by 39%—the largest increase of any demographic group. Here in Atlanta, the number of families experiencing homelessness rose by 14%, even as chronic homelessness declined. These aren’t just numbers—they’re mothers […]

When you think of someone experiencing homelessness, what image comes to mind? For many, the answer is shaped by decades of media portrayals, political rhetoric, and public myths—images of tents under bridges, untreated mental illness, and individuals who appear to have “given up.” But these ideas are not only incomplete—they’re dangerous. They fuel stigma, reinforce […]

By Kala Farrare, LCSW-C, LCSW, Sr. Director of Clinical Operations At Hope Atlanta, we are building a behavioral health program rooted in the realities of homelessness, where safety, stability, and trust must come first. Traditional outpatient models assume a baseline of security. But for someone living on the streets or in survival mode, behavioral health […]

Homelessness is more than just a housing issue—it’s a public health crisis affecting communities across North America and around the world. Mental health struggles and substance use can put people at greater risk of losing their homes, and once someone becomes homeless, the stress and trauma of that experience often make these challenges even worse. […]

When most Atlantans think of MARTA, they think of movement: trains, buses, the daily flow of a bustling city. But for those without a place to call home, MARTA is often the last place of shelter when every other option has disappeared. Recognizing this sobering reality, Hope Atlanta and MARTA forged an innovative partnership—MARTA HOPE—to […]

Across Atlanta, there’s a silent crisis pushing thousands closer to homelessness: medical debt. For many residents, the financial strain from one health emergency can quickly become overwhelming. In a city where affordable housing is increasingly hard to find, medical debt has quietly become a powerful force, driving families toward eviction. Nationally, this crisis is huge. […]

Across Atlanta, an invisible crisis is quietly reshaping family life. Grandparents, once planning for retirement, are stepping back into parenting to raise their grandchildren. It’s a hidden chapter of the housing crisis that rarely makes headlines, but it’s quietly transforming lives across the city. Over the past decade, the number of grandparents serving as primary […]