With an overarching goal of ending chronic homelessness in metropolitan
Atlanta, the 24/7 Gateway Center is scheduled to open in summer
2005. The Center will serve an estimated 500 individuals per day
and provide a continuum of services to the homeless including:
• beds, showers, food, and storage
• reunification with family
• drug treatment and prevention
• mental health and medical services
• job training
The Atlanta Union Mission will manage the facility under a joint
agreement with The United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta. Vince Smith,
the Mission’s Director of Community Relations and Senior Chaplain,
will direct the Center.
The United Way came aboard early in the process that led to creation
of the Center. At the request of Mayor Shirley Franklin, the United
Way formed a Commission of Atlanta leaders to study the problem
of homelessness. The result is the Blueprint to End Homelessness
in Atlanta in Ten Years. 24/7 Gateway is the flagship project under
the Blueprint.
At the heart of the effort is collaboration among a number of regional
organizations that recognize the need to aggressively address homelessness.
The service providers, in addition to the Atlanta Union Mission,
are Covenant House Georgia, GlenCastle Constructors, North Avenue
Presbyterian Church, Project Open Hand/Atlanta, SafeHouse Outreach,
Samaritan House/Café 458, Saint Joseph’s Mercy Care
Services, The Atlanta Collaborative Kitchen/TACK, and Travelers
Aid of Metropolitan Atlanta.
The Center will be housed in the former city pretrial detention
facility at Garnett and Pryor Streets.
For additional information, contact Vince Smith, Executive Director
at vince247@aol.com
Visit North Avenue Presbyterian's "The
Cup & 24/7 center" web page
Visit United Way Atlanta's "Commission
on Homelessness" web page
How to help: http://www.gatewayctr.org/donate.html
Atlanta's
Here's Life Inner City
A non-profit organization that relies on gifts and donations to
provide hope to the (under-privileged) inner city. Through generous
donations HLIC is dedicated to transform neighborhoods by Job-Start
training programs, S.A.Y. Yes! Centers for youth development, Homeless
Care Kits, Easter Bags, and Boxes of Love. This Charity is motivated
by compassion, dedication, experience, and solid Christian values
to transform one person, one family, and one neighborhood at a time.
There are endless opportunities to get involved and experience the
success of this organization.
Please contact Joyce Bray for more information at (404) 588-4240.
Centennial
Olympic Park
Now that spring is almost here, the visitor load at
Centennial Olympic Park will increase. As always, the Park needs
volunteers to help assist visitors at the Visitors Center and help
with other park duties. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer,
call (404) 223-4412.
Crossroads
Community Ministries
Volunteers are the backbone of Crossroads service delivery.
Every Monday through Friday we need volunteers in the kitchen to
help with set-up and serving from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. We also
need help in Crossroads mailroom (from 9:15-12:30 to distribute
mail to the hundreds of folks for whom Crossroads is their legal
address) and in our help office (flexible hours).
420 Courtland St.
Atlanta, GA 30308
404-873-7650 http://www.crossroadsatlanta.org/html/lend_a_hand.html http://www.crossroadsatlanta.org/html/map.html
Hands On Atlanta
Hands On Atlanta is a non-profit organization that helps individuals,
families and corporate and community groups find flexible volunteer
opportunities at more than 400 service organizations and schools.
Hands On Atlanta volunteers, now 25,000 strong, are at work every
day of the year building community and meeting critical needs in
schools, parks, senior homes, food banks, pet shelters, low-income
neighborhoods and more. Hands On Atlanta is an affiliate of CityCares,
a national umbrella association of 42 "Cares" and "Hands On" organizations
across the U.S. and U.K. http://www.handsonatlanta.org/
Project Open Hand The mission of Project Open Hand is to provide freshly
cooked meals and nutrition services to people with symptomatic HIV/AIDS,
homebound seniors and individuals with other critical illnesses
or disabilities.
(404) 872-6947 http://www.projectopenhand.org
The
Resource Opportunity Center ("The ROCK") The ROCK, is a multi-purpose facility designed for many
as a "first stop" intake, assessment and referral program dedicated
to providing dignity and choice to homeless persons. The ROCK is
also a "one stop" for people who choose to participant in on-site
programs. Currently they need volunteers to prepare and serve lunch
to program participants. 302 Decatur Street, SE
(404) 572-9200