Ways to Support Atlanta Orgs During COVID-19

The COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) public health situation is rapidly evolving and directly impacting Downtown Atlanta residents, offices, small businesses, hotels, and cultural institutions.

At Central Atlanta Progress and the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District, our priority is to continue to serve as a resource during this challenging time by advocating for our community members, sharing information when helpful, and assisting with economic recovery when the time comes.

In the meantime, we must look out for each other, especially those who are most vulnerable. Below is a regularly-updated list of organizations who are in need of your donations, your time, and your financial support.

Please contact marketing@atlantadowntown.com for feedback on this list, including corrections and new submissions.

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• Open Hand delivers over 5,000 healthy meals to vulnerable Atlantans every day. Currently, they need volunteers and financial contributions.

• Crossroads Ministries provides daily meal service in Clyde's Kitchen and in response to COVID-19 will only hand out sack lunches. As a result, they are in need of several items in order to sustain this effort over the next several weeks. Here are ways you can help:

  • Make sandwiches and/or full sack lunches (including any combination of chips, granola bars, fruit, bottled water, etc.) and bring them by Clyde's Kitchen any weekday between 7:30 am -11:00 am.

  • Donate sack lunch items - bread, sandwich meat, cheese, paper lunch bags, Ziploc bags, chips, granola or protein bars, fruit, bottled water. These can also be delivered on the same schedule as above.

  • Make a donation at the link below and designate "Lunches" in the memo box. A donation of $2 will provide one sack lunch. https://crossroadsatlanta.org/give/

• The United Way of Greater Atlanta and the Community Foundation of Greater Atlanta are seeking contributions to the Greater Atlanta COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund to support your fellow neighbor. For questions about contributing to the fund, or would like to learn more about the work we are doing, please visit www.unitedwayatlanta.org, or reach out at info@unitedwayatlanta.org. 

• The Giving Kitchen provides emergency assistance to food service workers through financial support and a network of community resources. As the outbreak continues to spread, restaurants have been forced to change operations, cancel gatherings, and even close. Support their efforts to assist food service workers by making a one-time donation or participating as a company through their Pass the Hat program.

• Clues and Cocktails, Axe Throwing Atlanta, and Room Escape Atlanta have come together to host an online giving event for vulnerable communities in need. In an effort to support several high risk groups including, but not limited to, senior citizens, single families and homeless individuals, our team will be providing and delivering cooked meals (lunch or dinner) to these groups. Click here to donate a meal voucher.

• The Gateway Center is in need of the following supplies due to supply chain issues: hand sanitizer, hand soap, wand thermometers, gloves (M,L,XL), masks, and MARTA cards. Monetary donations are also needed: $2 provides nourishing meals for a Gateway Center residential guest for one day; $45 provides a client with housing and case management services for one night; $85 provides access to individual or group sessions with a behavioral health specialist; $100 provides 5 guests with a backpack filled with hygiene kits, snacks, bottled water and a method to store personal belongings.

• The Atlanta Community Food Bank anticipates a 10-20% immediate increase in the need for food assistance. Here's how you can help:

  • Visit acfb.org to donate and help the Food Bank meet the increased need for food during the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • Refer those in need to the COVID-19 help map 

  • Refer those in need to ACFB's SMS text system: Simply text “FINDFOOD” or “COMIDA” to 1-888-976-2232 and they'll help locate the nearest food pantries.

• Safehouse Outreach is experiencing increased demand for its nightly to-go IMPACT meals. Please consider giving financially and/or donating much-needed items.

• Action Ministries is in need of the following items: canned meat- tuna, chicken, Vienna sausages, etc.; cases of bottled water; powdered Gatorade packs; disposable gloves; bottles of bleach or disinfectant; sandwich bags; lunch meat; loaves of bread; Lysol spray; and toilet paper. Action Ministries is also in need of donations and volunteers at its program sites.

• The Center for Civic Innovation has established a Coronavirus emergency relief fund to provide financial assistance for civic leaders and entrepreneurs that are experiencing personal and professional challenges because of this crisis. This includes gaps in child care, health care, and basic life necessities. They are also working toward raising additional capital for grassroots organizations facing unexpected operational challenges. Donate here

• Atlanta Public Schools is in need of volunteers to help with its food distribution sites (food production and distribution). These volunteer opportunities are considered essential under Mayor Bottoms executive order, and APS is practicing safety rigidly. Sign up here

• Midtown Assistance Center's (MAC's) mission is to fight homelessness and hunger during periods of crisis. In response to COVID-19, MAC continues to provide rent and utility assistance, grocery gift cards, and MARTA passes. Support their efforts by donating online.

• Partners for Home needs volunteers for outreach. Volunteers and staff working with the homeless are exempt from the City of Atlanta’s Shelter in Place order. If you are willing and able to do outreach, please contact: info@partnersforhome.org. PFH is also hiring individuals to do contract work in Case Work and Security.

• Emory Healthcare has established drive-through donation locations for needed supplies and have created a cloth mask drive for individuals willing to sew masks.

• The Westside Volunteer Corps is a program of the Westside Future Fund, presented in partnership with the Chick-fil-A Foundation. Help is needed to deliver food to families on the Westside. Every Thursday during the "shelter in place," WVC will be picking up groceries from the YMCA at noon and driving them to families in need. If you are interested and able, contact robyn@westsidefuturefund.org to sign up.

• For 162 years, the YMCA of Metro Atlanta has worked to meet the critical needs of its communities. The Y has mobilized its network, facilities, and partners to launch three specific initiatives that are crucial during this challenging time: childcare support for healthcare workers, first responders and those on the frontlines of COVID-19; expanded hunger relief programs; and Operation R.E.A.C.H. to support seniors and other vulnerable groups. Please visit the COVID-19 Response Hub for more information and opportunities to support the critical work of the Y. 

• Sheltering Arms provides high‐quality early education, child care and comprehensive family support services to more than 3,500 children and their families annually at 14 metropolitan Atlanta locations in Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fulton and Gwinnett counties. Sheltering Arms’ most pressing urgent need is support for the work of their COVID-19 Response Team, working in conjunction with our Family Services Coaching Staff to ensure that our 2,200 enrolled families remain stabilized, in their homes, healthy, fed and moving forward through the end of this crisis. To donate, click here, and to learn more, contact Tony Conway, Vice President of Development and Communications, at tconway@shelteringarmsforkids.com.

• Help provide food security for Cristo Rey Atlanta Jesuit High School families in need. Drop off needed items in the no-contact drive-thru. Have the items in the trunk or back of your vehicle. Volunteers with face masks and gloves will collect the items out of your vehicle. Learn more about needed items and drop off dates/times here. Food items may also be ordered online and sent to:
  Cristo Rey Atlanta Jesuit c/o St. Thomas More Catholic Church
  636 W. Ponce de Leon Ave.
  Decatur, GA  30030

• Central Outreach and Advocacy Center opens doors to overcome and prevent homelessness.  While they are not currently open for their regular programs and services, they are seeing guests once per week for them to check their mail and receive toiletries and snacks.  Central OAC is in need of the following items listed below. For more information about donating items to Central OAC, please contact Executive Director Kimberly Parker at kparker@centraloac.org or 404-601-3149.

  • Toiletries (travel size is appropriate): soap, shampoo, toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, razors, lotion

  • Snacks: granola bars, peanut butter or cheese crackers, packs of nuts, small cans of fruit or apple sauce, chips, cookies