The Help the Homeless Program was created to raise awareness of the issue of homelessness and to increase resources for organizations working to prevent and end homelessness. The Help the Homeless Program fosters volunteerism in service to homeless people and those at risk of becoming homeless.

This year, the Help the Homeless Program has been expanded to support events in additional cities across the country, including the Atlanta area, where we will be holding a series of events on November 17, 2007. Hundreds of people will volunteer their time and services at 20 organizations in seven metro Atlanta counties to help prevent and end homelessness in these communities. Local volunteer opportunities exist in Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fulton, Gwinnett and Henry Counties. Volunteer services include:

• Painting and decorating                                       

• Landscaping and beautification

• Cleaning and organizing

• Preparing food and meals

• A fun event to bowl with homeless families

• Health fairs to distribute materials or provide your expertise in the Health industry

• Job Fairs to help with resume writing, interviewing skills or provide employment opportunities

The Atlanta Help the Homeless Program is one day of volunteerism. There are also things that we can do throughout the year to improve the homeless crisis in metropolitan Atlanta. Visit www.UnitedWayAtlanta.org to learn how you can donate your time and/or services to help the homeless situation in our community.

Homelessness in Atlanta
It is projected that nearly 22,000 people will experience homelessness in the City of Atlanta and Fulton and DeKalb Counties, including those living on the streets, in their cars, with friends and family, and in shelters or other transitional housing. ³ 

There is a misperception of homelessness in Atlanta. We often picture an older man sleeping on downtown Atlanta streets, rummaging through garbage cans and begging for money.   While street homelessness is part of the overall homeless crisis that affects our communities, it accounts for 10-15% of Atlanta’s homeless population.  There are so many more people affected.

• Nearly 20% of Atlanta’s homeless are families; including children.¹ This number grossly underestimates the number of homeless families, since many don’t report that they are in fact homeless.
• Approximately 25% of all homeless adults are employed.²
• Homelessness is not unique to in town Atlanta communities; it’s becoming a growing problem in surrounding counties as well. United Way data (from 211) show that approximately 2/3 of homeless calls originated in counties that surround the Atlanta area. ³
• Many people are homeless because of a lost job, death in the family, health crisis or other disaster. Most often, being homeless is not a choice, and we must dispel this myth.
• Approximately 9 - 15% of the U.S. population becomes homeless over the course of a lifetime. ⁴

The Help The Homeless Program

In 1988, Fannie Mae created the Help the Homeless Program to respond to the growing needs of homeless people in the Washington metropolitan area. The program- a fund-raising and awareness-raising effort- culminates each year in the Help the Homeless Walkathon on the National Mall in Washington , D.C., the Saturday before Thanksgiving. In 2007, the Help the Homeless Program, which has become the largest funding collaborative focused on homelessness in the nation, marks its 20^th year. To date, Fannie Mae, the Fannie Mae Foundation, and their employees and partners have raised more than $62.5 million for local nonprofit organizations that help the homeless people and those at risk of becoming homeless.

Homelessness is a chronic problem. To turn it around, we as a community must provide ongoing support through donations of time, services and money.

The Help the Homeless Program is made possible by the collaboration of the following community partners: United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta, Hands on Atlanta, Fannie Mae Foundation.

¹ 2007 Metro Atlanta Tri-Jurisdictional point in time street count

² A HUD statistic quoted in "Nickel & Dimed"

³ Pathways and the 2007 Homeless Census Advisory Council  
⁴ The National Coalition for the Homeless