Exciting news!
The East Atlanta Community Association (EACA) and East Atlanta Business Association (EABA) are launching another inspiring project, this time focused on keeping the Village more tidy and clean, while uplifting our unhoused neighbors. We're entering into a partnership with Georgia Works, an Atlanta-based organization that aims to transform chronically homeless men into self-sufficient and productive members of society. They do this partly by giving them meaningful, paid work, while offering them everything from housing to workforce training, AA/NA classes, GED courses, help with driver's licenses, bank account setup, and life skills education. You can learn more about Georgia Works here.
This project isn't just about assistance; it's about transformation – for both the individuals involved and our neighborhood. As we help our unhoused neighbors rebuild their lives, we'll also enjoy the benefits of a cleaner, more vibrant community. The Georgia Works crew will visit the Village area three times a week and offer services including leaf pick-up, pressure washing of the sidewalks, weed-eating, glass removal, and other cleanliness-services, while also building relationships with our own unhoused community as they work. Our central commercial district will benefit greatly from a neater appearance, clean-up of tough-to-clean areas, and continued outreach to our unhoused community with the goal of getting them into housing.
Want to be part of this change? Check out our Go Fund Me HERE.
Whether you donate or simply share their story, you're making a difference. Our first goal (which was met in under an hour!) was to reach $2100 (the cost for one month of services), with an ultimate goal of $25,200 (a full year of cleanings). As an on-going project, we will continue to seek fundraising through the year for next year.
You can see the service area in the attached map!