The Gateway Center housing and homeless assistance.
A leading charity organization for homeless families and individuals is the Gateway Center. The organization provides guests with short term shelter, transitional housing centers, meals, clothing, and other basic needs. Additional support, including case management services, will help homeless clients find and be put into position to move into permanent housing.
One key role of the Gateway Center is serving as a “triage center” for the homeless and recently evicted. The charity is often the point of entry to the community’s continuum of care. For example, Gateway provides immediate emergency shelter and food. In addition to that, staff work with the client and other non-profit agencies to determine the best course of action for finding temporary or transitional housing, followed up with access to low income permanent housing.
Gateway also offers an array of information, assistance programs, referrals, and contacts to the homeless, for free. This includes referrals to drug and alcohol recovery programs, feeding sites and mental care facilities throughout the Fulton County Georgia region.
The non-profit is open for program admissions Monday through Friday. The intake process begins with a brief assessment at the Client Engagement Center, which serves as Gateway’s primary resource center for guests. Clients will then proceed to the appropriate partnering agency or program to complete the next steps.
- Basic needs, resources and services offered include some or all of the following. Clients have access to Hygiene Kits, Telephones, Clothing Closet, Storage Lockers, and more.
- The Client Engagement Center can also provide connections and referrals to Primary Care Medical Clinic (operated by Saint Joseph’s Mercy Care in Atlanta), Housing Services, Employment programs, Mental Health Services, and other government benefits such as SSDI applications. Homeless veterans also get access to programs for their needs.
Both residents of the shelter as well as non-residents have access to Saint Joseph’s Mercy Care clinic. This is offered through referrals from the Client Engagement Center. Health check ups, testing, and other testing necessary for entry into transitional or permanent housing are available at the community clinic, which is open Monday through Friday. Call the CEC at 404-215-6615 for intake.
Facilitated by the PATH Teams of the Regional Commission on Homelessness and Saint Joseph’s Mercy Care, in partnership with organizations such as the Mayor’s Unsheltered No More initiative, Gateway Center’s Men’s Assessment program provides case management and outreach services to the homeless. It is for men who are suffering from mental illness or substance use disorders. Services are provided as an alternative for those who are unable or unwilling to access traditional services.
The Employment Program is available for homeless men in Fulton County as well as Atlanta who are employed on either a full-time or part-time basis. Clients of this service will be able to participate in budgeting, credit counselling and financial literacy workshops to ensure long-term self-sufficiency. The program maintains beds and housing for clients who are referred through the CEC or a partner agency. Clients can remain in the Employment Program for a maximum of three months.
The Men’s Stabilization service provides beds for homeless men who are in need of stabilization and affordable, short term housing. Following CEC referral, then an initial intake and assessment that needs to occur, clients reside in the stabilization program for up to 14 days. They are then referred to appropriate resources and local assistance programs. Clients can be referred to this service through the Client Engagement Center.
Veteran’s can get help from resources that are operated at the Gateway Center as well. It is offered in collaboration with the US Department of Veterans Affairs. Meals, clothing, shelter and job services are offered to Atlanta veterans. Clients enter the program by referral from Atlanta’s Homeless Veterans Program, and can remain for a maximum of two years.
The Georgia Department of Labor operates a computer lab on the third floor of the Gateway Center for clients and the public. The purpose of the facility is to provide access to computers and the Internet so that clients can edit resumes, create email accounts and search and apply for jobs, under the guidance of an employee of the Georgia Department of Labor. The computer lab is open to the general public as well.
Contact information for the Gateway Center
The Gateway Center is a key housing location for the region. It is located at 275 Pryor Street SW, Atlanta, Georgia 30303. Call 404-215-6600.
|
