2025 Grant Recipients
FALL OPERATING GRANT CYCLE 2025
​
Acworth UMC - $2,500
Margie’s Closet, a ministry of Acworth UMC, has been awarded a grant to strengthen its support for neighbors experiencing homelessness. The ministry offers weekly access to free clothing, monthly distributions of full-size hygiene products, and a wide range of essential items—including mylar blankets, warmers, sleeping bags, snacks, travel-size hygiene kits, tents, thermal underwear, socks, bandages, and waterproof ponchos—available as needs arise. This funding will help Margie’s Closet continue meeting the most basic human needs: hygiene, nourishment, warmth, and protection from harsh weather.
​
Atlanta First UMC - $1,500
Atlanta First UMC has been awarded a grant to support its Front Door Ministry, which serves on the front lines of Atlanta’s growing homelessness crisis. Each day, underhoused neighbors arrive seeking essentials such as food, toiletries, and clothing—needs driven higher by the city’s shortage of affordable housing.
Winter brings even greater challenges, and while the congregation already supports a winter coat drive and hot soup ministry, the grant will allow Atlanta First UMC to expand its care. Funding will provide gloves, hats, and sleeping bags for the increasing number of individuals who will be sleeping outdoors this season, helping them stay safe and protected during the coldest months of the year.
​
The Extension - $2,500
The Extension, a ministry partner of Acworth UMC, has been awarded a grant to support its year-long treatment program addressing homelessness, substance abuse, and mental health challenges. Designed for individuals without the financial means to fund their recovery, the program provides dedicated housing and services for 80 men and 20 women, helping participants transition from living on the streets to achieving sobriety and, upon graduation, becoming productive members of society.
​
More than 1,200 once-homeless adults have successfully completed treatment at The Extension, reentering society with the tools necessary for self-sufficiency. Alumni have gone on to careers as lawyers, medical professionals, social workers, and tradesmen—testament to the transformative treatment and support they received.
​
Grant funds will be used to provide food, clothing, and shelter for participants at both the men’s and women’s campuses. The Extension’s 9–12 month program is unique in the region, with no comparable facilities offering this level of comprehensive support. The program is further strengthened by financial and volunteer support from numerous United Methodist Church congregations in the surrounding counties, ensuring participants receive both practical and community-based assistance on their journey to stability.
​
Family Promise of New Rock - $1,500
Family Promise of NewRock (FPNR), a ministry partner of Covington First UMC, has been awarded a grant to strengthen and expand its mission to end family homelessness in the Conyers community. Approximately 90% of the individuals served are currently experiencing homelessness, with the remaining 10% facing severe housing instability or risk of eviction. FPNR provides shelter, weekly case management, and family stabilization services to help families regain independence and remain housed. In addition to guiding families in the shelter program toward long-term self-sufficiency, FPNR continues to support those who have recently transitioned into independent housing through monthly stabilization visits—ensuring they remain secure and do not return to homelessness.
​
First UMC of Pine Mountain - $2,500
Pastor’s Pantry at First UMC Pine Mountain has been awarded a grant to support its expanding ministry to neighbors facing food insecurity. The ministry began when Rev. Martha Dye and several parishioners recognized a growing need for supplemental food within the community. What started as a small effort supported entirely by church donations has grown significantly—eventually becoming a 501(c)(3) organization and partnering with Feeding the Valley to purchase food at a reduced cost.
​
Today, Pastor’s Pantry provides nutritious canned and packaged staples, meat, and, when available, fresh fruits, vegetables, and bread. During the colder months, the ministry also distributes blankets, heavy coats, hats, and gloves to help clients stay warm. In the first six months of 2025 alone, Pastor’s Pantry has already assisted more than 1,700 individuals. This grant will help supplement donations and enable the ministry to purchase food from Feeding the Valley at just 19 cents per pound—allowing Pastor’s Pantry to stretch every dollar efficiently and continue meeting the growing needs of the community.
​
Gateway Domestic Violence Center- $2,500
Gateway Domestic Violence Center, a ministry partner of Gainesville First UMC, has been awarded a grant to support survivors of domestic violence as they work toward safety, stability, and independence. In 2024, Gateway provided emergency shelter to 195 individuals—99 adults and 96 children—and transitional housing to 51 individuals—18 adults and 33 children—who were fleeing abuse. For many, escaping violence means starting over entirely: finding safety, securing employment, and rebuilding a stable future.
​
This grant will play a critical role in that journey by covering transportation costs for clients beginning new jobs as they await their first paychecks. Without this support, many would face significant barriers to maintaining employment, a key step toward breaking cycles of homelessness and achieving long-term housing stability.
​
Funding will provide two weeks of transportation for 25 clients entering new jobs, giving them the opportunity to move forward with confidence and independence.
​
Hart Interdenominational Ministry - $2,500
Hart Interdenominational Ministry (H.I.M.), a ministry partner of Cokesbury UMC, has been awarded a grant to provide short-term emergency shelter for Hart County residents who are on a path back to stable housing by providing one- or two-night stays in local motels. These brief motel stays create a critical window for this ministry to meet with clients, explore appropriate housing options within Hart County, and connect them with local agencies that offer additional assistance, including help with deposits, rent, or extended housing support. This approach reflects our mission: linking people in need with churches and community resources that provide meaningful help, hope, and a path toward long-term stability.
​
Impact West Georgia -$2,500
Impact West GA, a ministry partner of Moore's Chapel UMC, has been awarded a grant to support its comprehensive approach to reducing homelessness through both emergency relief and long-term stability programs.
The organization serves the community through multiple interconnected ministries:
-
HOPE Center – A transitional housing program for men experiencing homelessness, offering meals, life skills training, and financial coaching to help residents move toward independent living.
-
Impact Community Shelter – A low-barrier shelter providing overnight stays, daytime services such as case management, laundry, showers, and haircuts, and a safe space during severe weather.
-
Weather Shelter – Opens on freezing nights to protect unsheltered neighbors from life-threatening conditions.
-
Outreach Services – Delivers essential supplies, including mats and basic necessities, to individuals living in encampments.
-
Prevention Programs – Supports long-term stability through adult education, job readiness, and other services that reduce the risk of homelessness.
Grant funds will help sustain these vital programs by supporting daily operations, food, identification documents (such as driver’s licenses, Social Security cards, and birth certificates), and supplies needed for showers, laundry, office operations, and facility cleaning. This support will strengthen Impact West GA’s ability to serve individuals in crisis and help more neighbors move toward safety, stability, and self-sufficiency.
​
LifeTools Community Development Center/The Pantry - $2,500
The Pantry, a ministry of LifeTools Community Development Corporation and partner of Douglasville First UMC, has been awarded a grant to support its ongoing work to fight hunger in the community. What began in 2001 as a small outreach operating from a single room in a local church quickly grew in both size and impact. Within only three weeks of relocating to a larger space, the pantry expanded from serving 8 families to 55, prompting the formal establishment of the faith-based nonprofit organization LifeTools CDC.
​
The Pantry provides ready-to-use food items—such as pop-top canned goods—and includes can openers when needed to ensure individuals without kitchen access can safely and easily use the food provided.
​
In addition, The Pantry partners with two local homeless shelters: JC Freedom House, serving homeless women, and the Homeless Encampment led by Leila Myers. Through these partnerships, The Pantry supplies free food directly to both locations, helping meet immediate nutritional needs while supporting long-term stability.
​
This collaboration is vital to improving health, restoring dignity, and helping people move toward a more secure and productive life. The grant will further strengthen this work and deepen The Pantry’s impact in the community.
​
Morrow First UMC - $2,500
Morrow First UMC Food Pantry has been awarded a grant to support its mission to assist individuals in the community and county by giving physical and spiritual help in times of need.
​
On average, the pantry serves 120 families each month. The pantry relies entirely on donations, and this grant funding will help ensure it can continue its vital work—meeting immediate needs, offering hope, and maintaining a consistent presence for families who depend on its services. This grant strengthens Morrow First UMC's ability to serve as a trusted resource in the community and uphold our commitment to care for neighbors in need.
​
Murphy-Harpst Children's Center, Augusta - $2,500
Murphy-Harpst, a ministry partner of St. John's UMC Augusta, has been awarded a grant to support The Evolve Project, a critical program addressing the intersection of foster care and homelessness. Studies show that 50% of the homeless population has spent time in foster care, and youth aging out without proper supports face high risks: 20% exit directly into homelessness, and nearly 50% experience homelessness by age 26.
​
The challenges are even greater for youth with multiple placements. Those with at least four congregate foster placements—such as group homes, juvenile justice centers, or crisis centers—are 81% more likely to become homeless within a year of exiting care. Many of the youth served by Murphy-Harpst have had between 9 and 16 placements and up to four years outside of a stable community setting.
​
The Evolve Project provides intensive, home-based mental health treatment to youth with acute needs and limited placement options, including those residing in hotels or extended psychiatric care. This grant ensures these young people have the support needed to successfully transition into the community, avoid homelessness, and build a stable, productive future.
​
MUST Ministries, Inc. - $2,500
MUST Ministries, a ministry partner of Liberty Hill UMC, has been awarded a grant to support Hope House, its all-inclusive emergency shelter providing refuge and stability for individuals and families experiencing homelessness across metro-Atlanta. Hope House, a two-story facility with 136 permanent beds, opened in May 2022 and has been operating at full capacity daily since shortly after opening. In the past year, 1,709 people from 10 counties sought shelter and support through Hope House.
​
The grant will support daily operations and help MUST Ministries continue its mission of transforming lives and communities. Hope House meets immediate needs—shelter, food, clothing, and personal hygiene—while offering wrap-around services that create lasting assistance. Programs include access to healthcare and the Workforce Development Program, which helps clients improve employment opportunities and income, providing a clear path toward long-term stability and self-sufficiency.
​
Trinity UMC Atlanta - $1,400
Trinity Table has been awarded a grant from the North Georgia Housing and Homeless Council to support its mission of offering dignity, empathy, hospitality, and essential resources to those in need in downtown Atlanta. The ministry provides a hot, hearty, and healthy Sunday lunch to an average of 250 guests each week—85% of whom are experiencing homelessness—along with clothing and care that remind every individual that they are deeply loved and valued.
​
Partner churches and community groups sponsor nearly every Sunday, but there are at least five Sundays each year when no partner is available or a scheduled group cancels at the last minute. This grant will cover the full cost of two Sundays, ensuring that approximately 500 guests across those dates are still served with the same dignity, care, and hospitality. Trinity Table’s work embodies Christ’s call to care for those on the margins, creating transformational moments for both those who serve and those who are served.
​
​SPRING CAPITAL GRANT CYCLE 2025
​
Clifton Sanctuary Ministries, Inc. $10,000
Clifton Sanctuary Ministry, a partner of Neighborhood Church, provides a transformational experience for homeless men through comprehensive life skills training, purposeful and assertive case management, collaborative community partnerships, and dedicated volunteers. Grant funds will be used to renovate the facility, improving guest safety and increasing energy efficiency.
Family Promise Hall County $10,000
Family Promise Hall County, a partner of Gainesville First UMC, empowers low-income individuals and families experiencing homelessness to achieve sustainable independence by providing wrap-around services. Located on the former McEver Road UMC campus, Family Promise Hall County will use grant funds to demolish the deteriorating Scout Hut in preparation for new transitional housing.
Helping Hands of Paulding County $10,000
Impact 46, Inc. $10,000
Impact46, a partner of Lawrenceville First UMC, seeks to promote stability and restore dignity to vulnerable populations in Lawrenceville by providing essential housing services to those in economic distress. Grant funds will be used to renovate an existing apartment building into housing for homeless men.
Rainbow Community Center $10,000
Rainbow Community Center, a ministry of Garden of Gethsemane Homeless Shelter and partner of Covington First UMC, serves the homeless in Newton and surrounding counties by providing shelter, meals, and literacy support, while working to restore broken family relationships. Grant funds will be used to purchase new mattresses and complete needed facility repairs.
​
Rainbow Village, Inc. $10,000
Rainbow Village, Inc., a partner of Duluth First UMC, seeks to transform the lives of families experiencing homelessness by providing help, hope, housing and healing in order to instill initiative, self-development and accountability that will foster meaningful growth in the lives of residents. Grant funds will be used to build a retaining wall and redirect drainage to protect one-third of the residential housing units currently affected by water damage.
​
HABITAT GRANTS:
​
Habitat for Humanity - Dekalb $5,000
Habitat for Humanity - Dekalb, a partner of Mountain Park UMC, seeks to put God’s love into action, by bringing people together to repair and build homes, communities and hope. Grant funds will go toward the construction of a family home in the Stone Mountain area.
​
Ivy and Roses Community Fund, Inc. $5,000
Ivy and Roses Community Fund, Inc., a partner of Cascade UMC, is a source of support to the Greater Atlanta community led by a service-minded group of college-educated, professional women. Grant funds will be used to build a family home in the Grove Park Neighborhood and members of Cascade UMC will give volunteer time to complete construction.
​
​
​