Open Doors, an Atlanta-based nonprofit focused on securing housing for those exiting homelessness, has raised $6.7 million to support its Open More Doors campaign, funding a new strategic plan that expands services to address homelessness and housing insecurity in the Metro Atlanta community. The transformative strategic plan enables Open Doors to continue its groundbreaking work with those exiting homelessness as well as to assist individuals, families and veterans who are housing insecure through the newly launched Housing Supports program.

“The Open More Doors campaign has allowed us to expand the breadth and depth of the work we do in making homelessness brief, rare and non-recurring for Atlantans experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity,” said Matt Hurd, Executive Director of Open Doors. “The need for affordable, stable and secure housing for those on the brink of homelessness is growing, and we are working with more than 100 community partners to ensure that Atlanta families and veterans have permanent and sustainable housing for years to come.”

The Open More Doors campaign has reached 93% of its $7.28 million goal through grants from the Aaron and Angel Goldman Family Foundation, the Georgia Power Foundation, Greenberg Traurig, The Home Depot Foundation, The James M. Cox Foundation, The Lefar Family Foundation, RADCO, the Truist Foundation and the Wells Fargo Foundation.

“We are incredibly grateful for the support of the Atlanta community and the greater commercial real estate industry for their support of the Open Doors mission,” said Open Doors Board President Aaron Goldman. “Although we compete in business, we are all united in our passion for securing permanent and sustainable housing for people who are experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity.”

The housing crisis in Metro Atlanta is growing as affordable housing becomes more difficult to secure. According to the National Center for Homeless Education, 31,161 children in Georgia were housing insecure in 2021 compared to HUD’s 2022 official homeless population count of 10,689 in Georgia. Clearly, the need for sustainable housing in Georgia is significantly greater than the unsheltered population alone. 

Since 2013, Open Doors has been making connections to bring people home, placing 10,000 individuals, families and veterans into sustainable housing at more than 450 communities. Open Doors collaborates with its nonprofit partners and the commercial real estate community to place people into permanent, safe rental housing. The new Open Doors Housing Support Navigation program assists people experiencing housing insecurity by researching potential home options, establishing a sustainable budget, providing assistance with deposits, and securing and guaranteeing a lease. Open Doors also works to assist all clients with any barriers to sustaining housing, should they occur once clients are in their new home.   

If you are interested in supporting the Open More Doors campaign, please make a gift at: https://opendoorsatl.org/donate/.