For some people, the only thing standing in the way of getting off the streets is reconnecting with family. Family Connect is an intervention and diversion program that provides short-term case management assistance to help our unsheltered neighbors in Atlanta locate and communicate with family members in an effort to bring families back together when it is both possible and beneficial to do so. Family Connect will then coordinate and pay for one-way transportation, food, and basic necessities to bring the family back together with the hope of ending a period of homelessness for good.
Participants in the Family Connect program are given the opportunity to receive basic medical care, mental health care, and addiction treatment prior to travel and reunification. The participant will depart with:
- a clear printed itinerary of their trip
- any prescribed medications
- food, water, and juice for the journey
- clean seasonally appropriate clothes
Family Connect will reach out to the participant and family upon their arrival and again one month later to ensure a smooth transition.
The Family Connect program is inspired by the work of Grace at the Greenlight in New Orleans.
If you are a family member with a desire to reconnect with someone you believe may be unsheltered and on the street in Atlanta, let us know. If Family Connect is able to locate them, your loved one will be offered the opportunity to contact you.