Homelessness in Atlanta is a prominent issue. The primary cause of homelessness tends to be alcohol or drug use and unemployment, but there are a variety of other causes, including foreclosure, poverty, layoffs, lack of public assistance, high rent, unaffordable health care, domestic violence, mental illness, and addiction. A prominent issue in the Atlanta area is that there are many homeless people that have no particular road map in order to receive aid even though there are multiple and varied resources available. There are many homeless shelters, help centers, etc. including Atlanta Mission, that assist the homeless. However, a major barrier for the homeless to get help is the confusion and disorganization of where to obtain it.
Through research, interviews, and on-site visits with shelters, Project Independence has developed a solution to increase resource allocation efficiency. By starting with a small number of local shelters, the team will create partnerships where they obtain information to be compiled on an online database. Along with this information, they will integrate real-time information, such as “Tonight,” an app that automatically updates with the shelters’ websites providing the number of available beds in each shelter so employees can guide their homeless clients to available beds quickly and efficiently. By increasing networking and communication between shelters, Project Independence can cut resource costs and time significantly and create a pathway for independence.
