Central Outreach & Advocacy Center

Central OAC

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Community Impact

by Izzy Clinger (Georgia State Intern)

When I came to Central Outreach and Advocacy Center as a social work intern, I don’t think I truly grasped the full meaning of what a community can mean to a person’s journey. The sheer reach of it–the impact that it creates for not only the whole, but the individual.

Yet as I stepped into the center for the first time, I think I instantly knew that I was walking into a family. Not just the staff, the incredible people who walk into work everyday not just out of necessity but out of a love for what they do, but the people who come into the center seeking services, clothes, or just a person willing to hear them out.

I have had several guests speak to me about their stories. The places they’ve been or
haven’t been, the people they’ve known, what they’ve seen, who they’ve lost. I’ve already been
told by guests numerous times that since their homelessness began they’ve never felt as if
anyone gave them help–until coming to us. One guest had even said they had seen three other
social workers and didn’t feel like they had any more support until they came here.

I think I started to know what community meant to this place after that. It was
everything–it was greeting everyone who walks into our doors with respect, dignity, and a
welcoming atmosphere. It was regular guests who came in just to use our facilities and say hello.
It was staff knowing guests by their name, and not as another number on the list of people who
need services. It was the advocacy meetings held by our staff that offered our guests a way to
voice what they never had the opportunity to.

Our community is our guests. We are the voices and the shoulders they can depend on.
But as always, a community goes both ways. Our guests do so much for us–they teach us,
educate us on what it is like to live their lives, and give us a reason to come to work every day.
Because for a community, I’ve found no greater place of belonging and welcomeness than the
OAC.

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Mission in Motion

by MiKayla Wilson (Georgia State Intern)

When I began interning at Central Outreach in September, I didn’t fully understand how complex the burden of homelessness is or what it truly takes to alleviate it. I also hadn’t grasped how deeply entrenched the cycle of being unhoused can be, and how difficult it is to break.

Many of the guests I work with express that when they finally receive their birth certificate or Social Security card, they feel like they’re “someone again.” These essential documents don’t just confirm citizenship; they restore a sense of identity and dignity.

At Central Outreach and Advocacy Center, we help unhoused individuals obtain vital records like birth certificates and IDs. While this may seem like a small or routine task to many, it is actually a critical step toward stability. Without proper documentation, it becomes nearly impossible to access employment, housing, or basic services. Helping guests reclaim these documents is often one of the first and most important steps in overcoming homelessness.

This work directly reflects our Mission in Motion: we open doors to overcome and prevent homelessness. For many of our guests, obtaining these documents is that first door, one that leads to opportunity, independence, and a pathway out of homelessness.

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In Their Shoes

by Amy Kirkland

Supporting Mr. P Through His SSDI Application Journey

My usual role at the COAC involves checking mail. Over time, by seeing the same guests repeatedly, I gradually learn their stories, often in fragments. One memorable day last summer, I had the opportunity to work with Mr. P and conduct his intake assessment.

The intake assessment process includes asking questions about health and income. During Mr. P’s assessment, two important things became clear: he had significant health issues, particularly related to seizures, and he needed to apply for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). I discovered he was receiving support from Grady for his seizures, but he was still unhoused. To address his SSDI needs, I encouraged Mr. P to meet with our SSDI advocate on Wednesday. Although I had to remind him a couple of times, he eventually visited Suzanne Struble, our SSI/SSDI advocate, who arranged an appointment to start his application.

During each step of the application, Mr. P received letters from the Social Security Administration (SSA) and Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency (GVRA), detailing subsequent actions. Suzanne or I would read these letters to ensure he followed the instructions. He completed his application at the downtown SSA office, and Grady assisted with documentation. However, the process required further steps. Mr. P needed to meet with a physician to assess his disability status.

When I reviewed the letter about his physician appointment, I found it was scheduled nearly two months away in Griffin, GA, which was inaccessible for Mr. P. I submitted a request for a closer appointment, and the result was only slightly better—his appointment was in Snellville, an hour from Atlanta, but scheduled within a few weeks. Recognizing the importance of this appointment for Mr. P’s well-being and SSDI approval, I approached Kimberly, explained the situation, and asked if we could arrange an Uber for him. Before I finished asking, Kimberly agreed.

On the day of the appointment, I prepared a letter for Mr. P to present at the doctor’s office, requesting they notify me of his arrival and help arrange his return via Uber. I was anxious about sending Mr. P, who struggles with communication through no fault of his own, to an unfamiliar place. To my relief, the doctor’s office confirmed his arrival and ensured he got back safely.

Afterwards, we received several more letters to review. Mr. P needed one final doctor’s evaluation to complete the process. Once again, I turned to Kimberly for what I hoped would be the last Uber ride—this time to Decatur. We believed navigating buses and trains would be too difficult for him, and Kimberly agreed without hesitation. The team worked together once more, and the doctor’s office accepted my letter, confirmed his arrival, and notified me when he was ready to return.

The day was joyous when we received the letter confirming Mr. P’s SSDI check would arrive soon. The best moment came when he checked his mail and picked up his first check. This achievement brings hope that Mr. P will soon have an apartment to call his own. At the very least, it provides options and choices that were previously unavailable to him.

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Spring of Hope

by Corey Jones (Chaplain Intern)

Spring is the season of hope and rebirth. As Atlanta warms up from the winter, the
hope in our hearts starts to warm up, too. New daffodil and daisy blooms remind us that
there are still new opportunities for us to discover. Many of these new and hopeful
opportunities can be found here at Central OAC.

As a chaplain intern, I spend time during my shifts focusing on the inspiring spiritual
stories I hear from our guests, even while I fill out forms and hand out snacks. I hear so
many stories of hope, but I would like to highlight one from guest Cory Crawford. (He
gave me his permission to tell his name and his story.)

First, we connected over our similar names, and then I started asking him questions
during the intake process. I was hesitant to ask questions that seemed way too
personal, but I was rewarded with a story of hope. When I asked him if he was on
parole for a felony, he replied, “I did fifteen, and I’ve been home twenty. I’m so glad
those days are behind me.”

I told him that his story might offer some hope to others. Did he have a message he
wanted to impart to the younger men and women waiting in the lobby and on the
streets? He said he did:

“Make better choices and better decisions because you are responsible for your
choices. You can’t blame other people. Don’t be a knucklehead! Surround
yourself with positive people. Stay hopeful – there’s a positive day ahead. Look forward;
don’t look back. Don’t beat yourself up for past mistakes.”

We chuckled, finished out the form, and hugged. Mr. Crawford’s hope-filled words
were words I needed to hear myself; perhaps you needed them, too! This Spring, don’t
be a knucklehead, but follow Mr. Crawford’s advice to stay hopeful instead. As I always
say, “hope is real!”