Winter 2023

A LETTER FROM OPEN DOORS ATLANTA

As we enter the last weeks of 2023, we are excited to reflect on the progress and impact we have made this year. Our Open More Doors Campaign reached 94% of its fundraising goal–this milestone of $6.8 million will fund a new strategic plan that expands services to address homelessness and housing insecurity in the Metro Atlanta community.

The impact of our work has been featured in USA Today, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and Atlanta News First. We have been supported by, and collaborated with, incredible organizations including the Georgia Power Foundation, Greenberg Traurig, The Home Depot Foundation, The James M. Cox Foundation, RADCO, the Truist Foundation, and the Wells Fargo Foundation to name just a few.

In the words of Board President Aaron Goldman, “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. 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.”

Thank you and we hope you will continue to support our work.

HONORING OUR VETERANS

Tara Hurt

JT Liddell

Russ Hardy

In this season of gratitude, we want to extend a special acknowledgment to two remarkable individuals on our Open Doors team who have served our country with distinction.

First, a thank you to Tara Hurt, a dedicated Property Navigator, who devoted four years to the United States Army, following in the legacy of her father and grandfather. Tara brings her unwavering commitment and discipline from the military to her role at Open Doors, where she manages a portfolio of properties and matches those properties with individuals and families exiting homelessness.

We are also grateful to JT Liddell, our Head of Product and Technology, whose service spans both the Navy and the Army, with a background in US intelligence. JT's invaluable insights and leadership contribute immensely to our mission at Open Doors.

As we navigate the challenges of the current housing market, we recognize the amplified difficulties faced by our veteran community. Open Doors is actively working on a pilot program with the Veteran Administration's Community Resource and Referral Center (CRRC) at Fort McPherson to help house veterans who are exiting homelessness or housing insecurity.

“Since inception, Open Doors has placed more than 2,000 veterans in stable, secure housing and our goal is to provide resources so that no one who has served our country faces homelessness or housing insecurity.”

Russ Hardy, Berkadia Managing Director and Open Doors Board Member who proudly served his country as a member of the United States Marine Corps

TESTIMONIAL

“Our experience with Open Doors has been phenomenal! We love the partnership because it has been a great benefit for our youth, ages 18-24, who are experiencing homelessness. This collaboration is helping us to eliminate the housing barriers that the clients we serve, who are often dealing with many additional traumas, are facing. We hope to continue this partnership for years and years to come.”

Cherelle Martin

Covenant House of Georgia