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ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – As temperatures dropped across metro Atlanta on Monday, Frontline Rescue opened its doors to roughly 100,000 homeless individuals in DeKalb County.
In November, DeKalb County entered into a contract with Frontline to pick up homeless individuals across the county and transport them to the full-service warming center in southeast Atlanta.
The vans pick up individuals at the North DeKalb Senior Center and Fire Station 3 at Avondale Estates, Fire Station 6 in Atlanta, and Fire Station 4 in Ellenwood.
“This the first time that we have had a county-wide solution,” said Christina Porter, a homeless advocate with the Chamblee Coalition on Homelessness.
“In years past, it’s been a patchwork, this church did this, this rec center did that,” said Porter, who volunteers to hand out clothes and snacks to homeless individuals as they wait for shuttles.
Porter celebrated the County’s leadership for arranging a full-service warming center to better care for those unhoused.
Among those picked up on Monday was William Graves.
He told Atlanta News First that he witnessed three homeless individuals die from hypothermia last month.
“I watched when the ambulance came and quietly, no sirens, they picked the bodies up and put them on the gurney. You watched someone. Die. From the cold,” said Graves.
Last year, the City of Decatur contracted with Frontline Rescue for homelessness services.
This year, DeKalb County expanded service county-wide.
“It’s not just about coming in and getting gout of the cold, which is good,” said Terry Tucker, CEO of Frontline Rescue International.
“But there’s so much more when you need the wrap-around services of, ‘Hey I actually need a house, can you guys help me get into a place to do that,” said Tucker, on Monday.
Tucker said DeKalb County and the City of Decatur paid roughly $400,000 for homeless services to Frontline.
Tucker said they hope to expand to host up to 200 individuals by next year.
“This is a blessing to be able to come to a place like this and have a nice place to sleep with some really nice people,” said Oscar Johnson, who was a guest at Frontline on Monday.
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