CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — The Clayton County Board of Commissioners discussed providing emergency funding to Calvary Refuge Homeless Shelter, the only such facility in the county.
Clayton County Chief Financial Officer Angela Jackson presented the budget item, which would move the $200,000 as emergency operating funds to the Calvary Refuge Center.
During the meeting, multiple members of the public spoke to commissioners about the need for funding.
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Minutes from the meeting show that Drew Andrews, a resident, spoke up to advocate for the county’s homeless population, saying the residents were vulnerable and had an urgent need for support.
Andrews also said if Calvary closes, the “already overburdened extended-stay options” in the county would see “even greater strain,” according to the meeting minutes.
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Calvary Refuge Center has provided emergency shelter to Clayton County residents in need for more than four decades.
According to Alan Wootton, a resident who spoke on behalf of the non-profit, the center gives individuals and families a place to stay for up to 21 days and provides both critical support services and three meals a day.
Andrews said his office frequently receives calls for help and he often contacts Calvary Refuge.
The minutes say Andrews “emphasized that the county currently has facilities for stray animals but only one shelter” for people in need and said those experiencing homelessness should not be treated as less important than animals in Clayton County, urging the board to approve financial assistance.
Wootton said the center is facing what he called a historic crisis due to significant funding cuts and rising demand, putting Calvary in danger of closing.
The minutes say Wootton provided some information on how many people Calvary Refuge Center had already helped in 2025, saying it had provided assistance to 724 people, including 235 men, 297 women, 192 children, 35 military veterans and 90 families.
Last year, Wootton told commissioners the organization had helped 1,000 individuals and 131 families, adding that it had faced the added challenges of increased costs, missed grants and the recent death of its executive director.
Clayton County Board of Education Member Sabrina Hill also spoke at the meeting, telling commissioners that in the past two months, Calvary had served 13 families, is currently serving 66 families and helps keep families together, “unlike many others,” according to the meeting minutes.
She said renovations to the shelter would let it help more families without having to separate anyone, which was critical for children in the county and urged them to support the shelter.
Clayton County commissioners at the meeting said they had been in contact with non-profit leaders at Calvary and were working to ensure a united front to combat homelessness.
However, Commissioner Gail Hambrick expressed concern over other funding requests, often for amounts similar to the current $200,000 request and said the county should review financial records and service performance for organizations that request assistance before approving requests, emphasizing the need for deeper review and discussion.
A vote on whether to approve the funding was tabled until a Sept. 2 board meeting to give officials time to receive and review the records they need to move forward.
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