StreetWise Georgia, Inc.
Navigating Life's Detours...Together
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
The need for services to help the poor is overwhelming in Georgia with 15% of Georgia’s families experiencing some level of food insecurity. The USDA reports that 17 million (or one in four children) in the U.S. are food insecure. By meeting the basic needs of food, clothing, and shelter, StreetWise removes barriers that prevent thousands of residents from breaking the cycle of poverty and realizing their potential. In 2021, StreetWise served low-income individuals with a focus on being an all-inclusive resource for clients, providing food, clothing, job training, and housing and resource referrals. We believe in a holistic approach to relieve the pervasive effects of poverty and help our most vulnerable community members move towards self-sufficiency. StreetWise programs reach across every demographic as poverty is an issue that effects all citizens. The rate of food insecurity within our community is rapidly growing; last year (2021) we served 22,648 individuals (5943 families).
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Mobile Food Pantry
The Atlanta Community Food Bank partners with StreetWise the second Saturday of each month, and in conjunction with Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas events. Pre-registered guests enjoy the convenience of never leaving their car. Supplemental amounts of fresh produce, meat, water, cereal, bread, and other food/supplies are loaded directly into their vehicles. Families are greeted with a no questions asked registration, warm volunteer engagement, and prayer is available if desired. StreetWise serves an average of 240 families, 1000+ individuals at each event.
Food Pantry
Within the food pantry program, StreetWise serves low-income individuals with a focus on being an all-inclusive resource, providing food, clothing, job training, as well as housing and resource referrals. Aid with the food, clothing, and hygiene items are by appointment at our facility, 10:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. By meeting basic needs of food and hunger, StreetWise removes barriers that prevent families from breaking the cycle of poverty and realizing their potential.
In addition to food, we provide clients with clothing, hygiene and cleaning supplies, counseling, training, life skill classes, and other basic needs. Clients are referred to wrap around services that are not currently offered. Families may receive help every 6 weeks.
Client "Road Mapping"
The mission of StreetWise is for the necessary physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual tools to be provided such that our clients return to a state of independence. When a client arrives at our facility, they meet with trained volunteers to discuss their immediate needs, discover what services they may qualify for, and create a plan that will allow them to realize stability and self-sufficiency. A “Road Map” is designed to help clients accomplish goals set for short-term and long-term improvement.
Cedars Closet
Cedars Closet pairs the client with a “personal shopper” where clothing, toiletries, housewares, and other necessities at no charge. The personal shopper endeavors to help the client obtain the appropriate needs for work or interviews. Clothing is available for all seasons.
Training Classes
Post COVID reviews has StreetWise currently refining training courses that are designed to educate and train clients for job interviews, resume writing, job skills, financial awareness and literacy, and other life skills. We anticipate in 2Q 2022, we will begin offering cooking classes, grief care, Bible study, teen and widow programs and social events.
Farmer’s Market
All clients that have an appointment at our facility, first receive a substantial amount of food and supplies loaded into their car’s curbside. At that time, each client is invited inside our Farmer’s Market. Here volunteer counselors guide them in “dignity shopping” allowing each family to select what their family needs/wants. Choices include additional water, produce, bread, baby supplies, pet supplies, school supplies, cleaning and hygiene products, vitamins, and occasional toys and household décor.
Where we work
Affiliations & memberships
Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce 2021
External reviews
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Average number of service recipients per month
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Economically disadvantaged people, Families, Widows and widowers, Veterans
Related Program
Food Pantry
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
On a monthly average, the food pantry program at StreetWise serves 650 families = 2600 individuals.
Average dollar value of food received by client per appointment.
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Economically disadvantaged people, Families, Widows and widowers, Veterans
Related Program
Food Pantry
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Our food pantry program provides food for the entire client household. Due to inflation, food prices have risen at least 30% to 50%. 2022 food for a family of 4 (our avg. matrix) can exceed $1000.
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
1. Increase the number of clients served by 10% Year 1, and 33% Year 2 (Cumulative)
2. Research, develop, and implement teen programs, events, and services.
3. Refine and expand Life Skills class for our clients. To include financial, literacy, grief care, cooking, job search, college search, and support counseling. Within 3 years, have a 15% client participation rate in one program or another.
4. Expand partnerships with Gwinnett County Schools. Concentrating on the homeless and highest risk families.
5. Add seniors, widows and widower’s programs, events, and services.
6. Add healthcare access and screening programs.
7. Double the volunteer base in 2 years. Approximately 100 additional volunteers that serve during the week.
8. Double the number of donors in 18 months and donations 25%.
9. Increase the number of board members annually.
10. Explore satellite operations.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
StreetWise strives to be a one-stop resource for the community. Clients meet personally with trained volunteers to discuss their immediate needs, identify services they may qualify for, and create a plan allowing them to return to a state of self-sufficiency. Clients who participate in our “Road Mapping” program receive enough food to feed their household for several weeks, helping to reduce stress on monthly household expenses.
All families receive a shopping cart of food that contains 200+ pounds of baseline necessities, which is loaded into their car. Families are then invited inside where our volunteer Client Advisors guide them in to our “Dignity Shopping Market” allowing each family to select what their family needs/wants. Choices include bottled water, additional produce, bread and sweets, baby supplies, pet supplies, cleaning supplies, hygiene products, vitamins, and more. Clients have the opportunity to pair up with a volunteer “personal shopper” where they can choose free clothing, toiletries, housewares, books, and other necessities.
Provide courses that educate and train clients for job interviews, resume writing, job skills, financial education, and other life skills. StreetWise anticipates in 2Q 2022 we will begin offering cooking classes, grief care, Bible study, teen and widow and widower’s programs and social events.
Our strategic goals include:
• Increase the number of clients served by 10% Year 1, and 33% Year 2 (Cumulative)
• Double the volunteer base in 2 years. Approximately 100 additional volunteers.
• Double the number of donors in 18 months and donations 25%.
• Increase the number of board members by 2 for the next 3 years.
• Expand partnerships with Gwinnett County Schools.
• Add healthcare access and screening programs.
• Add seniors, widows and widower’s programs, events, and services.
• Research, develop, and implement teen programs, events, and services.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
A number of the capabilities StreetWise has for meeting our goals expanded in 2021. A concerted focus on the review, refinement, and implementation of best business practices and accounting procedures, established a foundation for greater organizational structure, policies and procedures, data procurement and analysis, as well as donor relations, marketing, and a consistent, clear branding message.
Strong staff enhancements included the first non-founder Executive Director/CEO, a Volunteer Coordinator, a full-time Warehouse Manager, and a Financial Administrator. Outside contractors were engaged for grant writing, public relations/social media/branding firm, I.T. management, and a new CPA. Several volunteer leadership positions established for Event Coordinator, Team Leaders, Technology Project Manager, and Administrators.
StreetWise has expanded its client data management system and trained our volunteer technicians. A robust CRM was instituted for real-time donor portals and reports, automated marketing, multiple communication platforms, and full feature donation receiving, tracking, and reporting features.
A loyal and growing volunteer base provides consistent and reliable service to our clients providing hours of service from truck driving to counseling, loading cars to packing produce. Volunteer opportunities are provided by our 150 “regulars” to 100’s more that volunteer via schools, churches, corporations, and families.
We have a large group of NPO partners (32) that we share extra food and supplies that StreetWise receives, thus expanding the number and geographical reach of those at-risk families to be helped.
A strong committed Board of Directors who led StreetWise through the passing of our Founder and immediately after, a pandemic. In June 2022, 2 new members will be installed.
Finally, and primarily, our greatest capability is our belief in God and the mission and vision He directs and blesses, to serve the hurting and save the lost.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
A great deal of the StreetWise progress was described above. Perhaps the greatest accomplishments included never closing the doors to serving our clients. Instead, developing curb-side distribution that exposed new ways to serve more clients, still in use. To review all systems, procedures, building usage, labor distribution, and staffing for the ROI that supported our values and goals.
In 2021, StreetWise distributed 1.4 million pounds of food and supplies to 5,943 families (22,648 individuals). We saw 4,836 volunteers serve 22,324 hours, pack 24,330 food boxes. Our NPO partners grew from 2 to 28 and we shared 141,817 pounds of food and supplies with them. In 4 months, 21,671 personal articles were distributed from our dignity shopping known as the StreetWise Farmers Market.
Our staff and volunteers grew in size, responsibility, and confidence. Our clients requesting our services grew by 52%. We were able to meet the additional need.
StreetWises’s greatest progress surrounds the faith of the volunteers, staff board members, and donors. The increased belief in our Christian mission to serve God and love people.
Our goal is to serve more families, and to provide the foundational aid, encouragement, and source of resources that helps them transition to a place of stability and self-sufficiency. Our goal is to focus on subgroups of these at-risk families…seniors, widow(er)s, silver singles, and teens. Develop programs, events, and services that focus on their immediate needs, create community for them, and support resources that enhance their quality of life and future opportunity for stability.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, It is difficult to find the ongoing funding to support feedback collection, Staff find it hard to prioritize feedback collection and review due to lack of time
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
StreetWise Georgia, Inc.
Board of directorsas of 02/02/2023
Mr. Alex Owen
Brooks Berry Haynie & Associates/BBH Electric Co.
Term: 2020 - 2023
Simon Shim
Broadway Group
Waylon Hoge
Integrity Engineering & Development Services, Inc
Tracy Joseph
StreetWise Georgia Inc
Brad Anderson
Coca-Cola (Retired)
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? No -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No