Atlanta Habitat expands to serve 1,200 new families; opens second ReStore in South Fulton

Atlanta Habitat for Humanity brings its record-setting homeownership and neighborhood revitalization resources to South Fulton County this spring. The leading nonprofit affordable homebuilder, which has made an estimated $40 million impact on affordable housing in neighborhoods across Atlanta over the last five years, will open the Atlanta Habitat ReStore and Service Center on 6.2 acres at 5626 Old National Highway, South Fulton, Georgia 30349.  

The new 30,000 square-foot facility will be a hub for Atlanta Habitat’s South Fulton County community engagement.  In addition to its first-time homebuyer program for income-qualified families, Atlanta Habitat will offer beyond-the-build programs that include:

• Repair with Kindness – critical home repair services to longstanding homeowners
• Brush with Kindness – exterior home painting and minor repairs to current Atlanta Habitat homeowners and their neighbors  
• My Money. My Future.— comprehensive, year-long financial literacy coaching for aspiring homeowners to manage their finances and set goals

Atlanta Habitat further empowers its homeowners through ongoing education programs, scholarships and entrepreneurial training and grants.

South Fulton is a significant expansion for the organization. Over the past five years, Atlanta Habitat has grown from serving 50 families in 2016 to more than 150 every year and a record breaking 208 in 2019. With the completion of a highly successful capital campaign raising more than $15.5 million and phenomenal growth, Atlanta Habitat is on track to serve nearly 1,200 new families now through 2025. Atlanta Habitat will target neighborhoods in East Point, Fairburn and South Fulton. The organization is building at least two homes in Fairburn this year.

“Homeownership can be the wealth-building foundation for families. Atlanta Habitat looks forward to being a great neighbor and new partner with corporate, city and civic leaders,” says Lisa Y. Gordon, Atlanta Habitat President and CEO. “We believe, together, we can address housing disparities and build thriving communities across South Fulton County.”  

The South Fulton campus will include a second Atlanta Habitat ReStore. Popular with home improvement enthusiasts and DIY shoppers, the ReStore will open this spring to sell new and gently used home goods to the public. Like the Atlanta Habitat ReStore in the Reynoldstown neighborhood, the South Fulton ReStore inventory will vary daily. Shoppers can expect to see appliances, cabinetry, doors, flooring, furniture, home décor items, and much more at the store. Donations of select household items from individuals and corporations will be accepted at the store as well.  

Employees and shoppers at the South Fulton ReStore will wear masks, practice physical distancing and follow other CDC public health guidelines. There is free parking, including two electric vehicle charging stations—a first for the city of South Fulton.  

Net proceeds from the Atlanta Habitat ReStore help support the nonprofit homebuilder’s mission to transform communities by acting as a catalyst for neighborhood revitalization through education, innovative development, partnerships, and long-term relationships with families.​

The ReStore‘s prominent location on Old National Highway is part of the business district‘s resurgence. The Atlanta Habitat neighborhood engagement team first connected with residents and business owners over two years ago. The team remains engaged through memberships in the Old National Merchants Association and South Fulton Human Services Coalition and meetings with various neighborhood groups, including the City of South Fulton Police Department and Old National Residents United.  

“Atlanta Habitat for Humanity is a beacon of hope for many families striving to realize the dream owning their own homes,” says Mayor William “Bill” Edwards, City of South Fulton Mayor. “The City of South Fulton is honored and humbled to work with such a compassionate partner as we – together – help some of these families realize this life-changing achievement.”  

As part of its expansion, Atlanta Habitat is seeking partnerships and sponsorships with businesses and corporations in South Fulton County to help fund new home construction for families, neighborhood revitalization and homeowner educational programs.  

Funding for the South Fulton expansion comes from Atlanta Habitat’s capital campaign that was completed in April 2020 with support from lead donors, Joseph B. Whitehead Foundation and Delta Air Lines, and other major contributors including the James M. Cox Foundation, Wells Fargo Foundation, Georgia-Pacific Foundation, Home Depot Foundation, Kendeda Fund, Tull Charitable Foundation, Georgia Power Foundation, Chick-Fil-A, Novelis, the Coca-Cola Foundation, SunTrust Bank Foundation and Trusteed Foundation, King & Spalding, Deloitte, and many more generous private foundations, companies and individuals.  

MEDIA CONTACT:  

Atlanta Habitat — Jill Strickland Luse, jill.stricklandluse@atlantahabitat.org