ATLANTA, GA — Leading the Nicholas House, a homeless shelter serving Atlanta families since the 1990s, is personal for Jannan Thomas.
With more than two decades of experience, the executive director has been overseeing the Nicholas House and performing work dear to her since 2022.
Through the Boulevard shelter, Thomas supports a community who may need a safety net during difficulties, she told Patch.
"In my twenties, I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. I
couldn't work for several months and had very little savings, but I was surrounded by people who stepped in—my family helped with medical bills, my employer continued
paying me and friends provided meals, transportation and emotional support," she said.
"At the same time, I was working at an outreach center in downtown Atlanta serving people experiencing homelessness. The contrast stayed with me. I realized that a crisis that was a difficult season for me could have resulted in homelessness without the support system I had. That experience has shaped how I think about this work ever since. A job loss, illness,
death in the family or unexpected expense can happen to anyone. What often determines whether a crisis becomes homelessness is whether someone has a safety net. Nicholas House works to be that support for families who don't have it."
The Nicholas House has humble beginnings, an origin that stretches back to 1982. There were no existing shelters housing families for more than a night in Atlanta at the time, Thomas said, so St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church answered the call.
Church members allowed families to safely sleep in their Sunday school rooms; and by 1993, Thomas said the ministry grew and the Nicholas House has sat in Grant Park ever since.
"More than four decades later, our mission remains centered on families," Thomas said. "Nicholas House is one of the few organizations in Atlanta that welcomes families regardless of their size or composition, allowing parents and children, couples, fathers with children and larger families to remain together rather than experiencing the additional trauma of separation."
The shelter is located at 830 Boulevard SE in Atlanta. Twelve families primarily living in Fulton and DeKalb counties may reside at the Nicholas House at a time.
However, Thomas said the organization partners with the City of Atlanta and DeKalb County Continuums of Care to offer services to families in the broader metro Atlanta area.
The Nicholas House provides assistance for eviction prevention, short- and longterm housing and economic stability.
"At the foundation of Nicholas House is a simple belief: Every family deserves a safe, stable home and the opportunity to build a better future together. At the heart of Nicholas House is a simple belief: families are capable, resilient, and the experts in their own lives—and lasting change happens when we work with them, not simply for them or to them," Thomas said.
"We believe that people need to be treated with dignity and respect, have their strengths recognized, and have the opportunity to imagine a different future. Hope matters because it gives people a reason to believe that change is possible, and trust matters because meaningful change happens through relationships."
Combatting homelessness in Atlanta is crucial due to regional growth and higher living costs, Thomas said.
She cited the Atlanta Regional Commission's 2025 Metro Atlanta Speaks survey, which stated 28 percent of residents say housing affordability is the most significant concern in the region.
Additionally, she said the report showed 62 percent of the residents surveyed voiced not being able to afford to relocate to another home or apartment in their neighborhood.
"Atlanta families are increasingly being squeezed by the rising cost of simply getting by. Rent has increased, while the cost of food, childcare, transportation, utilities and other
basic needs have also risen," Thomas said.
"For a family already living close to the edge, a modest increase in rent or an unexpected expense can make housing unaffordable. Once a family loses housing, the consequences can quickly ripple through every part of family life."
She added Nicholas House is "designed specifically to respond to that reality."
More than 20,000 family members have been served at the Nicholas House since its founding at least 40 years ago, Thomas said.
This fiscal year, 279 families and 939 total people have been served through the organization.
Facets of the nonprofit include the rapid rehousing Homeless to Homes program, longterm supportive housing through New Horizons, emergency shelter and homelessness prevention.
At the Nicholas House, families have the backing of case managers. The managers help families tackle concerns surrounding employment, income, finances, childcare, transportation, education, physical and behavioral health, as well as other challenges.
Through Economic Mobility Pathways, Mobility Mentoring is a research-based initiative that makes way for families to identify their goals and work toward "greater stability and economic mobility," Thomas said.
Family stability, wellbeing, education and training, financial management, as well as employment and career development, are all focus areas of Mobility Mentoring.
"This allows us to address not only 'How do we get this family housed?' but 'What will help this family remain housed and become more financially secure over time,'" Thomas said.
She gave the example of a family falling behind on rent because increasing household costs have outpaced wages, thus leading the family to need the Nicholas House.
"The immediate need may be rental assistance, but simply paying the overdue rent does not solve the underlying problem," Thomas said. "Working with the family, we may identify an opportunity to increase income, address a childcare barrier that is limiting employment, create a manageable financial plan or connect the parent with job training. The goal is to stabilize the immediate crisis while helping the family build greater capacity to weather the next challenge."
Partnerships aid the Nicholas House in completing its goal.
This includes working with organizations that may offer specialized support in areas, such as childcare, employment and job training, basic needs and behavioral health, Thomas said.
"By combining housing, whole-family support, economic mobility and community partnerships, Nicholas House helps families move beyond the immediate crisis toward a more stable and sustainable future," she said.
Receiving support from Nicholas House starts with a coordinated entry assessment through the City of Atlanta or county of current residence.
A family's circumstances will be assessed, and they will then be connected with the program or shelter that suits their needs, Thomas said.
"If Nicholas House is the appropriate referral, our team will then contact the family about next steps," she said. " ... It's important to note that Nicholas House cannot accept walk-ins or same-day shelter requests. Families must first complete a coordinated entry assessment and be referred to Nicholas House through the appropriate city or county system."
DeKalb County families can call (404) 687-3500 to complete the assessment.
Atlanta families can complete the assessment through Gateway Center's in-person access sites or by going through Gateway's website to request to complete it by phone.
Anyone needing same-day shelter in Atlanta can call 311. People living outside the Atlanta city limits can call United Way's 211.
More information is available by emailing intake@nicholashouse.org.
There are multiple ways to serve the community through Nicholas House. Last year, 1,450 volunteers contributed nearly 4,000 hours of service at the shelter.
Volunteer opportunities include serving dinner and providing meals to families who live at Nicholas House year-round.
People can also support administrative needs, children's activities, special events, donation drives and shelter projects.
Financial contributions are accepted, as well as donations for the families.
To get involved, see the volunteer page on Nicholas House or contact the team at volunteer@nicholashouse.org.
Financial donations can be made through the Nicholas House donation page.
"Throughout the year, our community comes together for initiatives such as our Back-to-School Bash and holiday programs, helping provide families with school supplies, household necessities, gifts and other essentials," Thomas said. "Volunteers have long been an important part of Nicholas House."
This year, 45 families were served through the back-to-school event as they received 159 backpacks filled with school supplies, care packages, pillows and lunches, according to a news release.
Free haircuts, counseling and life coaching, laundry assistance and help connecting to resources like health insurance and cell phone plans were also available.
Other events hosted by Nicholas House include the following:
"One of the most important things I hope people understand is that families experiencing homelessness are families like any other families in our community. ... We keep families together, meet them wherever they are in their journey and stay focused not simply on getting them through today's crisis, but on helping them build the stability and economic mobility that can change what tomorrow looks like," Thomas said.
"Atlanta is growing and changing, and addressing homelessness requires more than any one organization, government agency or housing development can provide. ... At Nicholas House, we have remained steadfast for more than four decades in our belief that families experiencing homelessness deserve the opportunity to find stable
housing, remain together, and receive the support they need to never face homelessness again. That remains the work ahead of us."
More information: @nicholashouseinc on Instagram, Nicholas House, Inc. on Facebook and Nicholas House, Inc. on LinkedIn.
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