501 organizations
How disability services work in Georgia
Two honest truths up front: real help exists, and the waits for some of it are long — so start applications early and use the faster doors meanwhile.
Independent living: centers like disABILITY LINK in Atlanta are run by and for people with disabilities — practical help with housing searches, benefits, equipment, and peer support, usually free and without waitlists. Home- and community-based waivers (NOW/COMP for developmental disabilities, others for physical) pay for real support at home, but Georgia's waitlists run years — apply now regardless. Income: SSI/SSDI denials are normal the first time; appeal, and get a disability attorney — they only get paid if you win, from back pay.
What to expect when you call: be ready to describe daily-life impact ("I can't stand long enough to cook"), not just diagnoses — services are matched to function, and plain descriptions work best.
Lary's Speakeasy is a volunteer-run nonprofit for people who have had or will have a laryngectomy, plus their caregivers and speech-language pathologists. They ship donated laryngectomy supplies for free, run online support and education, list support groups and SLPs, and help eligible people get free ElevenLabs voice-cloning access.
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CobbLinc is Cobb County’s public bus and transit service, run through Cobb County government. It helps people get around Cobb County and to parts of Atlanta by local bus, commuter bus, paratransit, on-demand rides, and a transportation voucher program for eligible older adults and people with disabilities.
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Andee's Army is an Atlanta-based nonprofit that helps children, youth, and young adults recover after brain or spinal cord injuries. It gives patient assistance grants to help pay for therapy, equipment, assistive technology, home health help, basic home changes, and other recovery needs not covered by insurance.
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Puppies Behind Bars is a New York nonprofit where incarcerated people raise and train working dogs. The dogs become service dogs for veterans and first responders, facility dogs for police departments and schools, and explosive-detection dogs for law enforcement.
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MedicAlert Foundation is a nonprofit that helps people share important medical information during emergencies. Members wear a medical ID and keep a secure health record so first responders can call MedicAlert and get medical details, emergency contacts, and safety support.
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OEI stands for Outreach, Education, and Installations of CapTel Captioned Telephones. They help people with hearing loss learn about, request, install, and use CapTel phones, including no-cost phones for people who qualify.
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Always Best Care Senior Services is a senior care company with locally owned offices. They help older adults and people with special needs with in-home care, senior living referrals, skilled home health in some locations, and safety or health monitoring services.
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The National Foundation of Swallowing Disorders is a nonprofit that helps people affected by dysphagia, or swallowing problems. It offers online support groups, caregiver support, educational articles and webinars, referrals, and links to local dysphagia support groups, including a listed group in Johns Creek, Georgia.
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Chariots of Fire Transportation provides non-emergency transportation in Metro Atlanta. They offer door-to-door rides, including wheelchair and ambulatory rides, with many clients who are seniors or disabled adults.
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The Spondylitis Association of America is a national nonprofit for people living with spondyloarthritis and related diseases. In the Atlanta area, it runs an Atlanta support group with in-person meetings in Decatur and virtual Zoom meetings, plus national education, webinars, research updates, and online support.
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Miracle-Ear in Georgia is a hearing aid center network with a location in Alpharetta. The Alpharetta center provides free hearing evaluations, hearing aids, hearing aid repairs, cleanings, aftercare, tinnitus help, and hearing protection. The center also participates in the Miracle-Ear Foundation Gift of Sound program for people with low income who need hearing aids and have no other way to get them.
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The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is the federal agency that runs Medicare and oversees Medicaid, CHIP, and the Health Insurance Marketplace. People can use Medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE for help with Medicare coverage, costs, claims, plan choices, appeals, fraud concerns, and accessible Medicare information.
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The Bonnell Foundation is a nonprofit based in Royal Oak, Michigan that helps people and families living with cystic fibrosis. It offers education scholarships, medical bill help, organ transplant grants, mentoring, CF education, advocacy, and resource links.
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Soldier's Best Friend is an Arizona nonprofit that helps U.S. military veterans with service-related PTSD or TBI. It pairs eligible veterans with rescued dogs or approved owned dogs, then trains the veteran and dog together at no cost to the veteran.
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Little Hercules Foundation is a nonprofit based in Dublin, Ohio, not Atlanta. It helps people and families affected by rare diseases, especially Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy, get access to needed treatments and care by helping with insurance and coverage problems.
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En-Vision America makes accessible prescription label tools for people who have trouble reading medicine labels. They help people get talking labels, large print labels, Braille labels, and labels in more than one language through participating pharmacies.
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Preservation Management, Inc. is a residential property management company that manages affordable, subsidized, and tax-credit apartment communities. In Atlanta, it manages Briarcliff Summit, an affordable apartment community at 1050 Ponce DeLeon Ave. NE for people age 62 and older and/or people with disabilities.
Virginia Highland3 services
Project Angel Fares is a nonprofit program connected with BCFS Health and Human Services in San Antonio, Texas. It helps families who have a child with a disability or special health care need take a 4-day, 3-night trip to San Antonio to visit Morgan’s Wonderland and Morgan’s Inspiration Island, with travel expenses paid.
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Next Step Ministries serves people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. It runs adult day and enrichment programs with social activities, life skills, community outings, and support for families after high school transition.
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FOCUS, also connected with Fragile Kids through a merger, helps Georgia families who have children, teens, and young adults with lifelong developmental or physical disabilities. They offer parent support, hospital visits, adapted camps and activities, respite, swim team, teen and young adult programs, and equipment grants or loans.
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