How energy-bill help, gardens and green programs work in AtlantaA short guide: who to call first and what to expect.
For help with a power or gas bill, a federal program called LIHEAP pays part of a heating bill in winter and a cooling bill in summer. The money goes out first come, first served, and it runs out fast. People 65 and older and people who can't leave home apply first, usually in early winter, and everyone else about a month later. In Fulton County call the Fulton Atlanta Community Action Authority at 470-437-4621. In DeKalb and Gwinnett call Partnership for Community Action at 404-929-2500. Have your bill, your ID, Social Security numbers and proof of income for the last 30 days.
To lower your bills for good, the same agencies add insulation and seal leaks for free in homes with low income. This is called weatherization. Expect a waiting list.
For a City of Atlanta water bill, the Care & Conserve program, 404-546-3620, helps with past-due bills and fixes leaks for homeowners with low income.
For a free tree,Trees Atlanta, 404-522-4097, plants shade trees in front yards at no cost in Atlanta and several nearby cities.
To grow food,Food Well Alliance supports community gardens with tools, compost and training, and Truly Living Well teaches urban farming. At many farmers markets, SNAP dollars buy twice as many fruits and vegetables through Georgia Fresh for Less.
To get rid of paint, electronics or chemicals,Live Thrive runs CHaRM drop-off centers in Atlanta and Decatur. Make an appointment first.
To report dumping, a sewer spill or a fallen tree, call 311 inside Atlanta.
To fix up a park or spend time outdoors,Park Pride helps neighbors improve their parks, and the West Atlanta Watershed Alliance runs the Outdoor Activity Center in southwest Atlanta, with trails and nature programs.
West Atlanta Watershed Alliance is a community nonprofit that works to protect and restore nature in West Atlanta. It runs the Outdoor Activity Center, a forest and nature center, with youth camps, field trips, hikes, and volunteer service days. It also speaks up for neighborhoods hurt by pollution and other environmental problems.
REDEEMED Outreach is a West End nonprofit that has worked in the neighborhood since 1994. It runs a housing program for single working women, plus community gardens, job training in farming, a farmers market and neighborhood watch work. People can also volunteer, including those who need court-ordered community service hours.
The Atlanta Botanical Garden is a large garden in Atlanta where people can walk through plant collections, art and seasonal shows. It also offers classes, kids programs, camps, school tours and volunteer jobs. Its scientists work to protect rare and endangered plants.
Trees Atlanta is a nonprofit that plants and cares for trees in metro Atlanta. It runs tree planting, forest restoration, classes, tree tours, youth programs, and job training for young adults. People can volunteer, take a class, or ask for trees in their yard or neighborhood.
Black Sustainability, Inc. is an Atlanta group that runs a worldwide network of Black people who work in sustainability, own green businesses, or care about the planet. Members join online groups, share ideas and find projects and contracts. The group also runs hands-on training, such as a 4-week solar installation course in metro Atlanta with GRID Alternatives.
Piedmont Park Conservancy is a nonprofit that works with the City of Atlanta to care for Piedmont Park. It runs classes, camps, walks, a Saturday green market and volunteer days. It also rents event spaces in the park.
Park Pride is an Atlanta nonprofit that helps neighbors improve and care for public parks. It works with Friends of the Park groups through training, park design help, grants, fundraising support, and volunteer days. It serves the City of Atlanta, the City of Brookhaven, and unincorporated DeKalb County.
Everybody Eats Together is a faith-based group in Ashview Heights that works to bring food and ownership to the neighborhood. People who need food can take its survey to ask for free pantry pick-up or delivery. It also has garden volunteer days, Sunday community meals, and a pay-what-you-can grocery cart, and it is working toward a community-owned grocery store.
ECO-Action helps Georgia communities organize against air, land, and water pollution. They focus on low-income communities and communities of color. They give organizing and technical help, connect groups with experts and agencies, and run learning programs for adults and teens.
Lifecycle Building Center is a nonprofit in Southwest Atlanta that keeps used building materials out of the landfill. It sells reclaimed materials to the public at 50 to 85 percent below new prices and gives free materials to nonprofits, schools, community groups and houses of faith. It also runs a paid job training program in deconstruction and offers free classes in home performance and carpentry.
Birds Georgia is a bird conservation nonprofit that has an office on Warner Street in Atlanta. It runs free field trips, certifies yards as wildlife sanctuaries, and teaches adults, teachers and teens about birds. It also restores bird habitat across Georgia.
Live Thrive is an Atlanta nonprofit that runs two drop-off centers, called CHaRM, in Atlanta and Decatur. People and businesses can bring household chemicals, electronics and other items that curbside recycling will not take. They also teach recycling classes, give tours, and take volunteers.
This is the City of East Point's parks and recreation department. It runs 23 parks, a recreation center, playgrounds, tennis and basketball courts, sand volleyball and trails. It also offers fitness activities, senior programs, and special events and festivals during the year.
Unearthing Farm & Market is a neighborhood farm and green space at 1534 Memorial Drive SE in Kirkwood. It holds a market on the first Saturday of each month and keeps a farm fridge with fresh produce on other days. The farm stand turns no one away for lack of money and doubles EBT.
EarthShare Georgia raises money for environmental groups, mostly through giving programs at workplaces. It also links businesses and employees to its nonprofit partners for volunteer days and learning events about air, land and water.
Root Local is an Atlanta group that helps people take part in caring for the environment. It runs EMMA, a free online map of businesses and groups that have been reviewed for green practices. It also holds community events and brings neighbors and partner groups together for volunteer work.
Truly Living Well is a nonprofit urban farm on Atlanta's Westside that grows vegetables, herbs, and fruit without chemical pesticides. People can buy fresh produce at its on-site farm market and through a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) box program, with sliding-scale pricing for those who need it. The farm also teaches people to grow their own food through classes like Gardening 101, farm tours, an Urban Grower Boot Camp, and youth programs such as a summer camp.
Southface Institute is an Atlanta nonprofit, started in 1978, that works on energy-saving and healthy buildings. It trains trade workers and builders, offers green building certification and consulting, and runs grants and discounts that help other nonprofits cut energy bills. Many of its services and courses cost money.
Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA) is a state agency that works on energy and water projects. It runs the Weatherization Assistance Program, which makes homes of low-income households use less energy. It also offers home energy loans and loans and grants for water, energy and other public projects.
Southface is an Atlanta nonprofit that works to make buildings use less energy and be healthier. It teaches classes for building and trade workers, and it offers grants and discounts to help nonprofits cut their energy bills. It also shares free energy code guides and runs an energy code helpline.
