Unhoused Life: A Day in the Life at the Fresh Market Corner

According to Policy Advice, more than half of Americans are homeless on a single night, with 35% of those people spending dark nights on the streets. Homeless people tend to be seen as violent, abusing drugs or alcohol, and criminals. However, many of us, one being myself, spend our time and energy on seeking ways to become involved in local programs to better our lives. Shelters such as Atlanta Mission and the Trinity Women Center provide classes and instructional courses led by staff and leadership teams to help us advance our knowledge and hopefully “reestablish our lives in Atlanta”.

Homeless population in Atlanta, Georgia. Photo by: Jenni Girtman

8:00am- Breakfast 

Once I am awake, I begin to make my way down the Atlanta streets towards Atlanta Mission, which gives around 355,000 meals per year to homeless people around Atlanta. I usually go here for my early morning meals and see the staff and other folks at the communal dining area, who are now my friends, sitting and chatting together about the severe heat outside. They usually serve us nutritious meals and as I eat, I usually put my clothes in the laundry. As I attended Atlanta Mission, I realized I was in a place I felt safe in again due to the shelter’s mission of “transforming our lives as the homeless”. Those who visit Atlanta Mission have become my support group here in Georgia, and they are my friends forever, as my fellow friend Shane once said during breakfast. The staff at the shelter have also become my colleagues I know I can count on, as they aid me in obtaining health visits and 24 hour living arrangements. They also provide me with information on other shelters in the area I can visit throughout the day.

9:00am- Grant Applications

Once I finish eating and discussing my daily plans with my friends, I walk to Georgia’s Department of Community Affairs where I submit an application to receive funding that will help me obtain housing in Atlanta. The department works to provide safe and affordable housing for us who do not have a place to call home. Besides just housing, they also provide emergency housing and shelters, which have been successful because they have awarded 798 housing vouchers. Getting into contact with the department is usually pretty simple, especially since they have multiple locations across Atlanta. The turnaround rate for hearing back regarding my forms is usually three to four weeks, so I plan to hear back shortly. 

11:30am- My Sister’s House

Once my applications are sent in, I walk to My Sister’s House to take a shower and attend job training and counseling. My Sister’s House’s mission aims to help me address my “spiritual, physical, emotional, relational, and vocational needs” to help me “recover and grow” from my past. Additionally, the shelter provides classes, such as job training and resume building, that I can attend that help me understand the job market in the local Atlanta area and show me some places that are hiring. Along with my friend Gigi, we both enjoy “classes on parenting, relationships, and faith”. The shelter also serves three meals a day, so I am able to get my lunch here as well. Furthermore, My Sister’s House provides us with local attractions, including art centers and parks, where we can go to meet more people. 

12:30pm- Going Back Home

Around the time after I eat lunch, I make my way back down the bustling Atlanta streets to the Fresh Market. There are always masses of people walking in and out holding too many plastic bags filled with produce and they take parts of the sidewalk in front of the supermarket. I begin to weave through the lines of people waiting to cross the street to enter the parking lot and find my corner right by the ramp where I slept not too long ago. I place my blanket back on the sidewalk and take a little nap before heading to the shelter again for another class, probably about mental health and recovery, and a meal to end my day. 

2pm- Adult Literacy Class

Once I finish napping, I walk down the street to the Gateway Center, specifically to the Trinity’s Women Center, to take a housing navigation class. The Women’s Center showed me I have “options for my life”, as my friend Zach once said. The center always has classes being administered, including health and wellness courses, which aids in us “regaining our lives back”. The programs and classes range from fitness to skill development, along with specific programs for veterans and families. The class I attended today was Literacy Action, which gives me the “opportunity to complete adult basic education classes”. Once the class ends, I shower in the shelter showers, which are available from 1pm until 3pm. Additionally, I am able to charge my phone using their charging stations. Before I leave, I say goodbye to the staff, and let them know I will be coming back soon.

7:00pm- Dinner

After showering, I make my way back to Atlanta Mission for dinner. Much like how it was this morning, I walk in to find my friends eagerly talking about what shelters they visited and what programs those shelters provided. I tell them about my adult literacy class and let them know I submitted another funding and housing application at the department this morning. We then go stand in line for the dinner buffet that the shelter provides us. As we eat, we talk to the staff and volunteers about what programs are on the schedule for tomorrow at the shelter and plan our following day. Once I finish eating, I say my goodbyes to everyone for the day and head back home.

9:30pm- Going Back Home

As I leave the shelter, I think about what programs I want to attend the next day. I know I am definitely going back to the Department of Community Affairs to see my application status, and I can also check the status on my phone once I charge it at the Trinity’s Women Center . I make my way down the Atlanta streets once again, finding my corner on the sidewalk in front of the Fresh Market. Unlike this afternoon, there is not a single person in sight around the supermarket because they closed about 30 minutes ago. The silence around me is eerie and I look up into the night sky and see the glimmering stars. I feel my body exhausted from the day I had and the physical activity I engaged in, and I allow my head to find its place on my blanket and slowly fall asleep ready for the upcoming sunrise.

Fresh Market in Atlanta, Georgia. Photo by: David Allison