Right now, approximately 3,000 individuals are surviving on the streets of Atlanta. Many are dealing with addiction, trauma, and years of frustration, trying to navigate a system that frequently feels like it was never designed to help them. They often don’t know where they’ll sleep, how they’ll find their next meal, or how they’ll make it through the day. Some trade sex to meet their basic needs. Most face these challenges alone.
Who We Are
At Comprehensive Community Services (CCS), we form friendships with Atlanta’s unhoused population and provide highly customized support as people find services and work toward the goals they choose for themselves.
Our approach is informed by motivational interviewing, harm reduction, and the stages of change, but in practice, it is simple: we walk alongside people as they decide what to change and how to move forward. We don’t rush anyone into decisions. Some people move quickly. Others take years. We respect each person’s pace, even when progress is slow or uncertain. We don’t just pass through people’s lives. We put down roots. We learn names, remember stories, and share our lives with the people we serve.
Our work began with women involved in street-based sex work. But we quickly learned that their lives were connected to partners, children, friends, and neighbors. We couldn’t care for one group while ignoring the surrounding community. So our work grew to encompass everyone in the community, with our primary focus on people living along Fulton Industrial Boulevard.
What We Do
When someone is ready, we help them take practical next steps. This often means guiding them through systems that are hard to navigate alone, such as:
- obtaining identification or replacing lost documents
- accessing healthcare and recovery programs
- applying for housing
- connecting to employment opportunities
- being a consistent point of contact when someone needs help
We also make space for people to come together—sharing meals and spending time together. These are moments when people are seen not as problems to fix, but as individuals who belong.
History
Comprehensive Community Services was founded in May 2019, building on the outreach that began in 2017 along Fulton Industrial Blvd.
What began as a regular presence in one neighborhood has grown into a broader effort to support disadvantaged communities throughout Atlanta and Fulton County.
Key milestones include:
- 2019 — Began formal outreach and received 501(c)(3) status
- 2020 — Launched a mobile outreach unit (“The Nest”) and provided meals to at-risk students during COVID-19
- 2020 — Introduced the Client Journal to support client-directed growth
- 2022 — Opened transitional housing through the “Birdhouse’’.
Each step has helped us better support people as they work toward stability in their own way.
Our Team
Nikki Reeves is our Director of Operations and leads volunteer coordination. She has years of hands-on experience with at-risk groups, including work in the Virgin Islands and with Serenity’s Steps, which came before CCS. Nikki brings a steady, relationship-focused approach to leading our team and caring for clients.
Leroy Lamar focuses on building relationships, developing programs, and guiding our organization. He has worked with youth through Young Life and served in pastoral leadership, gaining strong experience in mentoring and helping people through life changes.
Together, they lead CCS with a shared commitment to being present, building trust, and offering long-term support.
Our Board
Amy Hafner, Senior Learning & Development Program Manager at Road Runner Sports
Kenneth Graham, Founder & President of A Pretty Cool Company, LLC
Teresa Collins, Bartender & Manager at Reid’s Deli
Karen Davis, Corporate Director of Human Resources at Kahn Ventures, Inc.