Meeting Urgent Needs, Together: How the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta and the Latin American Association Are Strengthening Stability for Atlanta Families

For decades, the Latin American Association (LAA) has been a trusted resource for families across metro Atlanta, helping individuals navigate everything from housing instability to food access and workforce development. Today, through its partnership with the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta (CFGA), that work is reaching deeper and adapting faster to meet the growing and changing needs of the community.

At the heart of LAA’s work is a commitment to prevention, particularly when it comes to housing. 

“Our primary focus is keeping people in safe, stable housing,” shared Whitney Gillis, Managing Director, Grants and Government Relations, who joined LAA in 2021. With roots in housing support dating back to the late 1970s and more than 25 years of experience in homelessness prevention, LAA prioritizes helping families stay in their homes whenever possible. Through a CFGA-supported housing grant in 2024–2025, LAA was able to provide direct assistance to 15 families, helping them catch up on rent, stabilize their finances, and avoid displacement during a time of rising housing costs.

But the challenges families face don’t exist in isolation—and neither do LAA’s solutions. Each year, the organization serves roughly 25,000 individuals, delivering more than 47,000 services as families increasingly require multiple forms of support. From food access and legal services to SNAP and WIC enrollment, LAA offers a full spectrum of wraparound care designed to meet people where they are. That need has only intensified in recent years, with the cost of housing nearly doubling—from about $1,000 per month for stabilization to closer to $1,800–$2,000 today. In response, LAA has also expanded its food pantry operations, literally transforming office and breakroom spaces into storage for fresh and perishable food to keep pace with demand.

Through CFGA’s partnership, LAA is also looking ahead. Participation in the Foundation’s AI expansion cohort is helping the organization explore new ways to streamline services and better support clients. By developing tools to improve navigation and reduce administrative burden, LAA aims to ensure families can access help more quickly and efficiently. “It’s about being proactive,” Gillis said. “Figuring out where the needs are going and how we can adapt while continuing to deliver the support our community relies on.”

Together, CFGA and LAA are demonstrating what’s possible when strong community organizations are paired with strategic support. Together, we are building systems that not only respond to crisis, but help prevent it.