The Department of Resident Support provides counseling and information and referral services for Athens Housing Authority residents. In addition, adults and youth may access a variety of programs and services to assist with academic success, money management and budgeting, parenting skills, and job and career skills training.


Programs and Partners

Programs for Children and Youth

The Athens Housing Authority has made a commitment to fund or provide in-kind resources to programs that provide children and youth with positive academic, leadership, and life-long learning skills. Our partners in this effort include a number of well-known community organizations.

Boys and Girls Club of Athens - Located within the J. R. Wells Community, the Boys and Girls Club provides guided after school and summer day camp activities for youth. The Athens Housing Authority is a financial supporter of the Boys and Girls Club. Call (706) 353-2823 for more information.

Athens-Clarke County Leisure Services Parkview and Broadacres Community Centers – After-school and summer day camp programs are held at these community centers located within the neighborhoods. Computer labs are available at each location. Call 706-613-3800 for more information.

Computer Laboratory - A computer laboratory is located in the Nellie B Community Center to assist students with computer competency and study skills. Call (706) 549-7753 for information about this activity.

Athens Tutorial Program - Volunteers provide after school tutoring to students in reading and math skills. For more information, call (706) 354-1653.
Summer Lunch Program - Working in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Georgia Office of School Readiness, the Athens Housing Authority serves as the local administrator of the school lunch program. Every child in Athens-Clarke County between the ages of three years and 17 years is eligible to receive a meal through the Summer Lunch Program. The Athens Housing Authority delivers free lunch to over 20 locations Monday - Friday during June and July. Each year, about 43,000 lunches are served to youth attending summer day camps or community programs. To date, nearly 550,000 lunches have been served since the program started in Athens two decades ago. For information about becoming a Summer Lunch serving site or to locate a serving site near you, call (706) 425-5300.


Adult Programs

A number of activities and classes are held throughout the year for adults. Many outings and socials are held for senior citizens. Health fairs and health screenings are held throughout the year. Resident Organizations and the Inter-Community Council arrange neighborhood activities throughout the year. Call (706) 425-5300 for more information.

GED Classes and Testing - The Athens Housing Authority's Resident Services Department can provide guidance to those wishing to obtain a GED.

Job Skills Assessment Classes - The Resident Support Department periodically holds classes for residents to assess their job skills and conduct discussions and counseling for seeking employment.

Stretching the Food Dollar - Held once a month, this class helps with providing nutritional information and ideas for eating healthy on a budget.


Community Partners

Food Bank of Northeast Georgia - The Food Bank partners with the Athens Housing Authority to provide the distribution of food for families. Distribution centers are at the Broadacres and Nellie B community centers. The AHA is a financial supporter of the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia.

Boys and Girls Club – For more than a decade, the AHA and the Boys and Girls Club have worked together to provide important services to families in the J.R. Wells neighborhood. Elementary, middle school and high school students can all participate in tutoring, computer learning and organized games. In addition, a summer day camp is open to all youth in the area. The AHA is a significant financial supporter of the Boys and Girls Club.



Resident Safety

Staff members work closely with the Athens-Clarke County Police Department to develop safety measures for our communities. Many years ago, the Athens-Clarke County Police Department introduced community policing in our neighborhoods to develop strong relationships with our residents. In addition, two police sub-stations are located within walking distance of the Nellie B and Rocksprings neighborhoods and serve as community resources for those areas. To provide assurance for safety issues, especially among senior citizens, the “Officer in the Neighborhood” program has been very successful. Officers involved in this program reside in a dwelling unit and are an important part of the community.

Together, the staff and police department work to develop preventative measures for our neighborhoods. To encourage crime prevention and community safety, the Athens Housing Authority holds the following programs:

Good Neighbors Meeting – Held monthly, this meeting involves staff, police officers, resident leaders, and community members in discussions about safety and crime prevention.

Safety Programs - Several time a year, neighborhood safety programs are held to provide a comfortable format for questions and answers to help increase community involvement and awareness.