Atlanta Children’s Day Shelter

What Atlanta Children’s Day Shelter does

Atlanta Children's Day Shelter is a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1986 as a project of the Junior League of Atlanta in partnership with North Avenue Presbyterian Church, operating from the Vernon Broyles Ministry Center — a 6,000-square-foot facility in Atlanta, Georgia that serves up to 40 children per day. The organization runs a two-generation service model targeting families experiencing homelessness in metro Atlanta: children ages birth to five receive an Early Childhood Education program built on Creative Curriculum© Cloud and the 7 Mindsets Social Emotional Learning Curriculum, plus nutrition (two meals and two snacks daily), play therapy, mental health screenings, and Summer STEAM Academy enrichment; parents receive wraparound support through HireUp employment workshops, Pathways to Education tuition-free college partnerships with Atlanta Technical College and Georgia Piedmont Technical College, on-site mental health services via Active Resilience Counseling and Training and Counseling Center, and the Steps2Success post-housing support program. Specialized inclusion services for children with special needs are delivered through Bright from the Start.

The revenue model is a conventional nonprofit stack: individual donations (via website, mail, and a quarterly newsletter), corporate sponsorships and office fundraisers (with KBP Brands as the flagship partner contributing over $1.6 million cumulatively over 12 years), foundation grants (notably Herbalife Nutrition Foundation for the nutrition program), and fundraising events including the annual Legacy Builders Celebration, Holiday House gift distribution (serving 1,029 children across 308 families in 2024), Back to School Brews, and Mother's Day Luncheon. Distribution is single-site, direct service delivery, with families acquired via referrals from homeless shelters, social service partners, and community outreach. The organization rebranded from Atlanta Children's Shelter to Atlanta Children's Day Shelter in 2024 alongside a new FY2024–FY2028 Strategic Plan, and in 2025 reported a 67% enrollment increase, a 90% teacher retention rate, and achievement of Georgia's highest Three-Star Quality Rated certification — building on its 2000 NAEYC accreditation, 1997 UNICEF Atlanta award, and 2016 Martin Luther King Jr. Community Service Award.

Name

Atlanta Children’s Day Shelter

Legal name

ATLANTA CHILDREN'S SHELTER, INC.

Website

https://acsatl.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Atlanta Children's Day Shelter is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Atlanta providing two-generation early childhood education and wraparound family services — including tuition-free parent education, employment support, and play therapy — to children ages birth to five and parents experiencing homelessness in metro Atlanta.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Early Childhood Education & Homeless Family Services

NAICS

Child Care Services (62441)

SIC

Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

Full-Day Childcare Centers (EDACAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Extended Day Programs at Preschools & Childcare Centers (EDACAHAB)

Keywords

• Early childhood education
• Homeless family services
• Two-generation support
• Nonprofit childcare services
• Family self-sufficiency programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Individual donors contribute through the organization's website, in-person donations, and mail donations. The organization maintains a donor database and sends quarterly newsletters to supporters.
2. Corporate Sponsorships and Grants: Corporate partners such as KBP Brands conduct fundraising campaigns. Foundation grants from Herbalife Nutrition Foundation support nutrition programs. Corporate donations from Manhattan Associates, Fidelity National Financial, and others.
3. Fundraising Events: Annual events including Legacy Builders Celebration, Holiday House toy distribution, Back to School Brews, and Mother's Day Luncheon generate revenue and community engagement.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Atlanta Children's Day Shelter is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free early childhood education and wraparound family services to families experiencing homelessness in metro Atlanta. Its two-generation model simultaneously serves children (birth to age 5) with classroom-based early childhood education, meals, therapy, and enrichment, while supporting parents with employment assistance, mental health services, and tuition-free pathways to higher education.

Product overview

Atlanta Children's Day Shelter operates as a two-generation nonprofit organization providing comprehensive services to families facing homelessness in metro Atlanta. The organization offers a core Early Childhood Education Program with Creative Curriculum© Cloud and 7 Mindsets Social Emotional Learning Curriculum, complemented by a holistic Family Services Program comprising the HireUp Employment Program, Pathways to Education Program (partnering with Atlanta Technical College and Georgia Piedmont Technical College), and Steps2Success Program for continued support. Additional services include Nutrition/Wellness/Enrichment, Play Therapy, Summer STEAM Academy, Holiday House gift distribution, Back to School Bash, and the annual Legacy Builders Celebration. The two-generation model, symbolized by the two gears in the logo, focuses on empowering both parents and children simultaneously.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Early Childhood Education Program Full-day early childhood education program for children ages birth to 5 facing homelessness in metro Atlanta, using Creative Curriculum© Cloud and 7 Mindsets Social Emotional Learning Curriculum, with a parent online portal for progress tracking.
• Family Services Program Holistic family support program addressing immediate needs and laying groundwork for self-sufficiency, encompassing mental health support, employment assistance, and educational opportunities for parents experiencing homelessness.
• HireUp Employment Program Employment program providing professional workshops, one-on-one sessions, and corporate partner connections to help parents experiencing homelessness secure sustainable, high-paying jobs.
• Pathways to Education Program Education program partnering with Atlanta Technical College and Georgia Piedmont Technical College to enable parents experiencing homelessness to pursue further education tuition-free, enhancing job prospects and long-term success.
• Steps2Success Program Continued support program for families who have achieved housing and employment milestones, providing continuous case management, skill-building workshops, and community resources for long-term stability.
• Nutrition, Wellness & Enrichment Services Comprehensive nutrition, wellness, and enrichment program providing two healthy meals and two snacks daily, mental health screenings, trauma recovery support, onsite play therapy, music therapy, physical education, and educational field trips.
• Summer STEAM Academy Summer program incorporating Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math activities through hands-on experiments and field trips to build critical thinking and problem-solving abilities for children enrolled in the shelter's programs.
• Play Therapy Program Therapeutic program helping children process trauma, build resilience, and create secure attachments through play, delivered by dedicated play therapists Morgan and Rebecca.
• Holiday House Annual toy and gift distribution event serving Atlanta Children's Day Shelter families and families from community partners, serving over 1,000 children across hundreds of families.

Quantifiable outcome

• Served over 5,000 families and nearly 8,000 children since 1986
• +3 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• KBP BrandsflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Conducts annual fundraisers selling $1 coupon books at KBP-owned KFCs. 2024 Spring fundraiser raised over $70,000, fully funding Toddler 2 classroom for one month and providing utilities for 20 families for one year. Over 12 years, has contributed over $1.6 million.
• Junior League of AtlantaflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1986Founded as a 70th anniversary project of the Junior League of Atlanta, partnering with North Avenue Presbyterian Church to open as an emergency day shelter.
• Herbalife Nutrition FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides generous grant funding for the Early Childhood Nutrition Program, ensuring every child enrolled receives two healthy meals and two healthy snacks each day.
• Active Resilience Counseling & CoachingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides mental health screenings, trauma recovery support, and onsite play therapy for children. Their Clinical Director Nia Baker participates in Legacy Builders Celebration panels.
• Training and Counseling CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides cost-free therapy services onsite and virtually for parents facing homelessness as part of the Family Services Program.
• Atlanta Technical CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with the Pathways to Education Program to enable parents to further their education tuition-free, enhancing job prospects and empowering long-term success.
• Georgia Piedmont Technical CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with the Pathways to Education Program to enable parents to further their education tuition-free.
• Bright from the StartminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides inclusion services for children with special needs including in-house hearing and vision screening, behavioral intervention, and advanced individualized group play therapy.
• Georgia State UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupports STEM/STEAM Academy enrichment programming and hosts occupational therapy doctoral students for capstone projects at the shelter.
• Mercer UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with doctoral students in the Counselor Education & Supervision Department for Trauma-Informed Care Training, increasing staff awareness of traumatic stress symptoms.
• Tippi Toes East AtlantaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides weekly dance lessons including baby ballet and preschool ballet, tap, and jazz classes, creating an inclusive space for physical and creative development.
• The Science WhizminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides hands-on science experiments and activities for Summer STEAM Academy, transforming classrooms into bubbling labs of discovery.
• The Cereal LabminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides ice cream experiments and creative activities for Summer STEAM Academy, teaching science through sweet treats.
• The Celebratory StoryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsored Mother's Day Luncheon with $5,000; provided skincare products, self-care items, books, and self-protection alarms for moms. Hosted by Weston Cox.
• D'Juan's New Orleans BistrominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided thoughtful gifts for the Polar Express Experience holiday event for shelter children.
• Fidelity National FinancialminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOffice fundraiser in December raised $3,600 with company matching gift for a total $7,200 impact.
• Manhattan AssociatesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMade a generous donation helping provide one student with 120 days of quality early childhood education.
• Warner Brothers DiscoveryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVolunteer team visited as part of Global Services Day, bringing storytelling and smiles to children through a partnership with Center for Puppetry Arts.
• Center for Puppetry ArtsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Warner Brothers Discovery volunteers for Global Services Day storytelling event.
• Chick-fil-AminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDonated chicken nugget trays, snacks, and desserts for Week of the Young Child celebration activities.
• North Avenue Presbyterian ChurchflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerOriginal founding partner. The shelter moved to the Vernon Broyles Ministry Center at North Avenue Presbyterian Church in 1995-1996.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Horizons for Homeless Children: Massachusetts-based nonprofit operating a two-generation model that provides early childhood education and family support to children and parents experiencing homelessness, closely mirroring ACDS's mission and service mix. Highly comparable in target population, program design, and operating philosophy.
• Nicholas House: Atlanta-based nonprofit providing housing and comprehensive wraparound services to families experiencing homelessness, including early childhood programming. Most direct Atlanta-market peer given overlapping service area and similar two-generation approach.
• Project HOPE Atlanta: Atlanta nonprofit (formerly Travelers Aid) delivering case management, shelter, and family stabilization services to individuals and families experiencing homelessness. Comparable in geography, donor base, and family-focused service model.
• Mary Hall Freedom House: Atlanta-based nonprofit providing housing, recovery support, and family services to homeless women and children, including early childhood education components. Same metro area, same client demographic, with overlapping corporate and foundation donors.
• Family Promise: National nonprofit network mobilizing community resources to help families experiencing homelessness achieve sustainable independence through shelter, prevention, and stabilization programs. Comparable mission, multi-stakeholder model, and family-centered approach, though operating at national rather than single-site scale.
• HOPE Atlanta: Atlanta-area nonprofit providing emergency assistance, housing, and supportive services to individuals and families facing homelessness and poverty. Comparable service mix and target population, drawing on the same regional funding ecosystem.

Broad incumbents

• Atlanta Mission: Largest provider of homeless services in metro Atlanta, offering emergency shelter, recovery programs, and workforce development across multiple sites. Overlaps in client population and Atlanta corporate donor base, but broader scope and significantly larger scale than ACDS.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ACSATL
• Facebookfacebook.com/AtlantaChildrensDayShelter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/atlanta-childrens-day-shelter

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Atlanta Children’s Day Shelter