MUST Ministries
MUST Ministries is a Marietta, Georgia nonprofit founded in 1971 that delivers food, housing, healthcare, workforce development, and clothing services to residents in poverty across eight metro Atlanta counties, serving over 54,000 people annually.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1971
- HeadquartersMarietta, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What MUST Ministries does
MUST Ministries is a nonprofit social services organization founded in 1971 and headquartered in Marietta, Georgia, that serves residents experiencing poverty across eight counties of metro Atlanta. Its core programs span food distribution (over 2.3 million pounds of food annually and 500,000+ summer lunch meals), emergency and transitional housing (180,000+ safe shelter nights), workforce development (801 jobs placed, generating $28.9 million in client economic impact), clothing assistance, and integrated healthcare delivered through the newly opened MUST Care Clinic. In fiscal year 2025 the organization reported serving more than 54,000 people, and total annual reach is consistently reported above 65,000 individuals across its multi-county footprint.
The organization operates from seven physical locations, including Hope House (a 136-bed facility opened in 2022), the new Marietta headquarters (2023), the MUST Care Clinic (2025), and the forthcoming Kendall House (slated for 2026). Its funding model blends individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and foundation grants, supplemented by signature fundraising events such as the Gobble Jog (10,000+ runners) and the annual Giving Gala (raising more than $330,000). Major institutional supporters include the Bezos Day 1 Fund ($5 million grant), Kroger (combined grants exceeding $540,000), Wells Fargo, Kaiser Permanente, Coca-Cola, Cumulus Media, and Eastchester Family Services.
According to Charity Navigator, MUST Ministries directs 87-89 percent of expenditures to direct client services and holds a four-star rating with 100 percent accountability and transparency scoring. With 51-100 employees and a high-volume, multi-county service footprint, the organization functions as a regional multiservice operator whose scale metrics imply an annual operating budget in the tens of millions of dollars. Its underlying platform is operationally, not technologically, differentiated: it relies on physical infrastructure, paid staff supplemented by volunteers, and a distributed donor base rather than on proprietary technology or monetization mechanics.
MUST Ministries firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- MUST Ministries
- Legal name
- MUST Ministries
- Website
- https://mustministries.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1971
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- MUST Ministries is a Marietta, Georgia nonprofit founded in 1971 that delivers food, housing, healthcare, workforce development, and clothing services to residents in poverty across eight metro Atlanta counties, serving over 54,000 people annually.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
MUST Ministries industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Human Services Nonprofit
- NAICS
- Community Housing Services (62422), Community Food Services (624210), Temporary Shelters (624221), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC), Food & Nutrition Assistance Programs (BPAIAKAF), Food Assistance & Nutrition Relief (Emergency Feeding) (BPAGAAAD)
Keywords
Where MUST Ministries is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Marietta
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices6 records
Markets served
MUST Ministries business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: Monetary gifts from individuals supporting the mission through one-time or recurring donations via online portal, mail, or stock transfers
- Corporate Sponsorships & Grants: Financial support from corporations, foundations, and government entities for specific programs and operations
- Fundraising Events: Revenue from events including Gobble Jog race, Giving Gala, and golf tournaments
- In-Kind Donations: Donated food, clothing, household items, and other goods distributed to clients
- MUST Marketplace Thrift Store: Resale of donated goods at MUST Marketplace thrift store in Roswell, with proceeds supporting operations
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels11 records
MUST Ministries product offering
Product offeringCore offering
MUST Ministries delivers free, integrated social services to low-income and homeless individuals and families across metro Atlanta. Core offerings include food assistance (pantries, mobile pantry, summer lunch, senior food), housing (emergency shelter, permanent supportive housing, rapid rehousing, rental assistance), healthcare through the MUST Care Clinic, workforce development training, clothing distribution, and the Christmas Toy Shop, all supported by a centralized donation center and the MUST Marketplace thrift store.
Product overview
MUST Ministries operates as a multi-service nonprofit organization offering an integrated portfolio of social services to metro Atlanta families in need. The organization provides Food Programs (pantry, mobile pantry, neighborhood pantries, Summer Lunch, senior food), Housing (Hope House emergency shelter, Permanent Supportive Housing, Rapid Rehousing, rental assistance), Healthcare (MUST Care Clinic), Workforce Development (job training, resume assistance, computer training), Clothing Assistance, Christmas Toy Shop, and operates MUST Marketplace thrift store. Services are delivered across 7 physical locations in Cobb and Cherokee counties, with neighborhood pantries in 18+ schools. Programs work together to serve the whole person and break cycles of poverty.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Food Programs Comprehensive food assistance including food pantries at 3 Client Services locations, Neighborhood Pantries in Title 1 schools, the Mobile Pantry program, the Summer Lunch program, and the Senior Food Program delivering monthly grocery boxes. Designed for food-insecure families, children, and seniors across metro Atlanta.
- Housing Programs Integrated housing services for individuals and families experiencing homelessness or housing instability, including emergency shelter, permanent supportive housing, rapid rehousing, tenant-based rental assistance, and hotel vouchers. Designed for homeless and at-risk populations in metro Atlanta.
- MUST Care Clinic Free primary and behavioral healthcare clinic operated in partnership with Eastchester Family Services, open Monday through Wednesday, 9 AM to 5 PM at 1260 Cobb Pkwy N, Marietta, GA. Provides referrals, case management, prescriptions, and transportation support for uninsured or underinsured clients.
- Workforce Development Career training services including skills development, resume writing, job interview practice, computer training, industrial certifications, and career assessments. Designed for unemployed and underemployed individuals seeking to enter or advance in the workforce.
- Clothing Assistance Free clothing distribution for qualified individuals, including weekly clothing for homeless individuals, work clothes, shoes, and linens distributed through client services donation closets. Designed to restore dignity and support employment for clients in need.
- Summer Lunch Program Summer meal program for children who rely on free and reduced lunches during the school year. Serves 7,500+ children across 8 counties during June and July, providing 500,000+ meals annually to address food insecurity when school is out of session.
- Christmas Toy Shop Annual holiday gift program serving 6,000+ children ages 0-18. Eligible families shop for new toys, blankets, hats, scarves, gloves, underwear, socks, and games at no cost, providing holiday support for low-income families.
- MUST Marketplace Secondhand thrift store offering gently-used items at discounted prices. All proceeds support MUST Ministries programs. Open Monday-Saturday, 10 AM - 6 PM at 4651 Woodstock Rd, Roswell, GA.
- Hope House Emergency Shelter Emergency shelter operating 365 days a year, 24 hours a day with 136 beds. Provides safe nights of rest, warm meals through the Loaves and Fishes Community Kitchen (87,000 meals annually), and coordinated entry for housing resources for men, women, and children in immediate distress.
- Donation Center Central receiving location for food, clothing, toys, hygiene, and household item donations. Accepts donations Tuesday-Saturday, 9 AM to 5 PM at 1280 Field Pkwy, Marietta, GA 30066, providing the supply pipeline for client services and MUST Marketplace.
- Rapid Rehousing Federally-funded housing program that intervenes when a family experiences homelessness and helps them return to permanent housing quickly, providing short-to-medium-term rental assistance and supportive services.
- Permanent Supportive Housing Long-term housing assistance program serving individuals and families experiencing chronic homelessness in Cobb and Cherokee counties, providing a stable living environment for more than 150 individuals with ongoing supportive services.
Quantifiable outcome
- 2.3+ million pounds of food served annually
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use MUST Ministries
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
MUST Ministries technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
MUST Ministries partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and major.
- Kennesaw State UniversitycorePartner in the Aspiring Community Entrepreneurs (ACE) program, part of Notre Dame's Urban Poverty and Business Initiative, helping early-stage entrepreneurs from underrepresented backgrounds build sustainable businesses.
- University of Notre Dame - Urban Poverty and Business InitiativecoreNational network program housed at Notre Dame's Keough School of Global Affairs, supporting early-stage entrepreneurs through the ACE Program in partnership with KSU and MUST Ministries.
- KrogercoreMajor food security partner with $207,000 donation over two years and additional $339,432 donation to expand Neighborhood Pantry program. Kroger supports school pantries at Hank Aaron New Beginnings Academy, Long Middle School, South Atlanta High School, Cherokee High School, Dunleith Middle School, Marietta Sixth Grade Academy, Marietta Middle School, and Cobb Horizon High School.
- Batson-Cook ConstructionsupportingWorked with MUST to build Kendall House, transforming an office building into a home for homeless families in Canton, Cherokee County.
- Eastchester Family ServicescoreMedical provider partner for the MUST Care Clinic, providing free behavioral and primary healthcare services to neighbors in need at the clinic located at 1260 Cobb Pkwy N, Marietta, GA 30062.
- Cumulus Media Atlanta / New Country 101.5majorRadio station partnership making MUST their nonprofit of choice, providing hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of awareness coverage, on-air appearances, and advertising at no cost to MUST.
- Woodstock City ChurchcoreChurch partner through Be Rich Campaign, funding Summer Lunch program (251,424+ sack lunches), school food pantry program (24 schools), Save It Forward program (330 families monthly), and housing assistance for Cherokee County residents.
Scale indicators13 records
Recent moves11 records
Expansion highlights5 records
MUST Ministries competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Atlanta Community Food Bank: Regional food bank distributing millions of pounds of food annually to partner agencies across metro Atlanta and North Georgia. Direct peer to MUST's food pantry, mobile pantry, and Neighborhood Pantry programs in the same service geography.
- Mercy Care Atlanta: Atlanta nonprofit providing integrated healthcare, behavioral health, and supportive housing for homeless and underserved populations. Directly comparable to MUST's Care Clinic + housing program integration, and a long-time collaborator of MUST.
- Atlanta Mission: Atlanta's largest homeless services nonprofit operating emergency shelter, recovery, and transitional housing programs in metro Atlanta. Directly comparable to MUST's Hope House, Rapid Rehousing, and Permanent Supportive Housing offerings in the same geography.
- Nicholas House: Atlanta-based anti-poverty nonprofit providing housing, food, early childhood education, and case management for low-income families. Comparable whole-person integrated model serving the same metro Atlanta geography.
- Hosea Feed the Hungry and Homeless: Metro Atlanta faith-rooted nonprofit providing food assistance, rent/utility help, and emergency aid. Closely overlaps with MUST's food pantry, mobile pantry, and emergency assistance programs serving similar low-income populations.
- Catholic Charities Atlanta: Faith-rooted multi-service nonprofit providing food, housing, refugee resettlement, and family services across metro Atlanta. Closely comparable integrated-services model and target population to MUST Ministries.
- Goodwill of North Georgia: Regional nonprofit operating workforce development, retail thrift stores, and community programs across metro Atlanta and North Georgia. Closely comparable to MUST's Workforce Development program and MUST Marketplace thrift store revenue model.
Broad incumbents
- United Way of Greater Atlanta: Regional umbrella that funds and coordinates a portfolio of social services across metro Atlanta. Comparable as a fundraising/distribution layer serving similar populations, though United Way operates as a funder rather than direct service provider like MUST.
- Salvation Army of Greater Atlanta: National faith-based social services organization with a substantial Atlanta footprint operating shelters, food programs, and holiday giving (Angel Tree). Overlaps with MUST's housing and food services but operates across a much broader portfolio nationally.
Regional players
- Habitat for Humanity Atlanta: Regional affordable housing nonprofit operating in metro Atlanta with a home-building model. Comparable on the housing/instability mission but uses a different service model (housing construction/ownership vs. emergency + supportive housing).
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
MUST Ministries social profiles
Digital presenceMUST Ministries financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
MUST Ministries leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
MUST Ministries funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
MUST Ministries M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about MUST Ministries
What does MUST Ministries do?
MUST Ministries delivers free, integrated social services to low-income and homeless individuals and families across metro Atlanta. Core offerings include food assistance (pantries, mobile pantry, summer lunch, senior food), housing (emergency shelter, permanent supportive housing, rapid rehousing, rental assistance), healthcare through the MUST Care Clinic, workforce development training, clothing distribution, and the Christmas Toy Shop, all supported by a centralized donation center and the MUST Marketplace thrift store.
Is MUST Ministries a public or private company?
MUST Ministries is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was MUST Ministries founded?
MUST Ministries was founded in 1971. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is MUST Ministries based?
MUST Ministries is headquartered in Marietta, United States, in the North America region.
How does MUST Ministries make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are corporate Sponsorships & Grants, fundraising Events, in-Kind Donations and MUST Marketplace Thrift Store.
Who are MUST Ministries's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Atlanta Community Food Bank, Mercy Care Atlanta, Atlanta Mission, Nicholas House, Hosea Feed the Hungry and Homeless, Catholic Charities Atlanta and Goodwill of North Georgia. Broad incumbents are United Way of Greater Atlanta and Salvation Army of Greater Atlanta. Habitat for Humanity Atlanta is listed as a regional player.
Does MUST Ministries have an API?
No public API is recorded for MUST Ministries.
What industry is MUST Ministries in?
MUST Ministries's product category is Human Services Nonprofit. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAEAB, Housing Assistance & Homeless Services, with a secondary code of BPAIANAC, Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services. Its NAICS code is 62422 and its SIC code is 8300.