2026 Charity Descriptions

ACCGov Employee Emergency Assistance Fund | www.accgov.com/charitydrive 

The ACCGov Employee Emergency Assistance Fund offers financial assistance to ACCGov employees, retirees and/or dependents in the event of an emergency, serious illness, or other financial hardship situations.

Accountability Courts Foundation | www.accgov.com/accountabilitycourts

Athens-Clarke County’s five Accountability Courts (Felony Drug Court; Treatment and Accountability Court; Veterans Court; DUI/Drug Court; and Family Treatment Court) serve as an alternative to incarceration by providing rigid and successful treatment programs that maintain high levels of participant accountability. Donations to the Accountability Courts Foundation allow us to provide much-needed weekly incentives to participants who are performing well in the programs.


Athens Area Homeless Shelter | www.helpathenshomeless.org 

Athens Area Homeless Shelter (AAHS) has been serving families with children since 1986, guided by the belief that every child deserves safe and stable housing. For nearly four decades, AAHS has focused exclusively on the unique needs of families experiencing homelessness, offering trauma informed care and wraparound support. Programs include Almost Home emergency shelter, Bridge to Home transitional housing for student parents, Going Home rental and move-in costs assistance, and Strengthening Home on-site wrap around family support. Together, these programs help more than 200 parents and children each year move from crisis toward stability, independence, and brighter futures.


Athens Area Humane Society | www.athenshumanesociety.org 

The Athens Area Humane Society rescues and protects companion animals by providing for their wellbeing, uniting them with loving homes, and advocating for a compassionate society. They offer affordable spay and neuter services, humane educational opportunities for children ages 6-14, and a community pet food pantry for pet families in need.


Athens Community Council on Aging | www.accaging.org

ACCA provides a comprehensive resource of expertise and opportunities for adults and families who need and desire to age and live well. They do this by offering programs and services that address basic needs, such as food and transportation, and personal fulfillment. This includes programs like Meals on Wheels, Senior Center, Senior Employment Program and benefits counseling.


Athens Land Trust | www.athenslandtrust.org

The Athens Land Trust provides affordable housing options for low-income families and provides fresh affordable produce for low-income neighborhoods.

Athens Oconee CASA (formerly Children First, Inc.) | www.athensoconeecasa.org 

Athens Oconee CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) is a local non-profit, volunteer organization that provides advocacy for children in foster care. Currently, the program serves less than 70% of children in foster care in Clarke and Oconee Counties. Their goal is to serve 100% of the children and to serve them as soon as they come into foster care.


Athens Recovery Warriors | www.athensrecoverywarriors.org 

The mission of Athens Recovery Warriors is to build a supportive and empowering community for veterans and individuals in recovery through the transformative power of fitness and art. Services include free fitness programs such as weightlifting, kickboxing, yoga, and bootcamps; art activities like creative recovery; and music programs including monthly jam sessions and sober open mic night.


Athens Symphony | www.athenssymphony.org 

Athens Symphony is a volunteer community symphony providing access to quality orchestra music that is both free of charge and appealing to general audiences. They provide 6 concerts per year at no charge for attendees.


Athenspets, Inc. | www.athenspets.net

Athenspets, Inc. is an all-volunteer organization dedicated to helping the animals at Athens-Clarke County Animal Control and reducing pet overpopulation in the Athens area. They allow community members who would otherwise not be able to keep their animals to do so by providing them free spay & neuter services and rabies vaccinations.

ATHICA: Athens Institute for Contemporary Art | www.athica.org 

ATHICA is an independent, nonprofit gallery promoting and supporting innovative contemporary art and artists through exhibitions, education, and events. Founded in 2001, ATHICA is committed to the local art community while bringing in national and international artists.


Bike Athens | www.bikeathens.org 

BikeAthens works to build equity in transportation and believes affordable, accessible transportation is a critical component of social and economic mobility. They advocate for a safe and connected city, repair and donate bikes for people who need them, and teach safe cycling.

Books for Keeps | www.booksforkeeps.org

The mission of Books for Keeps is to inspire joyful experiences around literacy that can be forever associated with learning. Whether through their book access or literacy mentor programs – Books for Keeps seeks to help establish communities where it is understood that books can be used as bridges or gateways to opportunity for every person, regardless of their life circumstances.


The Cancer Foundation of Northeast Georgia | www.cfnega.org

The Cancer Foundation is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to help alleviate the financial burden of cancer for eligible patients. They provide emergency financial assistance for basic life needs such as housing, utilities, food and medications.


Cat Zip Alliance / Campus Cats | www.catzip.org 

Cat Zip Alliance / Campus Cats promotes humane and effective community cat management through TNR (trapping, spay/neuter, and rabies), barn cat, sanctuary, and adoption programs. The organization loans out traps and provides resources to help anyone manage community cats in their own backyards.

City of Refuge Athens | www.cityofrefugeathens.org 

City of Refuge is a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing hope to Athens by meeting the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of people and families who are living in homelessness and/or poverty. They provide lunches, hygiene products, and seasonally appropriate clothing and supplies to the homeless and serve every school in the Clarke County School District with Food2Kids weekend food bags – 1,450 each week.


Clarke County Mentor Program | www.clarkecountymentorprogram.org

The Clarke County Mentor Program provides a trained adult mentor to every student in the Clarke County School District who could benefit from having a listener, friend and role model to help them achieve personal and academic success.


The Cottage Sexual Assault Center & Children's Advocacy Center | www.northgeorgiacottage.org 

The Cottage raises awareness and facilitates the healing of individuals, families and communities affected by sexual violence and child abuse. Services include 24/7 crisis hotline, 24/7 advocacy, forensic medical exams and police reports, forensic interviews, support groups, and more.


Dale Allen Memorial Success Scholarship Fund 

The Dale Allen Memorial Success Scholarship Fund supports accountability court graduates and gives them a hand up towards a better future through post-secondary education. Dale was a longtime supporter of the accountability courts and firmly believed in accountability with compassion.


Family Promise of Athens | www.familypromiseathens.org

Family Promise of Athens works with local congregations, social agencies, businesses, and private donors to provide emergency shelter, food, medical care, and other vital services for homeless families with children and assists them in finding sustainable housing, employment and education.


Food Bank of Northeast Georgia | www.foodbanknega.org 

The Food Bank of Northeast Georgia connects neighbors with nourishing food. They are a food-sourcing organization that gathers donated items and purchased food from local, regional, state, and national programs and retailers and serves human-service agencies, education, and faith-based organizations. Serves 15 counties in Northeast Georgia.


Georgia District 10 Little League | www.ga10llb.org 

Georgia District 10 Little League is the umbrella organization for Athens, Oconee, Barrow, and Hall County little leagues. Dedicated to providing a positive, inclusive, and enriching experience for young athletes, coaches, families, and communities. Mission is to inspire the love of baseball and softball in children while nurturing their development both on and off the field.

Iris Chandler Ministries, Inc. | www.irischandlerministries.com

Their mission is to dedicate time and talent to the community by transforming lives through teaching, empowering, encouraging, and enhancing families at large. They offer mentoring, resources, spiritual counseling, and rental / grocery assistance.


iServe Ministries | www.iserveministries.org

iServe Ministries is a local non-profit that is trying to end generational poverty in Northeast Georgia by meeting practical needs and teaching life skills. They currently offer two feeding programs to help families that are food insecure to have enough food to eat the entire month.


Juvenile Offender Advocate | www.juvenileoffenderadvocateinc.org 

Juvenile Offender Advocate Inc. (JOA) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to advocating in the best interest of juvenile offenders. Their main purpose is to reduce the recidivism rate and poverty level in the Athens-Clarke County community by holding all parties accountable while fostering positive relationships through community collaboration. OAs are appointed by the Athens-Clarke County Juvenile Court and State Court to serve as independent volunteers who advocate for juvenile and state offenders involved in court proceedings.

Leisure Services P.L.A.Y. Fund | www.accgov.com/playfund 

The Athens Clarke-County Leisure Services P.L.A.Y. Fund enhances opportunities for Athens youth by covering expenses for field trips, camp activities, supplies, and outreach efforts. Leisure Services offers hundreds of enriching programs for everyone, from toddlers to teens. Youth can discover the arts, compete in sports, explore nature, and more. Their award-winning camps and programs are designed to provide a healthy, educational environment for all children, ensuring there's a program that fits every interest and age group. Participants will create lasting memories, stay active, and develop new skills, all while their parents have the confidence of knowing their children are in a safe, nurturing setting.

Loran Smith Center for Cancer Support at Piedmont Athens Regional | www.piedmont.org/loransmithcenter 

The Loran Smith Cancer Center for Cancer Support provides education, information and psychosocial support to cancer patients and their family members through individual appointments, educational workshops, support groups and health fairs for early detection and prevention of cancer.


Nuçi’s Space | www.nuci.org

Nuçi’s Space is a non-profit health and music resource center, whose aim is to prevent suicide by providing obstacle free treatment for musicians suffering from depression and other such disorders as well as to assist in the emotional, physical and professional well-being of musicians.


Oconee Therapeutic Riding | www.oconeetherapeuticriding.org

Certified therapists use horses as powerful therapy partners to help children and adults with special needs reach their individual emotional, physical, social, behavioral, and/or cognitive therapy goals. The farm provides a fun, safe environment for riders to learn through therapy sessions that take place on horseback and cannot be duplicated in a clinical setting. 75% of our riders require scholarships to be able to afford this much-needed therapy.


The Ranch at Spirit Ridge (formerly Rescue at Spirit Ridge Farm) | www.therescueatspiritridgefarm.com

The Ranch at Spirit Ridge Farm exists to advance the long-term emotional wellbeing of veterans, First Responders, at-risk children, and persons in addiction recovery. Through meaningful interactions with horses, they foster healthy relationships, emotional awareness, and personal growth.


Salvation Army – Project SHARE | www.accgov.com/projectshare 

The Project SHARE program is a partnership with the Athens-Clarke County Public Utilities Department to provide bill pay assistance for water customers experiencing financial crisis or emergencies.


Skyscraper Athletics, Inc. | www.skyscraperathletic.wixsite.com 

Skyscraper Athletics provides athletic opportunities to youth including strength and conditioning, mentoring and leadership training, and community service.


United Way of Northeast Georgia | www.unitedwaynega.org

The United Way increases the ability of people to care for one another through the combined efforts of volunteers and service providers and to be an effective catalyst in the community-wide effort to provide an improved quality of life for all.