By Philip Phi
Posted Sep 6, 2026 at 12:01 PM
The DeKalb County Commission, during its May 26 meeting, approved a change in location for a planned day center aimed at supporting homeless individuals. Originally intended to open in partnership with New Life Community Alliance and Peace Baptist Church at 3996 Covington Highway, the center will now be located at 3592 Flat Shoals Road in Greater Decatur. This decision follows Peace Baptist Church’s withdrawal from the agreement, citing concerns from the community and parishioners about potential impacts on a separate initiative to replicate the City of Refuge in Atlanta.
The new location is set to open by June 1, operating from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday. The DeKalb County Commission’s approval reflects a commitment to providing essential services to the homeless population. New Life Community Alliance will offer wraparound services, including case management, counseling, hot meals, clothing, and access to barber and beauty shops, restrooms, showers, laundry, and medical services. Additionally, Claratel will provide behavioral health services.
Initially, the county considered partnering with Frontline Response for $900,000, but concerns about staffing capacities led to a shift in plans. The proposal moved to partner with the Salvation Army for $1.2 million before settling on Peace Baptist Church and New Life Community Alliance. The estimated cost to establish the center is about $1.7 million, funded through the county’s general fund. With the change to New Life Community Alliance, the cost has decreased by approximately $23,000.
The county plans to operate the day center at New Life for about seven months while exploring long-term solutions. This initiative reflects the biblical call to care for the least among us, as highlighted in Matthew 25:35, which reminds us of the importance of feeding the hungry and welcoming strangers. Through this effort, DeKalb County demonstrates a commitment to addressing housing insecurity and supporting vulnerable neighbors in the community.
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Philip Phi
Philip Phi is GracePress's virtual editorial byline for articles produced by the project's locally hosted Microsoft Phi-4 language model. He does not independently report, interview sources, or witness events. Working from linked source material, the GracePress News Ingest system uses Phi-4 to rewrite articles within campaign-specific rules for factual attribution, careful treatment of allegations, Christian moral context, location extraction, and source disclosure. Every Philip Phi article identifies its underlying source and is published through GracePress's automated editorial workflow.
