OATH

We believe that everyone needs

a safe place to call home.

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About Us

The Okefenokee Alliance for the Homeless (OATH) is a not-for-profit organization created to fill the service gap that exists for the homeless in Ware, Pierce, and Brantley Counties. OATH evolved from the work of a grass roots organization established by the Ware Children's Initiative in January 2017.

Our mission is to meet the needs of the homeless and precariously housed through a continuum of care that leads to self-sufficiency.

Homelessness is the result of a multitude of issues culminating over time – it does not happen instantaneously, but instead evolves out of precipitating issues. There is no single cause of homelessness and there is no single, simple solution. We serve single women with children, single men with children, families and unaccompanied youth who lack safe and secure housing.

We believe that everyone deserves a safe place to call home.

How OATH Helps

The OATH Navigator works with the homeless or those precariously housed to focus on increasing their housing stability and self-sufficiency. Services include assessment; development of an individualized housing stability plan; acting as a liaison to secure and maintain housing; promotion of employment and training opportunities; a connection to community resources; and advocating on behalf of the client.

We strive to ensure that families exit homelessness permanently.

Homelessness:
A Hidden Issue in Rural Communities

Homelessness in the Okefenokee Region is a hidden crisis. We do not see people with tents under highway overpasses or sleeping in the streets. Instead, we have found the homeless deep in our woods, living in cars, campers, and in small tent communities.

We also know that there are more individuals and families in the region who are living in substandard housing, are doubled up or “couch surfing.” These households are at risk of homelessness. The same factors that contribute to urban homelessness—lack of affordable housing and inadequate income—also lead to homelessness in rural regions just like ours.