East Point unveils ‘Empowered by Getting Ahead’ pilot; human services reports housing and poverty gains

Yolanda Johnson, the city’s Community Social Services Manager in the Office of Equity, Inclusion and Empowerment, told the East Point City Council on Feb. 3 that the department has launched a pilot called “Empowered by Getting Ahead” and is tracking multiple measures to move residents toward self-sufficiency.

The pilot began Nov. 7 and enrolled 25 families; Johnson said the program will run through March and that about five or six families left the cohort by choice. “We assigned them a support coach,” Johnson said. “We divide the residents up, and these are our partners because we want people to feel empowered.”

The presentation gave council members an overview of recent data and program activity. Johnson said East Point’s 2022 population was about 38,100, the median household income rose to $59,006 from about $50,000 in 2021, and the city’s poverty rate has fallen from roughly 28% a decade ago to about 19.8% in 2022. Since September 2021 the human services office has logged 1,691 referrals, Johnson said; the office has housed 315 people and provided services that prevented or mitigated homelessness for about 1,250 households.

The department described core services as rapid rehousing, homeless prevention and intervention (rental assistance), and utility assistance. Johnson said many clients are single parents with three or more children and that workforce-development classes, money-management education, credit restoration sessions and home‑ownership planning are part of the pilot’s package. “We are pointing them in a direction where they are making livable wages,” Johnson said.

Council members questioned program length and follow-up. Council Member Cummings asked how long staff stays engaged with clients; Johnson said the program’s formal follow-up period is six months and can extend to 12 months depending on need. Council Member Fridley asked about the monthly rhythm for cohort check-ins; Johnson said the office conducts monthly meetings and monitors benchmarks tied to employment, housing stability and household budgeting.

Members also pressed about partnerships. Council Member Atkins asked whether staff had established formal partnerships with local nonprofits such as Zion Hill Community Development Corporation; Johnson said the office uses a mix of written partnerships and referral relationships and that some external providers limit direct intake from the city, which forces staff to find alternative resources.

Johnson listed the program’s funding sources presented to council: Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) allocations (including COVID-era ESG funding), Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) allocations, ARPA funds and the city’s general fund. She told council the department passed a recent audit and emphasized documentation practices: every participant receives an intake (“interest”) letter and an exit letter when they leave a cohort.

Why this matters: Johnson framed the pilot as a data-driven effort to close service gaps for vulnerable East Point residents and to reduce repeated crises by connecting residents to jobs and stabilizing housing. Council members praised the office’s hands-on approach and asked staff to continue reporting metrics on placement quality, voucher usage and long-term outcomes.

Johnson concluded by noting the department’s credentials and internal staffing: she identified herself as the community social services manager, said Shannon Armstrong serves as a community liaison, Frank Whitfield is the housing and community development manager, and that the team recently added a program analyst.

Council members thanked staff for the presentation and asked for continued monthly updates with measurable outcomes and for documentation of partnerships and funding sources.