From left, Latin American Association CEO Santiago Marquez, Gwinnett County Chairwoman Nicole Love Hendrickson, Hope Thrive Survive Executive Director Megan VandeBogert and State Rep. Marvin Lim cut the ribbon for the reopening of a homeless shelter in Norcross on Monday, May 19, 2025. (Chamian Cruz/WABE)
As nonprofits grapple with losing federal funding, two in Gwinnett County are teaming up to reopen a homeless shelter for women and children that had shut down for nearly three years.
The revamped space at The Nett Church, located along Jimmy Carter Boulevard in Norcross, offers wraparound services for young people and families who have aged out of foster care, left the justice system or are sleeping in cars.
“We have two bedrooms,” said Hope Thrive Survive (HTS) staff member Mikayla Gmitter during a tour on Monday. “There are 21 beds. This is where our shelter clients will sleep — them and their children.”
Hope Thrive Survive staff member Mikayla Gmitter gives a tour of the new outreach center and drop-in center in Norcross on Monday, May 19, 2025. (Chamian Cruz/WABE)
The organization will manage the site’s drop-in center and shelter, formerly known as The Resting Spot, in partnership with the Latin American Association (LAA).
When the shelter originally opened in 2021, it was the first and only emergency shelter in Gwinnett that catered to women, mothers and their children. However, a flood toward the end of the following year forced it to close, leaving the space unoccupied until now.
LAA CEO Santiago Marquez said the reopening and relocation of his organization’s office from Lawrenceville to Norcross is a dream come true.
“Why? Because Gwinnett County has the largest population of Latinos,” Marquez said. “And this area in particular is about 70% Hispanic. And so for us, the LAA has to be here.”
The collaboration between the two organizations is one example of how nonprofits are pulling their resources together to continue helping the community as it gets tougher for them to raise money.
The Latin American Association has a food pantry with culturally appropriate options, like instant corn flour for tortillas, tamales and empanadas, at its new office in Norcross. (Chamian Cruz/WABE)
The county itself brought just over $1 million to the table for this project. Gwinnett Chairwoman Nicole Love Hendrickson emphasized its importance in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, which she said caused many families in the suburbs to lose their homes and face food insecurity, not just in the city.
“The site is essential because it sits on a transit node, it is in the heart of our community, right off I-85,” Hendrickson said. “Having a culturally [and linguistically] appropriate organization to reach those populations means that we really can move the needle.”
But, according to Marquez, the nonprofits will need more support in order to stay open.
“I would say for next year we would like to raise a quarter of a million dollars from private sources,” he said. “This operation takes about $1.2 million, and it’s going to continue to go up.”
Some LAA grants have already been canceled, while others, including reimbursements, are in jeopardy due to the Trump administration’s federal funding cuts. HTS’s food pantry and mobile food pantry have also been impacted.
But for now, the LAA Gwinnett Outreach Center staff and HTS Youth and Adult Drop-In Center are excited to welcome their first group of clients when their doors open on June 9.
Anyone from Gwinnett County, Clayton County or the city of Atlanta can access the shelter, regardless of race or ethnicity, but it is specifically for 18-to-24-year-olds and their children. They must also be referred through the county’s coordinated entry system.
A clothing closet is available at the Hope Thrive Survive Youth Drop-In Center in Norcross. (Chamian Cruz/WABE)
Once inside, HTS staff will help clients with anything from learning how to cook to making a grocery list to obtaining their birth certificates. Clients can also get case management services or use the facility’s shower and laundry room.
Meanwhile, on the LAA side, staff member Elizabeth Sanchez said clients can access the food pantry, clothing closet or get help with SNAP and WIC benefits, including in Spanish.
“One of the unique things that we try to do is focus on culturally appropriate foods,” she said. “A lot of the individuals that we serve, like we said, are from the limited English proficiency, Latinx individuals, so we try to [provide] foods that they’re actually able to use or typically use in their household.”
