United Way of Greater Atlanta connects people across 13 metro Atlanta counties to help through 2-1-1, free tax preparation, and grants to local nonprofits. It launched the first 2-1-1 helpline in the United States. Here is what it does, how to get help, and how to give.
The affiliate raises money and directs it to local nonprofits and programs that address basic needs, child well-being, and family financial stability across the Atlanta region. Rather than running one service, it funds a network of partners and operates shared resources like the 2-1-1 helpline that any resident can use.
Its 13-county service area covers Butts, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, Paulding, and Rockdale counties.
The fastest way to reach help is 2-1-1, a free and confidential line that connects callers to food, housing, utility assistance, childcare, and other services. United Way of Greater Atlanta operates it and maintains an online community resource database alongside the phone line.
| Program | What it does |
|---|---|
| 2-1-1 helpline | Free, confidential connection to local food, housing, utility, and childcare resources; the first 2-1-1 in the nation. |
| VITA free tax prep | IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance for households earning up to about $60,000, across the 13 counties. |
| ALICE research | Data on Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed households who work but cannot afford the basics. |
| Community resource database | An online directory of vetted local services, searchable any time. |
Free tax preparation through VITA can return credits like the Earned Income Tax Credit to working families without the cost of a paid preparer.
United Way uses the ALICE framework, which stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed, to describe households that earn above the federal poverty line but still cannot cover housing, childcare, food, transportation, healthcare, and technology. The data shapes where the affiliate directs grants in the Atlanta region.
The point of the research is practical: it shows how many working households are one setback away from crisis, which helps direct funding toward prevention rather than only emergency response.
You can donate directly, give through a workplace campaign, or designate a gift to a specific cause. Donations support the affiliate's grants to local nonprofits and its shared services like 2-1-1.
Volunteers help in several ways, including becoming IRS-certified to prepare taxes for free through VITA. United Way of Greater Atlanta holds a four-star rating from Charity Navigator, and its EIN for tax-deductible gifts is 58-0566194.
The first 2-1-1 in the U.S., connecting callers to local services.
Free tax filing for households earning up to about $60,000.
Data on working households that cannot afford the basics.
Funding directed to local partners across 13 counties.
An online directory of vetted local services.
Payroll campaigns that fund the affiliate's work.
Sources: United Way of Greater Atlanta (unitedwayatlanta.org) 211 and VITA pages; Charity Navigator and ProPublica (EIN 58-0566194). Retrieved June 2026. We are not affiliated with United Way of Greater Atlanta and receive no compensation for this listing. Spotted an error? [email protected]
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