In 1971, MUST Ministries began serving our community with groceries for the elderly and a youth outreach program. In the 54 years since then, we have grown into one of the largest nonprofits in Georgia, serving thousands of families annually.
It is through the generosity of countless people and organizations, such as the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation (IICF), that we can provide critical services to nearly 55,000 people a year, more than half of whom are children. Among those services:
- Food: Lack of access to food is one of the most pressing issues facing families in need in Georgia. To that end, through our food pantries in the Georgia cities of Marietta, Smyrna and Canton and other feeding programs across metro Atlanta, MUST delivered more than 3.5 tons of food daily in 2024, serving more than two million meals. This past August, IICF generously donated their time and resources to pack more than 30,000 meals for those navigating food insecurity.
- Housing: Through emergency and supportive housing such as the MUST Hope House emergency shelter, a permanent supportive housing program, tenant-based rental assistance, rapid re-housing and hotel vouchers, MUST provides more than 157,000 safe nights of rest each year.
- Healthcare: Partnering with Eastchester Family Services (EFS), MUST offers free behavioral and primary care for those in need. Additionally, through the efforts of the IICF and others, a MUST Ministries Clinic is scheduled to open shortly in partnership with EFS.
- Clothing: We know that lack of access to proper clothing can prevent a person from gaining employment or staying warm in the cold, winter months. MUST helps keep our clients well-dressed with both new and gently used clothing. In 2024, we were able to distribute more than 150,000 articles of clothing, shoes, workwear and linens.
MUST also supports the community through a free summer lunch program in the months of June and July, and a Christmas Toy Shop at the end of the year, where parents of eligible children can shop for the holidays at no cost to their families. Last year, the Toy Shop program provided an average of 10 gifts to nearly 7,000 children.
While the vital programs and numbers behind them speak volumes, it is the people receiving those services who are the foundation of our initiatives and illustrate our success. Single mother Kim was living with her three sons after escaping a bad situation when their rental home was suddenly put up for sale, forcing her family’s eviction. Further, health issues had forced her to leave her job. But then, a co-worker reminded her about MUST, to which Kim had previously donated clothing.
“Thanks to the Rapid Rehousing program, I received a hotel voucher and soon got a job across the street,” she said. “I was quickly promoted and getting stabilized, so MUST was able to help me lease a duplex by paying my deposit and first month’s rent. That changed my life. That’s all I needed. I am now able to sustain my family. I don’t even know how to put it into words. MUST saved my life.”
And that’s just one of our many success stories of the lives that MUST has helped change positively.
We are able to help so many people because nearly 90% of funds go directly to serving local families. We have also earned a 100% score from Charity Navigator, which, through research, analysis and constituent feedback, develops ratings for nonprofit organizations that are both analytical and responsive.
As we enter IICF’s Month of Giving, please consider how valuable your support is to organizations like ours. For more information about MUST Ministries, please visit www.mustministries.org.
Click through the slideshow above to see some of the work being done by More Ministries and its volunteers.
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