Hope has a new address in Savannah: Atlanta Gas Light Foundation champions Union Mission’s new resource center

The Atlanta Gas Light Foundation recently welcomed the opening of Union Mission’s Emmaus House Resource Center in downtown Savannah, made possible in part by a $250,000 charitable contribution from the foundation.

The 8,200-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility features an expanded day center, bringing meal distribution and essential services such as health care, counseling and housing services, job support resources and on-site laundry under one roof. It will enable Union Mission to better meet their program goals of helping individuals and families acquire the tools they need to lift themselves out of homelessness and into a brighter future.

Story Highlights:

• The Atlanta Gas Light Foundation contributed $250,000 to help support Union Mission’s new Resource Center for the unhoused community in Savannah.
• The state-of-the-art facility includes counseling and housing services, workforce training, and self-care, laundry and medical spaces in one location.

During the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Union Mission President and CEO Michael Traynor thanked the Atlanta Gas Light Foundation, along with other community donors, for their continued support, which provides hope, help and a path forward for neighbors experiencing homelessness.

“This new, comprehensive one-stop hub is the next step in significantly increasing access to essential services, coordinated care and long-term pathways to housing and stability for our communities and most vulnerable neighbors,” he said.

The need for the new space was driven by rising demand at Union Mission’s Day Center and Emmaus House. Over the past two years, daily attendance at the Day Center has grown by more than 167%, increasing from an average of 80 to 133 individuals per day. In 2025, Emmaus House served 468 unduplicated individuals.

“Atlanta Gas Light and its charitable foundation have a rich history of supporting nonprofit organizations that empower individuals and strengthen our communities,” said Walt Farrell, president and CEO of Atlanta Gas Light. “We’re honored to stand with organizations like Union Mission to help expand access to essential services that address immediate needs and support long-term stability and mobility for our neighbors most in need.”

With the community’s generous support, Union Mission served 2,319 individuals this past year, providing more than 189,000 nights of housing and over 268,000 meals across Southeast Georgia.

"Strong communities are built through collaboration, compassion, and investment,” said Serena Levy, president of the Atlanta Gas Light Foundation. “We are honored to support organizations that address critical community needs and create pathways to opportunity across our service area."