Give the Gift of Hope this Holiday Season in honor of family and friends!
In the spirit of holiday giving, we believe in sharing our blessings with neighbors in need. An acknowledgement card will be sent to each friend or family member letting them know you have chosen to honor them through your gift to The Ark.
The Bostic Family
Meet the Bostic family, a hard working household that suddenly found their foundation shaken by a perfect storm of emergencies this year. Like so many of our neighbors, the Bostics were managing a tight budget when the unexpected hit: a sudden rental increase, a devastating car accident, and a stressful period of reduced work hours all compounded their challenges. The financial gap became too wide, putting the security of their home in serious jeopardy. The Ark stepped in to guarantee that this family could stay safely in their home.
The Bostic family's story is a powerful reminder that stability is fragile. Your gift ensures The Ark can be that immediate, life-changing bridge for the next family facing an unexpected crisis.
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How to Give the Gift of Hope
Give a one time Gift of Hope by mailing a check to 640 A Barber St, Athens, Ga 30601
or by clicking the button below
Do you give to The Ark regularly or want to begin? If you are interested in giving continuously, please choose an option below that works best for you! The Ark's Continuous Giving provides essential monthly support. Thank you for your consideration.
To notify friends and family of your honorary donation, fill out the Acknowledgment Form. We will then mail a commemorative card on your behalf.
A plea from the Executive Director
Dear Friend of The Ark,
I am writing to you today with a heart full of gratitude and a sincere appeal for your support, as the need for assistance this year is unlike any we have faced in our 36-year history, making your gift especially important. The reason is simple and heartbreaking: the neighbors we serve are the dedicated, hardworking individuals who work in our hospitals, serve us in our restaurants, teach in our schools, and keep our local plants running, yet they are struggling against overwhelming odds. The numbers are daunting: 8,800 renter households in Athens are “cost-burdened” spending an average of 62% of their income just on housing costs, leaving them with no financial cushion for unexpected expenses. For these families who live paycheck to paycheck, facing soaring rents and persistent inflation, the simple crisis of an unexpected illness, a sudden car repair, or a recent loss of income forces them to make an impossible choice: pay the rent and forgo utilities, or pay the utilities, food, and medicine and risk losing housing. The Ark has seen this crisis firsthand, receiving over 750 requests for rental assistance since the beginning of 2025, marking a 40% increase from last year, with 60% of our neighbors reporting they are at imminent risk of eviction and possible homelessness. This relentless struggle for survival makes it difficult for families to meet their basic necessities with a majority of the neighbors we serve are children whose stability is on the line. This is why The Ark is and has been a dependable anchor for our community. As you read through this appeal, you can see first-hand the powerful stories of how The Ark has helped. Your donation is far more than a simple gift; it is the essential fuel that runs this community safety net, playing a massive role in fostering stability and ensuring our working neighbors can meet their basic needs right here in our community.
Thank you for your belief in The Ark’s mission.
Thank you,
Lucy Hudgens
Executive Director
The Ark United Ministry Outreach Center
"Being part of this program has been a true blessing. The support I received helped me successfully get out of my title loan, which had been a major financial burden. The financial assistance and guidance the program provided gave me the stability I needed to move forward with confidence. I’m truly grateful for the positive impact it has had on my life."
- Mr.P 11/2025
Our Holistic Approach
The Ark fights for neighbors like Mr. P, who was facing a terrifying choice: eviction due to reduced work hours or losing his car—his only way to work—to a predatory title loan. The situation became even more dire when his newly homeless mother and four siblings moved in. The Ark immediately stepped in with rental assistance to secure housing for all six family members. But we knew that wasn't enough. We enrolled him in our Common Wealth Athens (CWA) program, which used an Opportunity Loan to refinance his high-cost title debt into a manageable, low-interest loan. Mr. Parks is now on the road to building real credit and is financially stable.Your donation allows us to be the critical difference between predatory debt and real opportunity, empowering families to not just survive, but to truly build financial resilience.
Keeping Families Housed
This is what your donation makes possible. Ms. T is a dedicated single mother, but when she was sidelined by a serious illness, the financial shock was immediate and devastating. Living paycheck to paycheck, missing those weeks of income meant she was facing eviction, with her two children’s stability hanging in the balance. When The Ark intervened to cover her rent arrears, we didn't just prevent a move; we protected her family's sense of hope and security. Ms. T and her children are safe today because of the compassion of donors like you. Your donation is the lifeline that stops a temporary setback from becoming a permanent disaster.
How your Gift Helps
$400-$600 prevents an eviction
$150-$250 prevents a disconnection
$100-$150 keeps the water running
$25-$50 provides transportation assistance
Your tax deductible donation will be distributed locally in the Athens area to provide emergency financial assistance for our low-income neighbors who are facing a financial crisis.
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Each gift helps working families struggling to meet life’s basic needs. The Ark works tirelessly to keep our neighbors who live paycheck to paycheck housed when they face a financial emergency. Your donation provides more than utilities, rent, food, and other essentials.
With your help, we can provide peace for the restless. Your generosity and compassion makes it possible for all of us, working together, to prevent homelessness and preserve dignity for families in financial crisis.
Your help makes it possible for hundreds of working families remain housed with utilities this winter.