Hunger and homelessness often meet in the same place
Homelessness is a housing crisis, but a person living through it still has immediate needs.
Tonight still comes before permanent housing.
People still need food.
They need water.
They need clean clothes.
They need toiletries.
They need blankets when temperatures fall.
They need someone willing to look them in the eye and treat them like a neighbor.
The need for food assistance reaches far beyond people who are visibly homeless. Feeding America’s latest Map the Meal Gap data estimates that 1,749,800 people in Georgia face hunger, including 548,030 children. That is approximately one in six Georgians.
Nationally, Feeding America reported that nearly 48 million people experienced food insecurity in 2024. Its 2026 report also found that nearly half of people experiencing food insecurity had incomes above the threshold for federal nutrition assistance.
That means need does not always look the way people expect it to look.
Some people are sleeping outside.
Some are in shelters.
Some are living in extended stay motels.
Some families still have a roof but cannot consistently keep enough food in the house.
Some are working.
Some have children.
Some are older adults.
Some are facing homelessness for the first time.
That is why community based organizations remain important.
Who is Lady T?
Teresa “Lady T” Hamilton is the founder of Lady T’s Homeless Ministry, known online as The Homeless Feeder.
Her ministry grew from a personal calling to feed people who were hungry.
Today, the ministry reports serving approximately 800 to 900 people each week throughout DeKalb County and Metro Atlanta. Its current impact reporting includes more than 46,000 meals annually, shelter meals, water distribution, toiletries, clothing, grocery support for families, and outreach to people living in tent communities.
But those numbers only explain part of the story.
The work has continued for 31 years.
Recognition did not create the work. The work created the recognition.
Lady T’s service has been documented outside of her own organization.
FOX 5 Atlanta profiled her ministry in 2023 and reported on her call to feed people experiencing homelessness. In that interview, Lady T spoke openly about the continuing need for volunteers and financial support.
In 2024, Audacy’s WAOK featured Teresa Hamilton and discussed the growth of Lady T’s Homeless Ministry and the challenge of meeting increasing needs across Metro Atlanta.
Her record of service also appears in the official record of the Georgia General Assembly. Georgia Senate Resolution 878 recognized Teresa Hamilton, founder of Lady T’s Homeless Ministry, in connection with the 2018 Nikki T. Randall Servant Leader Award.
Most recently, Ashro published a feature celebrating the ministry’s 31 years of service.
That story included testimony from Derek Boyd, Executive Director of Atlanta Recovery Center. According to the Ashro account, Boyd recalled that when many community partners stopped coming during the beginning of the COVID period, Lady T continued bringing meals to the center.
Ashro also documented a DeKalb County proclamation recognizing Lady T’s decades of community service and declaring July 11 as a day in her honor.
Recognition matters.
Not because recognition is the mission.
It matters because donors deserve evidence that the people asking for their support have actually been doing the work.
31 Years of Showing Up. Help Lady T Keep Showing Up.
Lady T has already spent more than three decades serving people throughout Metro Atlanta. Your support helps make the next meal, the next case of water and the next outreach possible.
What The Homeless Feeder does on the ground
Lady T’s model is simple: Go where the need is.
The ministry does not rely exclusively on people finding their way to a central building.
Its outreach includes people on the streets, people in shelters, residents of extended stay properties, families needing grocery assistance, and people living in tent communities throughout DeKalb County and Metro Atlanta.
According to the ministry’s current impact reporting, its work includes:
- Freshly prepared meals for approximately 800 to 900 people each week
- Hot meals for shelter residents
- Thousands of snacks distributed during outreach
- Bottled water distributed weekly
- Toiletry kits
- Clothing, coats, shoes and blankets
- Grocery assistance for families
- Support for children
- Outreach to tent communities
- Opportunities for churches, companies and individuals to serve alongside the ministry
These are ministry reported figures and should be updated as internal impact records are finalized.
Feeding someone today does not replace the need for housing tomorrow
Meals do not solve homelessness.
Lady T does not claim that they do.
Housing, healthcare, employment, behavioral health services, transportation, benefits assistance, case management and other interventions all have roles in long term stability.
Atlanta itself is investing heavily in housing solutions. City leaders announced a major public investment intended to expand deeply affordable housing and supportive services.
But while long term systems work toward long term solutions, people still wake up hungry.
Immediate relief and permanent solutions do not have to compete.
Communities need both.
A meal can meet today’s need while another organization works on tomorrow’s housing.
A blanket can make tonight safer.
A hygiene kit can help someone walk into a job interview with more confidence.
A case of water can matter enormously to someone spending the day outdoors in Georgia heat.
There is room for practical compassion inside a larger strategy.
Why grassroots ministries matter
Large institutions can create scale.
Grassroots organizations can create proximity.
Lady T’s strength has always been proximity.
She knows where people gather.
She knows many of the communities she serves.
She knows the volunteers.
She knows what disappears from the supply room fastest.
She knows when more meals are needed.
She knows that the person receiving dinner may need socks next week.
That kind of knowledge is built through repetition.
Thirty one years of repetition.
What does your donation support?
Lady T’s Homeless Ministry currently gives donors several ways to participate.
Financial donations help fund meals and community outreach.
Supporters can also contribute clothing, toiletries, blankets, water and other needed items.
Volunteers can assist with preparing and distributing resources.
Churches, businesses and community organizations can become feeding partners.
The ministry’s current giving guidance states that $10 can help provide meals for two people. It also identifies larger giving levels for meals, toiletries, family essentials, community outreach and sponsorship.
The most important number, however, may not be the amount of one gift.
It is the number of people who decide the work is worth sustaining.
Give Once or Become a Monthly Feeding Partner
A gift today helps meet an immediate need. Monthly support helps Lady T plan for the meals and outreach that will be needed next month too.
Atlanta does not need more people looking away
The numbers tell us the need is still here.
The 2026 Atlanta count showed homelessness increasing.
Georgia continues to face widespread food insecurity.
Families are entering homelessness for the first time.
People are sleeping outside while housing systems work to move people toward stability.
And every week, Lady T and her volunteers keep preparing food and taking it where people are.
Thirty one years did not happen because one donor paid for everything.
It happened because people kept helping.
One meal.
One case of water.
One volunteer shift.
One church.
One company.
One sponsor.
One person deciding not to look away.
You can become part of what happens next
Lady T has already spent more than three decades showing Atlanta what consistency looks like.
The next chapter requires people who believe the work should continue.
If you are looking for a way to help people experiencing homelessness in Atlanta, you can make a financial gift, become a monthly supporter, volunteer, organize a supply drive, or become a community partner.
Help Lady T feed the next person.
Donate to Lady T’s Homeless Ministry today.
FAQ
How many people experience homelessness in Atlanta?
Atlanta’s homeless population changes over time. The city’s 2026 Point in Time Count reported a 6 percent increase in homelessness compared with 2025. Forty percent of people counted were experiencing homelessness for the first time.
How can I help homeless people in Atlanta?
You can support organizations providing meals, housing, healthcare, outreach, transportation, clothing and other services. Through Lady T’s Homeless Ministry, supporters can donate money or supplies, volunteer during outreach, organize drives, or become community partners.
Who is The Homeless Feeder in Atlanta?
The Homeless Feeder is the public identity of Lady T’s Homeless Ministry, founded by Teresa “Lady T” Hamilton. The ministry serves people experiencing homelessness and hardship throughout DeKalb County and Metro Atlanta.
How long has Lady T been feeding people experiencing homelessness?
Ashro documented Lady T’s 31 years of ministry and community service during its coverage of the ministry’s anniversary celebration.
Is Lady T's Homeless Ministry a real organization?
Lady T’s Homeless Ministry is registered as a nonprofit organization. Public nonprofit records identify Lady T’s Homeless Ministry Inc. as a 501(c)(3) organization with federal tax exempt status since May 2017. Its EIN is 82 1030263. Public records also include its annual federal filings.
What does Lady T's Homeless Ministry provide?
The ministry reports providing prepared meals, snacks, water, toiletries, clothing, blankets, grocery assistance and other essential resources throughout Metro Atlanta and DeKalb County.
Can businesses sponsor The Homeless Feeder?
Yes. The ministry invites businesses, churches, community organizations and community leaders to become feeding partners or sponsors.
Can I volunteer with Lady T?
Yes. Volunteers can participate in meal preparation, distribution and community outreach. Current volunteer opportunities should link directly from the article to the ministry’s volunteer section.
Where does Lady T serve?
Lady T’s Homeless Ministry reports serving communities throughout DeKalb County and Metro Atlanta, including people on the streets, people in shelters, families and residents of extended stay properties.
What is the best way to support Lady T's Homeless Ministry?
Recurring financial support gives the ministry greater predictability, while one time donations, supplies, volunteer service, church partnerships and corporate sponsorships can also support ongoing outreach.
Verified Nonprofit Information
Lady T’s Homeless Ministry Inc.
501(c)(3)
EIN 82 1030263
Federal tax exempt status since May 2017
2025 Form 990 EZ publicly available
Public records list the 2025 Form 990 EZ as filed May 7, 2026.
About Teresa “Lady T” Hamilton
Teresa “Lady T” Hamilton is the founder of Lady T’s Homeless Ministry, publicly known as The Homeless Feeder. For 31 years, her outreach has focused on providing meals and practical assistance to people experiencing homelessness and hardship throughout Metro Atlanta and DeKalb County. Her work has been documented by FOX 5 Atlanta, Audacy, Ashro and the Georgia General Assembly.
Sources and Reporting
This article combines current public data about homelessness and hunger with Lady T’s Homeless Ministry’s own outreach records. Ministry reported figures are identified as ministry data. Public statistics should link directly to their original or authoritative sources whenever possible. Statistics and impact figures should be reviewed regularly so readers receive current information.
