Quest Community Development Organization Inc

OUR MISSION IS TO CREATE RESILIENT COMMUNITIES AND FOSTER SOCIAL EQUITY THROUGH COLLABORATION AND SERVICE INTEGRATION.

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT:AFTER 5 YEARS OF DEDICATED WORK, THE MOST IMPRESSIVE ACCOMPLISHMENT WAS FULLY LEASING THE QUEST WESTSIDE IMPACT CENTER (QWIC). THE QWIC IS A 30,000 S.F. FACILITY THAT WILL SERVE AS THE CENTRAL HUB OF ATLANTA'S WESTSIDE. THE QWIC DELIVERS HOUSING, SOCIAL SERVICES, AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES TO THE RESIDENTS OF ATLANTA'S WESTSIDE VIA THREE MAIN PILLARS OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT: AFFORDABLE HOUSING, ECONOMIC INCLUSION, AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.

OTHER PROGRAM INCLUDES QUEST FINANCIAL SERVICES AND QUEST ENGAGE.QFS IS A PROFESSIONAL FIDUCIARY FOR THE SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION AND THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION. THE DEPARTMENT HAS ADDED TWO ADDITIONAL OFFICES TO SERVE MORE INDIVIDUALS ACROSS SOUTH GEORGIA.QUEST ENGAGE IS THE AGENCY'S BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, MARKETING, COMMUNITY RELATIONS, AND FUNDRAISING DIVISION. IN 2022, WE EXPANDED THIS DIVISION GREATLY BY HIRING A DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND A MARKETING DIRECTOR. THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE TASKED WITH BUILDING THE QUEST BRAND, INCREASING OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITY COLLABORATION, AND ENHANCING OUR FUNDRAISING CAPACITY. ALSO IN 2022, QUEST LAUNCHED THE WESTSIDE WISE PODCAST (WWP) WHICH PROVIDES A WEALTH OF INFORMATION TO MAINTAIN WESTSIDE ATLANTA'S HISTORICAL LEGACY. WWP IS A VEHICLE TO CREATE CONVERSATIONS IN SEARCH OF SOLUTIONS TO HELP ELEVATE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE ON ATLANTA'S HISTORIC WESTSIDE. ALTHOUGH WWP EPISODES ARE FOCUSED ON THE WESTSIDE OF ATLANTA, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE ISSUES WE ARE BATTLING ARE NATIONWIDE IN EVERY URBAN CENTER AND WE SEEK TO BE A UNIFYING FORCE IN THE FIGHT FOR A BETTER FUTURE FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS AMONG US.

SUPPORTIVE SERVICES:QUEST SEEKS TO REDUCE/ELIMINATE THE HOMELESS RATE IN METRO ATLANTA BY PROVIDING TRANSITIONAL AND PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING. ONE OF THE MAJOR GOALS OF QUEST IS TO ASSIST RESIDENTS TO BECOME ECONOMICALLY SELF-SUFFICIENT. OUR SUPPORTIVE SERVICES STAFF INCLUDES CASE MANAGERS WHO WORK WITH CLIENTS TO IMPROVE THEIR EMPLOYABILITY, INCREASE THEIR INCOME, HELP THEM ESTABLISH BENEFITS. ALL OF QUEST'S CLIENTS BEGIN THE PROGRAM WITH NO INCOME AT ALL OR ARE EXTREMELY LOW INCOME AND FALL UNDER 100% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL. RESIDENTS AT QUEST HAVE BEEN CHRONICALLY HOMELESS AND OFTEN SUFFER FROM THE CO-MORBID CONDITIONS OF MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE. NEARLY HALF OF THEM ALSO HAVE SOME FORM OF PHYSICAL DISABILITY, AND TWO-THIRDS HAVE A CHRONIC HEALTH CONDITION SUCH A DIABETES OR ASTHMA. MOST ARE ESTRANGED FROM THEIR FAMILIES, HAVE LITTLE OR NO SOURCE OF INCOME, AND ARE STILL STRUGGLING WITH THEIR ADDICTION. THEY ARE WARY OF TRUSTING OTHERS, HAVE EXTREMELY LOW SELF-ESTEEM, AND NEED TO RE-LEARN SIMPLE LIFE SKILLS SUCH AS BUDGETING, PERSONAL HYGIENE, AND BASIC JOB SKILLS.TRADITIONAL SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PROVIDERS ADOPT STRINGENT PRE-QUALIFICATION CRITERIA PRIOR TO PROVIDING PERMANENT HOUSING AS A MEANS OF GETTING THE HOMELESS PERSON "READY" FOR HOUSING. SUCH CRITERIA MAY INCLUDE CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS, PRE-DETERMINED TREATMENT GOALS FOR SUBSTANCE ABUSE, MENTAL HEALTH ASSESSMENTS, AND QUALIFICATION FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE. QUEST REMOVES ALL SUCH BARRIERS BY RECOGNIZING THAT HOUSING STABILITY IS THE FIRST STEP TOWARDS ASSISTING CONSUMERS IN ACHIEVING SELF-SUFFICIENCY IN THE SHORTEST POSSIBLE TIME. ONCE HOUSED, QUEST PROVIDES AN EXTENSIVE ARRAY OF SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FOR CONSUMERS WHO HAVE ACQUIRED PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING TO ELIMINATE THE CYCLE OF CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS FOR ALL CONSUMERS WE SERVE. ONE OF THE UNIQUE ASPECTS OF QUEST IS THAT WE OWN AND MANAGE MOST OF OUR PROPERTIES. AS OWNERS, QUEST ENSURES THAT THE PROPERTIES ARE MAINTAINED TO A HIGH STANDARD, PROMOTING A HEALING ENVIRONMENT FOR RESIDENTS.

REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT:IN 2022, QUEST WAS SUCCESSFUL IN ACQUIRING OVER 90% OF CONSTRUCTION CAPITAL FOR THE SIMPSON, HERITAGE VILLAGE, AND HOLLY STREET APARTMENTS, WHICH WILL ADD 281 UNITS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO THE TARGETED GEOGRAPHIC AREA. WE EXPECT TO CLOSE ON THESE PROJECTS BETWEEN 2023 AND EARLY 2024. CONSTRUCTION COMPLETION TIME FRAME FOR THE SIMPSON IS 18 MONTHS, HERITAGE VILLAGE IS 14 MONTHS, AND HOLLY STREET IS 11 MONTHS.