Instead of locking the doors on campuses it no longer needs, Atlanta Public Schools is trying something different. As enrollment declines and buildings consolidate, the district is turning at least one closed elementary school into a neighborhood lifeline where families can get free groceries, clothing and a host of support services under one roof.
The first Student and Family Support Hub, set up in the former Oglethorpe Elementary, now runs a department-style store and a Goodr grocery that district leaders say are designed to keep long-time school buildings buzzing with activity. Families are already coming in for school registration help, job fairs and other wraparound services, and officials say similar hubs will open in other closing campuses over the next few years.
Inside the hub
The Student and Family Support Hub features a department-style store stocked with new and gently used clothes, household items and school supplies, all free to APS families, according to Atlanta Public Schools. The campus also houses a Goodr grocery that offers both fresh and shelf-stable food to families by appointment, and the district lists services such as school registration, transcript pickup and passport assistance among the on-site offerings.
The Hub is open on weekdays and takes donations through an online wishlist so shelves stay filled. APS officials note that the building also includes event and youth activity space that community partners can reserve, turning the old school into a multipurpose spot instead of a vacant shell.
New strategy to soften school consolidation
District leaders describe the hubs as a way to turn a tough process into a community gain, converting closed schools into neighborhood assets instead of padlocked properties. Chelsea Montgomery, APS’s advisor for operational efficiency, told WSB‑TV that the concept started out as “a scribbled note,” the kind of back-of-the-paper idea that eventually grew into a full-fledged program.
Superintendent Dr. Bryan Johnson has described the hub as a place “where barriers are removed and dignity is restored,” signaling that the district sees this as more than a simple reuse of real estate. WSB‑TV reported that APS plans to place seven additional hubs at schools scheduled to close in the coming years. Reporting by the Southerner details the district’s Forward 2040 recommendations and building utilization figures that fed into those closure and repurposing decisions.
Partners, scale and why it matters
Community partners are helping power the first hub. Goodr and other local organizations worked with APS to launch the free grocery and market, as WABE reported when the store opened in late 2024. District leaders say the concept ties into broader goals to seed community hubs across school clusters and to concentrate wraparound services where families already live and gather.
Officials frame the effort as both a near-term boost for families, with access to food, clothing and registration support, and a longer-term strategy to preserve neighborhood access to early-childhood programs, youth activities and job resources even as school boundaries and grade configurations shift.
How families can use the hub
Families use the Hub by booking appointments for both the Goodr grocery and the department-style store. APS Today shared details after the ribbon-cutting on how families can sign up for slots and how community partners can donate items to keep the racks and pantry stocked.
District leaders say the hub network will grow gradually, with specific locations and timelines for the seven additional hubs to be announced as planning advances and outreach with neighbors continues. Parents, caregivers and service providers who want to donate or reserve hub space are being directed to the district’s community engagement channels for up-to-date schedules, needs and contact information.
