November 3, 2025
The grant program will cover rental payments for eligible families throughout 2026.
FreeRent, a rental assistance nonprofit in Atlanta, has returned for its third year of helping families stay in their homes.
FreeRent has brought back its grant program for renters to keep up with their monthly bills in this time of government cuts and layoffs. The nonprofit officially reopened its rental assistance initiative on Oct. 31, offering families the chance to receive fully-covered rental payments.
Typically, the nonprofit helps families stay afloat by offering one month or more of covered rent. However, this grant program goes the extra mile by providing a year’s worth of rent payments. Families will also receive resources and support to ensure they can remain on track towards financial stability.
The organization emphasized how more people are at risk of losing housing than they realize. FreeRent wants to offer opportunities to alleviate that heavy cost, helping families build generational wealth and thrive in the long-term.
“Just one thing can happen to get them behind [on rent] or on the brink of housing instability,” said Ashley Stewart, Executive Director of FreeRent, according to Saporta Report. “Through this opportunity, through this hand up for a year, we can help them not only stabilize, but build a path for their long-term financial future,” she added.
Eligible participants include those who have active leases within the city limits of Atlanta and have recently experienced a hardship, such as a family crisis or natural disaster. Their household income must also be at or below 80% of the area median income, and hold a rent-to-income ratio at or below 50% as well. Alongside one full-time working adult in the home and a commitment to the FreeRent financial education program, families could have their rent taken care of throughout 2026.
FreeRent has a goal for each of its grant participants to save at least three months of living expenses while covering their rent. A majority of families have reached that goal in past cycles, with one 2025 participant emphasizing the tremendous impact the grant had on her life.
“When they picked me to be one of the participants of the program, I couldn’t believe it. Just getting that type of break — everybody’s always waiting for some type of relief, and in this world it’s very few and far in-between,” said Dwantavia Edwards. “It was overwhelming for someone to even think of me in that way to say ‘hey, this girl needs a break, she needs help.’ And it’s not a handout, it was a hand up, because it’s changed my life tremendously.”
The nonprofit gets most of its funding from the community, raising $460,000 this August from its annual fundraiser. While expanding to other cities, its mainstay in Atlanta helps the area as it grapples with an affordable housing crisis. 11Alive reported data from the Atlanta Regional Commission that confirmed wages have yet to catch up with the rising costs of rents throughout the city.
However, FreeRent hopes to alleviate these issues, if just a little bit, for families hit the hardest by tough times. The nonprofit plans to help 300 families by 2030 as they continue their virtuous mission. People are encouraged to nominate someone they know who could greatly benefit from the program,
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