Parkers Kitchen, a nationally acclaimed convenience store company and food service leader headquartered in Savannah, Ga., announced a $1 million donation to Union Mission earlier today to support Union Mission’s new Resource Center, which will be located in the former Family Dollar store at 702 W. Oglethorpe Ave. in Savannah. The new Resource Center will be open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and will focus on providing strategic services and solutions for the area’s homeless population.
Through the Parker’s Community Fund, Parker’s Kitchen donated $1 million to Union Mission to help renovate the existing 8,200 square-foot building at the corner of Fahm Street and Oglethorpe Avenue. Company founder and Executive Chairman Greg Parker also pledged that Parker’s Kitchen will host a series of round-up campaigns to support Union Mission in the future, with the convenience store company matching 25% of all customer donations.
“At Parker’s Kitchen, we know that homelessness is a growing problem in Savannah and want to be part of the solution,” Greg Parker explained. “We think Union Mission’s new Resource Center is an outstanding community model that will encourage people experiencing homelessness to get off the street and access the services they need to help get their lives back on track.”
Construction at Union Mission’s new Resource Center will start in September, with the facility opening to individuals experiencing homelessness in the Spring of 2026.
“We are extremely thankful for the generosity of Greg Parker, his team and the Parker’s Community Fund,” said Union Mission President and CEO Michael Traynor. “The support we have received from Greg and the Parker’s Community Fund has helped us to significantly increase our solutions for those experiencing homelessness in our community. With this commitment, Union Mission will continue to push full steam ahead with our plans to open a center that focuses on outcomes for our area’s homeless. We look forward to paving a new path forward for those who need our assistance getting back on their feet.”
Union Mission’s new Resource Center will offer:
- Expanded Day Center - serving up to 150 attendees daily and including a kitchen, dining space, private space for nursing services, barber shop/hair salon and laundry services to address basic needs. Mobile showers will also be available on-site.
- Supportive Services and Enrichment Opportunities - including counseling, support groups, visiting partner services, workforce training and job placement.
- Intake, Assessment and Housing Program Navigation - including case management, program intake and assessment, connections to resources as well as solutions to housing barriers.
The interiors will be completely renovated, redesigned and reimagined to serve the local community. Earlier this year, Union Mission partnered with the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) to help envision the interior and exterior design of the new Resource Center through the university’s SCAD SERVE Design for Good course, which included students in a wide range of degree programs.
Union Mission opened its current Day Center at Grace House more than two years ago and has filled a critical community need. Unsheltered homelessness was leaving many unhoused individuals with no place to go during the day. In partnership with the City of Savannah and the Chatham Savannah Authority for the Homeless, Union Mission’s Day Center provides support services and warm meals for men and women seeking respite Monday through Saturday.
While initially planning to serve 50 clients daily, the Day Center now averages 119 people daily, with a recent record of 167 individuals. Since opening the Day Center, Union Mission has served 1,551 unduplicated individuals with more than 48,000 total visits and nearly 113,000 additional meals.
The new Resource Center will serve as the next step to bolster Union Mission’s successful Day Center at Grace House.
“We are once again inspired by the faith and generosity of Greg Parker, Olivia Parker and the entire Parker’s team,” said Union Mission Board Chairman William Hunter, a Partner at Oliver Maner LLP. “Their support is instrumental in advancing Union Mission’s long-standing commitment to provide ‘a hand up, not a handout.’ This gift, combined with the strong leadership of Michael Traynor and his team, gives us the opportunity to build something truly worthy of our city and the incredible momentum we’re seeing across our community.”
Union Mission is a local nonprofit organization dedicated to caring for the homeless community and offering emergency, transitional and permanent housing solutions to those in need.
Through the Parker’s Community Fund, Parker’s Kitchen has donated more than $30 million over the past eight years to support a wide range of nonprofit organizations in four key areas: supporting education, reducing hunger, expanding access to healthcare and helping injured local veterans.
