Community Friendship Inc

Pros

• The staff are very caring and helpful to those who use the services.
• The program is wonderful and impactful.
• The organization goes out of its way to help homeless people transition into housing.
• The staff's compassionate and loving guidance has helped families.
• It is described as the best place the reviewers have been, with leadership in mental health.
• The staff are compassionate, uplifting, and patient.
• The organization helps adults, including young adults, with recovery and daily supports.
• The environment is a loving place for people with learning disabilities.
• The organization helps people with medication, housing, and jobs, and offers a daily day program.

Cons

• The place is terrible; they mistreat their clients in major ways.
• A client was left for five days without food due to the neglect of their case worker Mr. Vickery.
• Funds were mishandled and the client was cheated out of funding to help stabilize their life in the community.
• Mr. Vickery exhibited prejudicial, condescending, rude and offensive treatment.
• Mr. Bucko told the client to "suck it up" and "get over it."
• The reviewers described the staff as insensitive buffoons whose licensing should be revoked and their nonprofit status removed.
• One reviewer felt the help received was influenced by race, with the impression that color affected who got assistance.

Review

The collection of comments presents a richly layered portrait of a program that serves as a lifeline for many while prompting strong reservations from others. Across the notes, there is a clear throughline of dedication and care from staff, a sense of purpose that many volunteers and clients draw from, and tangible stories of people moving toward housing, medication, and a more stable day-to-day life. Several reviewers describe encounters that were deeply meaningful: volunteers who felt supported and inspired, clients who found a break in their struggles, and families who witnessed hard-won progress. The tone in these voices is often hopeful, emphasizing kindness, compassion, and a belief that the program can be a turning point for people in crisis.

One recurring thread centers on the humanity and attentiveness of the staff. Reviews consistently praise the staff as caring and compassionate, with phrases like "Very caring staff, and helpful if you use it," and comments about specific team members who left a positive imprint. The appreciation isn't limited to a general sense of friendliness; it's anchored in concrete outcomes - breaks that helped someone begin a personal process, a day-to-day presence that provides structure, and a belief that the staff's guidance is genuinely supportive. The praise extends beyond a single department to a broader sense of leadership within the field of mental health, with reviewers calling the organization "the best place I've ever been" and lauding the leadership that they see as exemplary for others to follow.

The program is also portrayed as a nexus of practical assistance - housing, medication, employment, and continuous day programming - that helps people transition from streets or unstable circumstances into more stable, healthier lives. One reviewer emphasizes that staff "go out of their way to help the homeless people to get off the streets and put into housing," while another highlights the comprehensive approach that includes ensuring access to medications, housing solutions, and daily activities. The emphasis on a structured pathway - case management, group homes, and a day program - paints a picture of an ecosystem designed to support recovery and reintegration, not just short-term relief.

Personal narratives reinforce the program's potential to be a turning point. A reviewer recalls that without family intervention in 2014, they might have remained homeless, underscoring how critical timely support can be. Other comments celebrate dedicated case managers and staffers who provide steady, hopeful guidance to families and individuals navigating difficult trajectories. The language used - "companionate employees," a "loving place for learning ones disabilities," and a sense of being supported in recovery - suggests that for many participants, the program is more than a service; it's a community that reinforces self-worth and progress.

Yet, the collection does not present a uniformly positive picture. There are pointed critiques about cleanliness and organization, with calls for improvements in the facility's upkeep and administrative efficiency. These notes remind readers that even amid meaningful work, there are operational gaps that can affect experiences on the ground. The tension between the admirable intentions of the staff and the day-to-day realities of running a program for vulnerable populations is palpable, with some reviewers expressing frustration that needed changes haven't fully materialized.

Racial and cultural tensions also surface in the feedback, reflecting broader societal dynamics that can seep into service settings. One reviewer expresses the impression that people of color and white clients might experience different treatment, noting the absence of white staff or clients in their observation and describing "racism" as an issue that can affect access to help. The reviewer suggests that biases - whether perceived or real - intersect with the program's mission, complicating how some individuals experience care and support. This thread highlights the importance of ongoing cultural competency, equity training, and transparent practices to ensure that all clients feel respected and able to engage with the services offered.

A particularly stark portion of the feedback centers on allegations of mistreatment by specific staff members. One reviewer describes a severe negative experience in which they say they were left without food for five days due to caseworker neglect, and they recount mismanagement of funds and derogatory treatment. They name a former caseworker, Mr. Vickery, and recount dissatisfaction with a successor, Mr. Bucko, who allegedly dismissed their concerns and urged them to "suck it up." The reviewer frames these experiences as indicative of systemic problems, not mere isolated incidents. While such claims are serious and demand careful scrutiny and accountability, they are presented as part of a broader pattern of dissatisfaction and highlight the need for robust grievance procedures, oversight, and corrective action when staff behavior falls short of professional standards.

Taken together, the reviews paint a nuanced image of a program that has undeniably helped many people move toward stability, housing, health, and a renewed sense of purpose, while also revealing significant areas for growth. The most hopeful messages celebrate compassionate staff, impactful relationships, and successful outcomes for individuals who might otherwise fall through the cracks. At the same time, the more critical voices call for cleaner facilities, better organization, stronger protections against bias, and, crucially, accountability for staff whose conduct or management of recipients' needs falls well short of expectations. The spectrum of feedback underscores a central truth: programs like this can be transformative for some, but they must continually adapt to meet the diverse and urgent needs of all those who seek help, ensuring safety, dignity, and opportunity for every client who walks through their doors.

Pharmacies

• Wayfield Foods (0.3 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (1.5 miles)
• Walgreens (2.1 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (4.3 miles)
• Walgreens (4.6 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (5.8 miles)
• Walgreens (5.9 miles)

Physicians

• Berkeley Medical & Rehab Center (1.2 miles)
• Arnika Dawkins (3 miles)
• Peachtree Orthopedics (5.4 miles)
• Atlantic Premier Obgyn (6 miles)
• Atlanta Gastroenterolgy (6.2 miles)
• Premier South Medical Group (6.2 miles)
• Southwest Atlanta Vascular Care (6.3 miles)

Cafes

• Starbucks (2 miles)
• Chattahoochee Coffee (3.7 miles)
• Cross Creek Cafe (6.2 miles)
• Starbucks Reserve (6.5 miles)
• Starbucks (6.5 miles)
• Starbucks (6.6 miles)
• Panera Bread (6.7 miles)

Restaurants

• McDonald's (2 miles)
• Chick-Fil-A (2 miles)
• Wendy's (2.2 miles)
• Captain D's (4 miles)
• Wendy's (4.2 miles)
• Chick-Fil-A (4.4 miles)
• Bojangles' Famous Chicken 'n Biscuits (4.5 miles)

Parks

• Anderson Park (2.2 miles)
• Trammell Crow Park (3.7 miles)
• Westside Park (3.9 miles)
• Pemberton Place (5.8 miles)
• Grant Park Neighborhood Association (6.9 miles)
• Piedmont Park (7.2 miles)

Transportation

• Signature Flight Support FTY - Fulton County Airport (2.6 miles)
• Marta - Dome/Gwcc/Phillips Arena/Cnn Center Station (5.7 miles)
• MARTA - North Avenue Transit Station (6.2 miles)
• MARTA - Midtown Station (6.5 miles)
• MARTA - King Memorial Station (6.7 miles)
• MARTA - College Park Station (7.1 miles)
• Bus Shed #1 (7.2 miles)

Places of Worship

• Bethel United Methodist Church (3.4 miles)
• East Point Church (6.6 miles)
• The Temple (6.8 miles)

Hospitals

• Grady Memorial Hospital (6.3 miles)
• Piedmont Atlanta Hospital (7 miles)