Get help
Need a place to stay?
You do not need an appointment, a referral, or any paperwork to talk to us. Call, or fill out the short form below. A real person will call you back.
Mon–Fri, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM. Central and Mountain time. Voicemail is checked the next business morning.
If you are in danger right now
Call 911. For a crisis or if you are thinking about hurting yourself, call or text 988 — it is free and open 24 hours. For shelter tonight anywhere in the U.S., dial 211.
We are open Mon–Fri, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM. We are not a 24-hour emergency shelter, but we will always help you find one.
What you get
Help that does not stop at the front door
A safe place to stay
A shared, furnished, substance-free room you can afford on a fixed income. Short stays and long stays. You will not be put out on a timer.
Someone in your corner
If you want it, a case manager sits down with you, writes a plan with you, and checks in. Offered separately from housing — your choice, either way.
Help getting back to work
Resume, practice interviews, job search, and computer classes if you need them.
Food and benefits
Food help now, and help filling out benefits paperwork so it actually gets approved.
ID and documents
Birth certificate, state ID, Social Security card. We know the steps and we will do them with you.
School or training
GED, a trade program, a certificate, or college. We help you find it and apply.
All of this is free to you. The housing is one program and the support services are another — you can ask for either, or both. How the housing works.
Straight answers
Who we can help — and who we cannot
We put this in writing so nobody waits weeks for a "no."
We can usually help if
- Adults 18 and older
- Adults with limited or fixed incomes, including Social Security or disability income
- Veterans receiving benefits
- Adults transitioning from another program or living situation
- People who can live independently in a shared, substance-free home
We cannot take
- Anyone who needs 24-hour medical or nursing care
- Anyone who needs personal care, supervision or clinical treatment on site
- Anyone whose current situation makes the home unsafe for other residents
- Situations where a court order or registry restriction prevents placement at our address
If we are not the right fit we will tell you quickly and point you to someone who is. We never leave a person with nowhere to call.
What happens next
Four steps, start to move-in
You reach out
Call or send the form. Three minutes, and you can skip anything you do not want to answer.
TodayWe call you
A real person calls to hear what is going on. Nothing to prepare and no documents needed yet.
Within 1 business dayShort screening
About 20 minutes, on the phone or in person. We answer your questions too.
About 20 minutesMove in
If a room is open we set up your intake and confirm your move-in date in writing. If you want help from an ATO program too, we arrange that separately.
As soon as a bed opensThe short form
Tell us how to reach you
Three screens. Only your name and a way to reach you are required. Skip anything you would rather say on the phone.
Would rather talk? Call (202) 491-3155 or email support@getato.org.
Common questions
Things people ask us
Does it cost anything?
No. Our services are free to the people we serve. If a program has a requirement, we tell you before you agree to anything.
Do I need an ID or paperwork to call?
No. Call first, bring nothing. If you need an ID or documents, helping you get them is part of what we do.
Can I bring my children?
Tell us on the call. Space for families depends on the location and what is open. We will be straight with you about it.
What if I have a record?
Talk to us. A record by itself is not an automatic no. There are a few restrictions we cannot get around, and we will tell you exactly what they are.
What if you are full?
Right now beds are open in both Houston and Phoenix — for men and women, $700–$1,200 a month per bed. If a bed is full when you call, we keep a waitlist and call people as beds open, and we will refer you to other programs the same day so you are not waiting on us alone.
Do you speak Spanish?
Yes. Call (202) 491-3155 and ask for Spanish, or visit our página en español.
Is my information private?
Yes. What you tell us stays with our intake team. We do not sell or share it. If you want us to talk to a case manager or family member on your behalf, we ask you first.