The head of the primary nonprofit food bank in Atlanta has been tapped to lead Downtown’s prominent community improvement group.
Courtesy of Kyle Waide
Incoming Downtown Atlanta Inc. President Kyle Waide
Atlanta Community Food Bank CEO Kyle Waide will take the reins of Downtown Atlanta Inc., the organization formerly known as Central Atlanta Progress, from A.J. Robinson on Dec. 1, according to a press release.
Robinson announced in April that he intended to retire from the organization after 23 years at the helm. Downtown Atlanta previously selected Boardwalk Consulting to conduct a new leader search.
Waide’s ability to bring together stakeholders, drive fundraising and revenue growth, and influence politicians will be key for the organization under his new leadership, Integral Group CEO Egbert Perry, who led the search committee for Downtown Atlanta, said in the release.
“When we met Kyle, we saw his vision and his plans for Downtown Atlanta. It became clear that Kyle is the right person at the right time to lead Downtown Atlanta Inc.,” he said.
The leadership transition comes as Downtown Atlanta undergoes multibillion-dollar revitalization projects, including CIM Group’s planned $5B Centennial Yards district. The city at the same time has been trying to stem the exodus of corporate tenants to other parts of the city as it deals with its homeless population and tackles an increasing need for affordable housing.
Waide said seeking ways to address homelessness will be one of his first priorities at Downtown Atlanta.
“I do think my job at the top of this organization is to represent the business community,” he said in an interview. “But to do that effectively is going to require a very collaborative approach that seeks to build coalitions with a variety of stakeholders, not just the business community.”
Downtown’s homeless population jumped 6% this year from last year’s point-in-time count, according to a study conducted annually by the nonprofit Partners for Home, as evictions rise and cost-of-living increases outstrip wage growth.
Waide, who led the food bank since 2015, has shepherded the nonprofit through a surge in demand, from serving around 170,000 people per month at the peak of the pandemic to around 255,000 people per month this year, according to Capital B News. Waide said inflation, rising fuel and grocery costs, and changes to government assistance programs are creating more insecurity among Atlanta households, and more than 25% of those seeking help at the food bank are first-time recipients.
People are “spending an extra $100 a week on gas or groceries, and if you’re making $60K a year, that’s 10% of income you’re having to replace to stay even,” he said. “People can’t afford to live the way they could six years ago.”
Waide said he wants to expand services focused on addressing homeless populations, “but do so in a way where it’s not all concentrated in Downtown Atlanta.”
Kyle Kessler, a local architect and chair of the neighborhood planning unit that covers Downtown, applauded the organization’s selection.
Waide’s record at the food bank “shows someone who can execute at scale with equity in mind,” Kessler, who has lived in Downtown Atlanta for 20 years, said in a text to Bisnow.
“Still, my optimism comes with a resident’s caution. The real test will be whether his tenure centers on the people who live downtown, not just those who work or visit here.”
Robinson oversaw massive investments taking shape during his tenure at the organization, plus the city’s World Cup events, Atlanta City Council Member Jason Dozier said.
But bringing in Waide provides Downtown Atlanta with someone who can not only cheerlead economic development in the area but also advocate for social issues like housing and affordability, Dozier said.
“Having someone who has experience in this space … I think provides a unique and fresh approach from an organizational standpoint. I see that as an additive thing,” he said.
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