Meet Daniel Troppy of YIMBY Georgia

Today we’d like to introduce you to Daniel Troppy.

Daniel, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
In 2015 I picked up a 35mm camera and took classes in the art of photography. Immediately I found my passion for photographing people and soon after, I started photographing our homeless. Before I photographed anyone, I always asked for their permission and then with a notebook & pen in hand, I would ask them to tell me their story. I would develop everything inside a darkroom and before too long, I had a nice collection of portraits along with some amazing stories. Eventually, one by one, they ended up on my Facebook and Instagram page. The very first photo I took and put on social media the next day, I received a donation from a woman (Lisa) from Texas for $20. Lisa wanted me to buy something for the man in the photograph. Each time I posted a portrait photograph of a homeless person, I would receive donations and the donations started to come in. In the middle of February 2020, I turned my project into a 501c3 nonprofit called YIMBY Georgia (Yes In My BackYard) because homelessness is in everyone’s backyard! I used my photography as the force to launch my nonprofit, which always amazes me when I stop to think about it.

Has it been a smooth road?
Launching a nonprofit is never a smooth road!! There are obstacles right and left of you at any given moment but we push through because we want to leave this planet a little better.

We’d love to hear more about YIMBY Georgia.
The mission statement for YIMBY Georgia is to encourage people from all over the city of Atlanta, the state of Georgia and the country to become engaged with their homeless neighbors. YIMBY, Georgia is about creating and nurturing a movement for community and compassion for our homeless neighbors. It is our goal to create a dynamic template for a strong and compassionate coalition of communities that treats the least among us as our neighbors. To see what I am doing (leading by example) and to incorporate it into their communities. It is our mission to energize people to care for their neighbors, our homeless neighbors, to look them in the eyes when they approach, to see them!

Here at YIMBY Georgia, we hand out supplies to people who are experiencing homelessness. Back in September 2019, we received a large donation of backpacks and we took those backpacks and filled them up with supplies such as: toilet paper, body wipes, washcloth, bar of soap, nail clippers, comb, razors, rain ponchos, flashlights, water bottle, socks, hand warmers, antibiotic ointment packs, first aid kits, toothpaste & brush, toiletries and lots of food. The backpacks are very distinguished so every time we see someone carrying one, it brings it back home to us. We also have our orange drawstring backpacks geared especially for women, The act of taking care of our neighbors, introducing them back into our neighborhoods – their neighborhoods and showing them respect is what we do, it is what everyone can do.

How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
With the Covid 19 virus, we had to halt our handing out supplies and focus on the need to get meals out to the homeless. With businesses closed downtown and most shelters on lockdown, we noticed a real need to get food out to the people. Suddenly no one was downtown so there was no one to receive any money from or no place to get any food. The need was alarming, as we all witnessed. Going forward, who knows how this will shake out.

Contact Info:

• Address: 363 Hillside Drive, SW
  Atlanta, GA 30310
• Phone: 404-935-8253
• Email: dtroppy@gmail.com
• Instagram: Instagram.com/danieltroppy
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YIMBYGeorgia/

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