The Drake House started in 2004 as a Leadership North Fulton class project to address the growing number of homeless women and children in the area. Community leaders gathered donations and volunteers from business and civic leaders, faith-based organizations, Fulton County, the City of Roswell and the United Way of Greater Atlanta to create a non-profit that could address the need.

The doors opened in June 2006, and the center was named The Drake House in honor of Roswell native Mary Drake, a founder of North Fulton Community Charities who advocated for those in need.