City of Refuge Launches $30 Million Campaign
Atlanta, GA-—Bruce Deel, founder and president of City of Refuge, has announced the ministry’s plan to seek more than $30 million to transform a section of Atlanta, Georgia located in the heart of zip code 30314, one of the poorest communities in the Atlanta area.
Deel, an ordained bishop in the Church of God and graduate of Lee University, began City of Refuge on the premise that, “the people of our neighborhood, especially its children, deserve to live healthy lives with dignity and pride in a safe community with good schools, suitable housing, and plenty of job opportunities.”
“City of Refuge believes that if we approach ministry from an intentional, practical and relational strategy, the opportunity to be engaged in eternal decisions increases dramatically,” Deel stated. “Changing the lives of individuals in our community over the past 18 years has been very rewarding. It is now time for us to initiate the process of changing the community itself and, by doing so, establishing a Best Practices model that can be used in cities around the world.”
Deel assumed pastorate of Midtown Mission Church of God in July, 1997 and started City of Refuge as the outreach arm of the church that same year. COR is now the largest full support housing provider to homeless women and children in the United States and has affiliates sites in Sacramento, Calif., Harrison, Ohio, Chattanooga, Tenn., Dalton, Ga., Cumming, Ga., Athens, Ga., South Hill, Va., Cleveland, Tenn., McDonough, Ga., Dominican Republic, and Jamaica.
Deel revealed that the $30 million plan includes purchase of the vast majority of a 149-acre track around COR to renovate, create green space, add new housing/business, etc. The campaign will launch publicly early next year.
“We are working quietly to raise 50-60% of those dollars in advance of the public campaign and a $3,150,000 given by the Chick-fil-a Foundation is the first large gift we received. As a result of this gift, we have already begun purchasing properties and land in the neighborhood.”
Deel says the neighbors, many of whom they serve, “shouldn’t be forced out by opportunists who will eventually develop high-end residential and commercial properties. Our goal is to enable the residents of 30314 to remain in the community and play a significant role in its transformation.”
Since 1997, City of Refuge has been a vehicle of light, hope and transformation for those living in the Metro Atlanta area. With programs including food, housing, medical/dental, educational and vocational, COR strives to provide the best resources to those on the margin. This is accomplished with the primary purpose of equipping individuals with resources to overcome obstacles and move to a place of independence and self-sustainability.
In 1970, an Atlanta organization called “Mission Possible” started a feeding program in downtown Atlanta. It grew in scope over the years serving some of the city’s neediest individuals and families. In 1997, the program was re-incorporated as City of Refuge. In 2003, COR was gifted a 210,000 square foot warehouse on an eight acre tract on Joseph E. Boone Boulevard, in the heart of a neighborhood that continues to face tremendous challenges and where the need for relief from crisis is acute.
City of Refuge has nearly 75 staff members managed by ten directors and overseen by six chief executive officers. The services span multiple areas of need including food, clothing and shelter to job training, placement, housing, healthcare, and education. COR programs include, but are not limited to:
• Eden Village: transitional housing and emergency shelter for women with full supportive services
• House of Cherith: safe house for victims of sex trafficking
• Kindred Spirit: home for pregnant teens
• NAPA Training Center: auto-technician training
• 180º Kitchen Culinary Arts Academy: dining and culinary arts training program
The approximately 200,000 square feet of renovated and fully operational space accomodates all COR programming, the 180º Kitchen and dining hall, basketball courts, weight room, an assembly room and sanctuary, a greenhouse and hydroponics grow room, as well as some partners such as the Mercy Care Medical Center and Bright Futures Academy.
According to Deel, the collective approach has enabled strategic partnerships with leading organizations in the non-profit community, including Saint Joseph’s Mercy Care Services (healthcare), Bright Futures Academy (education), Feed My Lambs (childcare), the Georgia Public Defenders, and many others.
“Given our commitment to this community, City of Refuge will lead the transformation of 30314,” Deel continued. “Social transformation is our business. For years we have had the privilege of transforming individuals. We have accomplished this by developing partnerships and delivering programming that impact key outcomes at each life stage, from birth to adulthood. Those that meet these metrics as they develop are significantly more likely to avoid poverty as adults.”
“In order to improve individual outcomes at each life stage,” Deel continued, “we must transform the community as a whole by significantly improving education, job opportunities, housing, and health and wellness. Significant progress requires a comprehensive collective effort of all sectors of the community including impactful non-profits, schools, businesses, civic entities, community leaders, and all other stakeholders. To accomplish this very ambitious goal we are launching “Project 30314”, a Collective Impact initiative.”
This proposal includes two funding opportunities. The first is to fund start-up expenses necessary to establish City of Refuge as the backbone organization for Project 30314. A Collective Impact backbone organization is an independent, funded team dedicated to the initiative, guiding its vision and strategy, supporting aligned activities, establishing shared measurement practices, building public will, advancing policy, and mobilizing resources.
The second, much larger opportunity is for funds to execute Project 30314. This includes acquiring nearly 100 acres surrounding City of Refuge, developing education and jobs programming, establishing a Social Innovation Hub on campus, and assembling and organizing the full COR “backbone” team as the Social Innovation Solution Center.
City of Refuge will also play a significant role in the transformation of 30314. As the organization and facilities have grown and developed over the years, so has the scope of the vision for change.
“Social transformation is our business,” Deel reemphasized, “and we not only transform individuals, we transform communities. How do we do this? We develop programming and partnerships that impact key outcomes at each life stage along the COR Transformation Pathway. Children and adolescents that meet these metrics as they grow are significantly more likely to avoid poverty as adults.”
For more information or to support the City of Refuge, visit www.cityofrefugeatl.org.
