Atlanta’s City of Refuge Receives $7 Million Commitment
(Faith News Note: The following official release announces a major investment awarded to the City of Refuge, an Atlanta nonprofit founded by Bruce Deel, an ordained bishop in the Church of God and pastor of Atlanta Midtown church.)
ATLANTA (Sept. 28, 2016) – Chick-fil-A®, The Coca-Cola Company and Invest Atlanta are donating more than $7 million to the City of Refuge to expand job training programs and foster economic development on Atlanta’s Westside.
City of Refuge, an Atlanta nonprofit, will use the funds to construct and operate an innovative jobs hub that will teach people skills to prepare for careers in auto tech and retail, the culinary arts, landscaping, security services and HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) installation and repair. A computer-coding academy will be created for young adults along with a small business incubator and accelerator for aspiring entrepreneurs.
Many of the people who will benefit from the new jobs training are residents of Atlanta’s Westside neighborhoods, which have been hit hard by the recession and recently have been the focus of development programs that have gained momentum thanks in part to the nearby construction of Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
“This is a true picture of our city coming together to make meaningful economic change. By working with strategic partners like Invest Atlanta, Chick-fil-A and Coca Cola, I feel confident about our ability to make meaningful in this neighborhood that will have a legacy for generations to come,” said Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed. “I can’t imagine a more important collaborative project for Atlanta than this effort between proven and committed organizations.”
The investment from these three organizations also is the launch of City of Refuge’s capital campaign, called “Shining the Light,” to help raise funding for all of its programs. The goal is to raise $25 million by 2018.
“Today marks a significant milestone for Atlanta’s Westside. The tangible commitment from our city’s public and private sector will translate into real jobs that will give way to real optimism,” said Chick-fil-A Chairman and CEO Dan Cathy. “Bruce Deel and his team at the City of Refuge inspire me, and I am honored that Chick-fil-A can play a part in making their vision for the Westside a reality. They are committed to their neighbors and I know they will continue to serve the community well.”
City of Refuge is known as a “one-stop shop” for women and children facing homelessness. Through their emergency shelter and transitional housing, which features three hot meals every day, on-site health care, activities for children and youth, as well as vocational training and staffing services, City of Refuge is able to serve as a vehicle of light, hope, and transformation for many of Atlanta’s most marginalized individuals and families.
“We’ve already been working on every continent to support entrepreneurship through our 5by20 initiative, which has a goal of helping 5 million women by the year 2020. It just makes sense to bring this same energy and effort to our own backyard,” said Muhtar Kent, CEO of The Coca-Cola Company.
City of Refuge looks to expand beyond training people for work to providing them with the comprehensive services necessary to reach middle class by middle age and attain self-sufficiency.
“I think it’s safe to say we’re all excited for the potential here,” said Bruce Deel, CEO and founder of City of Refuge. “We need more partners to join with us to transform the community, because these are the types of partnerships that can really change everything – more people will be served and more families will be impacted for good. That’s what matters here. That’s what we’re about. I’m grateful for community leaders who share a vision for transformation and are willing to work together to see it happen.”
The planning phase for the job hub has begun. Construction, renovation and programming of the more than 20,000-square-foot training center and culinary academy will begin in the coming months and continue through September of 2019.
Job training will take place at City of Refuge, where for 19 years the nonprofit has worked to transform lives in the community by providing resources to those on the margin through strategic interventions in health and wellness, housing, vocational training and youth development.
ABOUT CITY OF REFUGE
The mission of City of Refuge is to bring light, hope, and transformation to individuals and families of Atlanta. Founded in 1997, City of Refuge is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization providing access to housing, health & wellness, youth development, and vocational training to those facing homelessness and poverty. Thanks to our many partners, we are able to provide a “one-stop shop” for transformation in our community. To learn more about the City of Refuge, visit www.cityofrefugeatl.org
ABOUT CHICK-FIL-A, INC.
Atlanta-based Chick-fil-A, Inc. is a family owned and privately held restaurant company founded in 1964 by S. Truett Cathy. Devoted to serving the local communities in which its franchised restaurants operate, and known for its original chicken sandwich, Chick-fil-A serves freshly prepared food in more than 2,000 restaurants in 43 states and Washington, D.C. Chick-fil-A system sales exceeded $6 billion in 2015, which marks 48 consecutive years of sales growth. Chick-fil-A earned a top spot in the 2016 Customer Service Hall of Fame for the third year in a row and is the only quick service restaurant to make the top five of the Customer Service Hall of Fame. The company was also the only restaurant brand named to the Top 10 “Best Companies to Work For” by 24/7 Wall Street, and the only restaurant brand rated “excellent” in the 2016 Temkin Emotion Ratings study. More information on Chick-fil-A is available on the chain’s website located at www.chick-fil-a.com.
ABOUT THE COCA COLA COMPANY
The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is the world’s largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands and more than 3,800 beverage choices. Led by Coca-Cola, one of the world’s most valuable and recognizable brands, our company’s portfolio features 20 billion-dollar brands, 18 of which are available in reduced-, low- or no-calorie options. Our billion-dollar brands include Diet Coke, Coca-Cola Zero, Fanta, Sprite, Dasani, vitaminwater, Powerade, Minute Maid, Simply, Del Valle, Georgia and Gold Peak. Through the world’s largest beverage distribution system, we are the No. 1 provider of both sparkling and still beverages. More than 1.9 billion servings of our beverages are enjoyed by consumers in more than 200 countries each day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our company is focused on initiatives that reduce our environmental footprint, create a safe, inclusive work environment for our associates, and enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate. Together with our bottling partners, we rank among the world’s top 10 private employers with more than 700,000 system associates. For more information, visit Coca-Cola Journey at www.coca-colacompany.com, follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/CocaColaCo, visit our blog, Coca-Cola Unbottled, at www.coca-colablog.com or find us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/the-coca-cola-company.
ABOUT THE COCA-COLA FOUNDATION
The Coca-Cola Foundation is the global philanthropic arm of The Coca-Cola Company. Since its inception in 1984, the Foundation has awarded more than $830 million in grants to support sustainable community initiatives around the world. For more information about The Coca-Cola Foundation, please visit www.coca-colagivingback.com.
ABOUT INVEST ATLANTA
Invest Atlanta is the official economic development authority for the City of Atlanta. Its purpose is to strengthen Atlanta’s economy and global competitiveness in order to create increased opportunity and prosperity for the people of Atlanta. Chaired by the Mayor of Atlanta, and governed by a nine- member board of directors, Invest Atlanta’s programs and initiatives focus on developing and fostering public/private partnerships to create jobs, grow the economy, revitalize neighborhoods, attract investment, spur innovation and encourage entrepreneurship. To achieve these goals, Invest Atlanta leverages the benefits of bond financing, revolving loan funds, housing financing, tax increment financing and tax credits.
(Source: Jackson-Spaulding)
