City of Refuge, Inc.

The 2024 Back to School Bash was so much fun! Huge thanks to Kirk Cousins and Julie Cousins for their help in providing new sneakers and backpacks for over 300 students, setting them up for a successful school year!

Check out this message from Kirk Cousins, quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons! Discover why he and his family are committed to supporting City of Refuge and the 2024 Back-to-School Bash. Visit this link to help support youth development and education in our community by providing schools supplies for our kids! https://lnkd.in/eQkM6n8H

Our Founder and CEO, Bruce Deel, has officially been selected to be a TEDx speaker! And guess what else!? You’re invited! Bruce’s talk will take place on June 22nd at Gas South Theater in metro Atlanta, GA. Each speaker will have 18 minutes or less to share an idea worth spreading that they believe can change the world. These talks will be recorded live and uploaded to over 40 million people around the globe!!! Head to https://lnkd.in/gS2mpZpU to grab your ticket today. Tickets will likely sell out fast. Thanks so much for your support! Can’t wait to experience this with all of you!

Our Q1 impact report is here! Click to see the impact you helped us make, including stories of hope for people like Ms. Carolyn: https://bit.ly/3VVGd8q The youngest of five children, Ms. Carolyn grew up in poverty in Cochran, GA. Despite her challenges, Ms. Carolyn kept her faith at the forefront of her life. “I kept my mind focused on God. He gave me strength.” She completed high school and entered the manufacturing workforce. However, at the age of 37, Ms. Carolyn faced a severe setback when she suffered a stress-induced stroke. “I couldn't do the things I wanted to,” she recalls. With three kids, she struggled to provide for them. Subsequent years brought further trials as she navigated a tumultuous relationship involving emotional abuse with her son's father. Eventually, Ms. Carolyn reached a breaking point and left her living situation but found herself homeless, with nowhere to turn. For eight months, she endured the harsh realities of life on the streets and in temporary stays at hotels. While receiving medical treatment at Mercy Care, she learned about City of Refuge. Eventually, she was given a spot in Eden Village, our housing program for women. “I never thought I would be somewhere that felt like I’m in heaven,” she said. “I just feel like a weight was lifted off of my body.” Ms. Carolyn eagerly participated in our programs, classes, and found encouragement in church services. With the help of City of Refuge, Ms. Carolyn's journey came full circle when she secured her own apartment, marking a significant milestone in her path toward independence and self-sufficiency. “It’s a beautiful feeling. I’m happy, joyful, and overwhelmed.” Reflecting on her journey, Ms. Carolyn acknowledges the profound impact of City of Refuge, describing it as a bridge from despair to hope. “This place is a bridge that brought me from ground zero to heaven,” she reflects.

Last Saturday we had a great time at the City of Refuge, Inc. 5K run through Publicis Sapient CSR. While it was mostly walking and intermittent running for myself, it was fun to get back out there and ease into it after having a baby. Thanks to Quranna Khan Coley, SPC for putting this together!

Thank you City of Refuge, Inc. for hosting Data Strategy this morning. We are so grateful for the opportunity to serve alongside you!

Thank you to our amazing partners at Genuine Parts Company for volunteering with us yesterday! The GPC Digital Team was gracious enough to help us stuff Easter eggs in preparation of our youth Easter celebrations, as well as clean our Youth Development and Cafeteria spaces. To learn more about corporate volunteer opportunities at City of Refuge, click here: https://lnkd.in/eRp4MUEa #Volunteer #CityofRefuge

Please join us in congratulating our Founder and CEO, Bruce Deel, for receiving the Reverend Robert Ross Johnson Humanitarian of the Year Award! Thank you to the Rotary Club of Buckhead for this incredible honor and yesterday’s wonderful gathering. And thank you to our Director of Reentry, Greg Washington, and board member, Chris Gabriel, CIMA®, for introducing Bruce at the event. To learn more about City of Refuge and the 26 years of dedication, love, and ministry Bruce and his family have poured into this organization, head to our website cityofrefugeatl.org and/or read Bruce’s book, Trust First! Thank you, Bruce, for decades of light, hope, and transformation. #CityofRefuge

3,280. That’s how many members of the west side community attended a City of Refuge job fair in 2023 alone! Our job fairs are open to both the men and women we serve on campus, as well as the entire community. We have employers from all across Atlanta that come in to recruit, interview, and hire. Last year we placed over 700 individuals in jobs! The need for jobs is significant in this neighborhood, and thanks to our community and supporters like you, we are able to break barriers of generational poverty, and build momentum for those facing job insecurity. To learn more about our job fairs as a job seeker or employer, head to our website cityofrefugeatl.org. #CityofRefuge

This Monday’s meeting will be a very special ✨ event! We will have our most important luncheon of the year: the 24th annual presentation of the Rev. Robert Ross Johnson Humanitarian of the Year Award 🏆 This is our club’s highest honor and this year’s honoree is Bruce Deel, Founder and CEO of the City of Refuge, Inc. a major local nonprofit whose mission is to save and restore lives of the people within our Atlanta community. Bruce has seen to it that thousands of lives have been changed as a result of his and his staff’s good work. Be sure to invite a guest or two and we’ll see you this Monday, March 25th at Maggiano's Little Italy in Buckhead! #humanitarian #awards #rotaryevents #buckheadrotary #cityofrefuge