"I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you..."
Isaiah 41:10b
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Message from the President & CEO |
Dear Friends of BCM,
Thank you for supporting BCM as we deliver on our mission for community members in need. As you can imagine, demand for BCM’s services surged this past year, and we expect this to continue for the remainder of 2021. During the pandemic, BCM’s community stepped up in ways never seen before, allowing BCM to perform in ways we could have never imagined.
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Budget for Life™ participants paid off $291,568 of debt and saved $104,706.
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100% of Foundation 3 families remained housed, and 90% remained employed with no gaps. Those who had gaps in employment due to the pandemic have since gained new employment.
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BCM issued $2,390,932 in housing and utility assistance -- a 300% increase over the year prior.
BCM’s board and leadership consistently review and adopt strategies that will help enhance, improve, and expand the reach and positive outcomes of our programs. As we focus on implementing BCM’s new strategic plan, our two chief objectives are:
- Own who we are with authenticity by evolving the brand to better reflect who we are and what we do.
- Leverage who we are and our proven successes to propel our growth by ensuring all programs advance BCM’s mission.
To this end, BCM adopted new mission and vision statements:
Today’s Mission
We keep people from becoming homeless and work to elevate their possibilities for economic empowerment.
Tomorrow’s Vision
We envision caring communities where everyone has a home and the opportunity to thrive.
In closing, if you are looking for a way to help, BCM’s biggest need right now is for shoppers at the renovated and expanded THRIFTique. Visit our store off Miami Circle where you will find a safe and sanitized environment as you shop. Remember, all proceeds go directly to BCM’s mission.
We hope you enjoy this edition of The Way. Once again, thank you for all your generous support.
Sincerely,
Keeva Kase
President & CEO
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"Plant Seeds of Hope and Water Them with Compassion"
On March 8th, we celebrated International Women’s Day by launching our 2021 Seeds of Change Society! Our members and sponsors have been an integral part to Buckhead Christian Ministry's mission by empowering women and families in financial crisis to regain their confidence, become strong role models for their children, and achieve a lifetime of financial security. As we step forward together this year, we are focusing on supporting BCM's mission by keeping people from becoming homeless and working to elevate their possibilities for economic empowerment.
Do you know any Young Professionals that want to get involved and make a difference in their community?
This year we are launching our Young Professionals membership, for women 35 and under, who want to be advocates for BCM in the community and focus on providing support for our Budget for Life ™ graduations in June.
Have you joined Seeds this year? We would be honored to have you join or renew your membership and be a vital part of women empowering women and families!
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24th Annual
Tee It Up
Golf Tournament
Each year, Tee It Up sponsors and their guests help bring life-changing assistance and opportunities to families in our community. Please save the date for a one-of-a-kind experience at Peachtree Golf Club, an exclusive course ranked as a U.S. Top 100 Golf Course. Don’t miss the chance to share a memorable day with friends and colleagues playing on a historic course, all while supporting BCM’s mission of giving our hard-working neighbors a second chance at achieving self-sufficiency.
If you would like more information on how to sponsor please email TeeItUp@bcmatlanta.org or contact Desirae August at (404) 855-1842.
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A Special Offering from Northside Church |
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BCM has many wonderful church partners that help our services and organization thrive, and we are so grateful for their support! We were recently notified of an additional donation from one of our partners, Northside Church. Their faithful congregation is proud of the work that we have been doing throughout the COVID-19 crisis. In order to help us continue to further our mission, they collected a special offering for BCM. In addition to their monthly contributions, they are gifting us with an additional $30,000 towards rental assistance! Their giving was also featured in the Buckhead Reporter!
Their associate pastor, Jeff Rogers, said in response to this gift, “We have a long-standing partnership with Buckhead Christian Ministry, and we are honored to serve the community together. As a church, one of our focuses is addressing people who are experiencing homelessness. In the last year, BCM’s intentional emphasis on rental assistance has been a vital need in our community and it was something that we believed deserved extraordinary funding. This $30,000 grant to BCM is one way we can be a small part of the great work God is doing here.”
Thank you Northside Church for walking alongside BCM and our community!
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A Story of Eviction to Triumph |
Zora and her four children entered the Foundation 3 program in June 2020, being the first family to start the program since the beginning of COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to entering the program, Zora and her children were homeless for about 6 months after being evicted from their previous home. The eviction was due to a high-risk pregnancy that led to unplanned time off and therefore no compensation.
Since participating in the Foundation 3 program, Zora completed a Medical Assistant certification in August of 2020. She began searching for a medical assistant position with the support of her BCM case manager and other resources. In October 2020, she found a job as a school nurse for Clayton County schools, but the pay rate she was offered was not ideal for her and her family’s needs.
With time, patience, and the support of the Foundation 3 program, in January 2021, Zora received a job offer to work as a medical assistant with a pay that doubled her previous salary. Zora is now working in a position that she is passionate about and will also begin to work towards her next goal of becoming a registered nurse with the support of BCM and her case manager. In addition to this, Zora has eliminated nearly $1,500 in debt and will soon have her previous eviction paid off. Paying this debt off will eliminate the barrier she has had to being approved for housing, giving her more avenues of creating a home for her and her family in the future! We are appreciative of all of Zora's hard work, and to her case manager for the support and encouragement for Zora to achieve her dreams.
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Keeping up with Buckhead THRIFTique
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A lot has happened at our beloved Buckhead THRIFTique! Not only did we expand our hours, begin hosting safe donation drives, start a pick-up service for larger furniture items, and add an online option for our donation receipts, but we have also been featured in an article in the Buckhead Reporter! Come and visit our hidden gem off Miami Circle for a rewarding and safe shopping experience!
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You have asked us how you can contribute to BCM's mission in our community, so we have compiled a list of ways you can step forward with us:
1. Make a gift today by clicking here and provide our hard working neighbors a second chance at self-sufficiency.
2. Share your talents with us and volunteer by clicking here.
4. Pray for each staff member to have strength for the journey.
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By enrolling in Kroger Community Rewards and selecting BCM, every trip to the grocery store using your Plus Card is a rewarding experience for BCM! |
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Shop AmazonSmile and earn donations for BCM! When you choose BCM as your charity, AmazonSmile donates 0.5% of the price of eligible purchases to our ministry.
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Did you know that your generosity has the potential to be doubled, tripled, or even quadrupled by your employer? We have a tool that will help you easily check to see if your donations are eligible.
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Shop, donate or volunteer at Buckhead THRIFTique to directly support BCM's programs!
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