We empower neighborhoods to thrive by taking a holistic, neighbor-focused approach to revitalization.
We are committed to including racial equity in every step we take. We hope you will learn alongside us over the next few years as we acknowledge the realities of racial inequity, affirm that racial equity is possible, and act to make our community one of greater justice.
As such, we believe that working for racial equity is integral to our push for flourishing communities. Systemic racism has created, perpetuated, and entrenched many of the struggles neighborhoods like Historic South Atlanta face every day. Our four pillars of Mixed-Income Housing, Economic Development, Neighborhood Engagement, and Training and Consulting are designed to undo some of these harmful structures and rectify the inequities they produce.
We are committed to racial justice because we believe that every person, every neighborhood, deserves an equitable chance to thrive. Recognizing the realities of systemic racism, both by listening to our neighbors and studying our context, guides our efforts to make that vision possible.
For more than 60 years, this neighborhood was a destination for Black professors, concert artists, and families. The community struggled greatly after the universities relocated in 1941.
In 2000, residents and leadership of the South Atlanta Civic League invited FCS to apply our community development model to Historic South Atlanta. We humbly accepted their gracious offer to partner with the neighborhood to revitalize this historic community.
Accounting Manager
Accounting Coordinator
Housing Project Coordinator
Development Coordinator: Reporting and Data
Community Grounds and Carver Market Office Lead
Lupton Center Lead Trainer and Consultant
Lead Trainer and Consultant
Lupton Center Lead Trainer and Consultant
Residents Services Manager
Neighborhood Engagement Coordinator
Community Grounds Kitchen Lead
Carver Market Produce & Inventory Lead
Community Grounds Staff
Development Coordinator
Youth Development Coordinator
Thought Leadership Coordinator
Benjamin Russell
Project Engineer at H.J. Russell & Company
Jaymi Brooks
Associate at T. Dallas Smith & Company
Mike Brasfield
Category Marketing Manager at Home Depot
Ryan Ramsey
Partner at Barrel Real Estate
Kelly Leu
Audit Senior Manager at Bennett Thrasher
Kyle Patterson
Community Relations Officer at Regions Bank
Herman Pate
CPA, Managing Director at Hydrogen Capital LLC
Paco Treviño
Personal Development Manager at Brasfield and Gorrie
Calvin Dennis
Named Account Manager at OneStream Software
Frankie Kelly
Principal Team Lead in Field Operations at Chick-fil-A, Inc.
Madeline Schmidt
Product Manager at The Coca-Cola Company
Phyllis Montgomery
Early Careers Strategic Campus Manager at Cummins Inc.
Kayla Seawood
Senior Associate, Growth NA at Momentum Worldwide
Michael Ferron
Consultant, Monitor Institute by Deloitte at Deloitte
Olivia McKellar
ELA/ESOL Instructor at Global Village Project
While serving in Vietnam, he felt a call to make cities more equitable. Upon returning home, he and his wife moved into a systemically marginalized neighborhood. He began living and getting to know his neighbors.
Over time, Bob realized that the way he was taught to “help” was doing a lot of harm. He was seeing that too many ministries and nonprofits were transactional and disempowering for local residents. Rather than offering temporary, material relief for systemic issues, he worked to create an integrated, systemic approach to change.
Instead, he began co-creating an approach to development. that mixed entrepreneurship, urban planning, and deep relationship. His musings birthed the widely read book, Toxic Charity, as well as the approach FCS takes to revitalization.
To this day, Bob is a dynamic visionary. He is a Christian community developer, counselor, entrepreneur, and author. In addition to Toxic Charity, Bob has written Theirs is the Kingdom, Renewing the City, and Charity Detox.
Bob has a Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Georgia. He serves as a speaker, strategist, and inspirer with those throughout the nation who seek to establish God’s Shalom in the city.
We remain eternally grateful for Bob’s vision and hard work paving the way for our organization.
Not the role you’re looking for? There are plenty of other ways to join the mission!
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Focused Community Strategies is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.
All donations are tax-deductible in full or in part.
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