"People think everyone who lives in Buckhead is rich, but we handle a large geographic area, and the need is great."
-Mike Egan, BCM volunteer and former Georgia State Senator

BCM serves a large segment of Atlanta's population. BCM's service area encompasses 14 zip codes and stretches from Campbellton Road north to Chamblee and Doraville. And within that area, there is an enormous amount of need. The majority of the people whom BCM helps are the working poor; about 15 percent of the people served are homeless.

Poverty in Georgia

• In Georgia, more than 12 percent of the population lives in poverty
• Nearly one in five children in Georgia are growing up in poverty
• The majority of Atlanta's hungry are working families and children
• A single mother with two children would need to earn $27,000 per year to cover basic expenses such as food, clothing and housing, according to University of Georgia researchers

What is it like to live in poverty, to be one of the working poor? The National Catholic Charities has a Microsoft PowerPoint slide show that depicts the economic challenges for a family of four making $17,000 a year. Click here to view the show.

Client Stories*

* Names have been changed

Walt's Story

When Walt first came to BCM, he was about to be evicted from his apartment. He had recently left his job with the U.S. Postal Service to pursue his entrepreneurial dreams, but he quickly found that the start-up costs of business were more than he had anticipated. Facing the possibility of losing both his house and his business, he sought and received rental assistance from the BCM. When Walt returned to BCM nearly a year later, he wasn't seeking help, but was offering help: his new business was prospering, and he wanted to offer job opportunities to BCM's unemployed clients.

Angela's Story

A single mother, Angela struggled to provide for her ailing mother and her two young daughters. She came to BCM for rental assistance because her first paycheck from her new job at a grocery store was not going to arrive in time to prevent her from being evicted. "The ministry was able to pay half my rent, which was enough to tide me over," she recalls. A short time later, Angela was hit by a drunk driver, in an accident that left her with extensive brain and spinal injuries-and unable to work. She was eventually granted a monthly Social Security Income, but was forced to return for assistance with her electric bill. One year later, Angela visited BCM again - this time to make a $55 donation to the ministry. She wanted the money to be used to help others, just as she had been helped in a time of need. While making the donation, Angela told BCM staff, "Thank you for walking in love."

Jerry's Story

Jerry had been sober for eight years, and watching his wife struggle with substance abuse was painful. "Each time she relapsed was devastating. I didn't want the kids to go through it anymore." When Jerry finally gave his wife a choice -- to stay clean or to leave - she chose to leave. As a newly single parent of _ children, Jerry found himself juggling day care, rent, and food. "I wanted to make sure my kids got the best possible care. My mother was a single parent and I saw her doing it for years. But it was a difficult adjustment. At one particularly rough time, Jerry came to BCM for help. BCM helped him with his rent, and also told him about its Transitional Housing Program. Several months later, Jerry was forced to leave the place he had been staying with his children, and he and his children had no place to turn. He got back in touch with BCM and enrolled in the Transitional Housing Program. Jerry's rent is now one-third of what it was, and he has access to budgeting workshops, parenting classes, and weekly counseling. And he's saving money for a house. "BCM hasn't just given me a place to stay, but a chance to prepare for a real home. We used to own a house, and my kids remember what it was like. It's up to Daddy to make sure they have a home again."