ATLANTA -- The City of Refuge will see a large expansion in their job training programs thanks to The City of Atlanta, The Coca-Cola Foundation and The Chick-fil-A Foundation who will pledge over $7 million to the Atlanta nonprofit.
This donation will allow City of Refuge to develop economic growth on Atlanta’s Westside by implementing an innovative jobs hub. The hub will teach residents of the area people skills to prepare for careers in auto tech, retail, the culinary arts, landscaping, security services and HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) installation and repair.
City of Refuge is a nonprofit that provides assistance to women and children facing homelessness. The program provides emergency shelter, hot meals, healthcare, activities for children and vocational training.
The $7 million investment is just the beginning of the nonprofit’s goal of raising $25 million by 2018 that will further help provide permanent supportive housing and workforce housing.
“Our city’s leading companies and philanthropic groups are stepping up to support meaningful and lasting change on the Westside. Through this pledge, the City of Atlanta will continue to advance economic success for hard-working families and their children through workforce development and support.” Said Mayor Kasim Reed.
The organization's goals includes providing people with the comprehensive skills necessary to reach the middle class by middle age. Construction and renovation for the facility spanning over 20,000-square-feet which will house the program and culinary academy is set to begin soon and last through September 2019.
City of Refuge is planning to serve 6,000 individuals over a 10-year period with a goal of 80% of participants on the path to earning a living wage. If their goal is met the city will see a collective earning potential of almost $1 billion over 10 years.
