Site #3: Albany, Georgia

One of the revitalizing efforts in Albany was the placement of the

 Flint River Turtle statues throughout the downtown area.

Yesterday we departed the Blue Ridge Mountains and arrived in the Deep South.  Albany, Georgia is gorgeous. The natural beauty of the Flint River and Radium Springs combined with the antebellum architecture of the city produce a picturesque southern community.  Like many other places in Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi, Albany was built on the backs of slaves.  The marketplace that once held human auctions is still visible in the downtown area.  Plantations that once produced cotton by the tons now serve as a quiet reminder of a prosperous but painful history.  

The deep wounds of slavery and segregation have left ugly scars  that, according to Circles coordinator Ausha Jackson, must be acknowledged before many of the obstacles faced by low-income families can be overcome.  In one southwestern neighborhood in Albany, where much of the city's poverty is concentrated, the racial makeup is 96% African-American.  While efforts have been made to revitalize the downtown with a beautiful river walk and brand new river aquarium, many residents live in 600 square foot homes made out of concrete slabs in deplorable conditions.  A lieutenant from the Albany police force gave us a tour of neighborhoods that were greatly damaged by a severe flood in 1994 and have never quite recovered.  

These are the issues that Circles, under the direction of Strive2Thrive, faces as it looks to tackle poverty in southwestern Georgia.  Earlier this year, they graduated their Getting Ahead class, and twelve more families became Circle Leaders.  More encouraging than their involvement was the 250 community members who came out to celebrate their graduation.  With over 800 churches in the Albany area, Ausha Jackson is working to bring together a divided society to end poverty in this community.  "This is not only the Bible belt, but it is the Bible buckle," she said with a smile.  Circles has partnered with the chamber of commerce and a growing contingent from the faith community to foster relationships that once would have seemed impossible.  

Check back to see some footage of those relationships and this growing Circles community.  

Our team with Strive2Thrive coordinator, Ausha Jackson in front of the Ray Charles Plaza in Albany.