Community Grounds

World Cup Viewing! Saturday 12th!

commgrounds — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 18:58:23 +0000

Java for Justice

commgrounds — Tue, 11 May 2010 14:30:46 +0000

On Saturday, May 15 all sales at Community Grounds will benefit one of our partner organizations Mission Year (www.missionyear.org). Please come by and buy a cup of coffee that will benefit young adults spending a year of service in an under resourced urban community. Please reference the following link for more information:

Java for Justice

Now Open!

commgrounds — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 18:24:09 +0000

The day has finally arrived! We are now re-open! From March 22-March 27, we will be open from 10-6 each day. We will officially start our new hours on Monday, March 29:

Monday-Friday 7:30am-6 pm
Saturday 9am – 6 pm

We hope to see you at the shop and keep an eye out for a special grand-opening event coming soon!

Help Community Grounds Re-Open

commgrounds — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 21:51:03 +0000

At long last, Community Grounds Café is poised to re-open! After 6 months of waiting, we have the approval of the city and county to start our work to get the coffee shop open again!

Community Grounds Café is a business started by Leroy Barber and originally opened in August 2008. The coffee shop served as a gathering place for South Atlanta and Lakewood residents, as well as an employer of 3 people in South Atlanta. In a place void of public gathering places, Community Grounds Café is a spot where you can bump into your neighbor down the street and catch up on the latest news and happenings of life, thus helping to build community. It became a part of FCS Community Economic Development when it moved to its new location at the South Atlanta Marketplace but we have been waiting to fully open it until we passed all of the government health regulations.

Now that we have the government’s blessing to move forward, our next hurdle to jump is financing the renovations. The total cost to get the space ready to open is $5000. The great news is that we have a $2500 matching grant ready to go as soon as we can raise the other $2500! That makes our hurdle that much smaller. We also have $1000 committed towards the final $2500 we need to raise, lowering the total we need to only $1500 to get the space up and ready to go. Would you consider giving a gift to invest in our neighborhood coffee shop?

If you give a gift today to Community Grounds Café, here is how it will benefit us and South Atlanta:

1) Your gift will automatically be doubled by our matching grant
2) Once open, Community Grounds Café becomes a big part of sustaining our businesses in South Atlanta and providing jobs to neighborhood residents. Your gift keeps on giving throughout the year in terms of increased income and sustainability for Community Economic Development.
3) The South Atlanta Marketplace, Community Grounds Café, and Firetongue Studios aims to employ at least 3 South Atlanta residents. Having 3 jobs for neighborhood residents will help to uplift the economic climate of our neighborhood. Your gift will continue to give through the salaries that it will help to create once open.

If we were a for profit business, we could just ask our investors for another $5000 to get started. However, as a non-profit business we are not afforded that luxury. So we are asking you to invest with us on this journey through donating to us. You can donate by clicking visit the FCS website: www.fcsministries/getinvloved and choose Community Economic Development .

Thank you for your continued support and we are grateful for you coming along this journey with us.

Jeff Delp

An Invitation to Join Us!

commgrounds — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 21:14:46 +0000

When I turned 15, I did what many teens my age did I went job hunting. With a mom that worked, a step dad that worked two jobs, and a dad who could not drive, my options were limited to where I could walk or ride my bike. My first stop was Bi-Lo, the discount grocery store at the edge of my neighborhood. My older brother worked there and it was a short walk from my house. Because I lived in a small town, I knew many of the people that worked there, including the owner of the store. Thankfully, they were hiring and I was able to get a job on my first try. This was the beginning of an eight year journey of part-time employment that lasted throughout high school, college, and even led to full-time employment a year after college.

Now I am on the other side of the hiring process. I am the manager of a community business. This past week I put out a notice that the South Atlanta Marketplace was looking for someone to work 8 hours a week. Within 3 days, I had 10 applications. Most of the 10 are young people, under the age of 18, that are looking for the same opportunity that I had when I was growing up. I wish I could hire them all. What a blessing for one young person (at least for now) that within walking distance of his home is a place that is able and willing to hire him. Perhaps this job will start this young person on a journey that includes finishing high school, going to college, and entering the work force prepared.

I got hired on my first job at the first place that I tried. However, if that had not worked out, I had several other options. None as close and convenient as Bi-Lo but there were others. Unfortunately, the same opportunities are not so available to my neighbors in South Atlanta. Legitimate employment opportunities are few and far between in our neighborhood. I am concerned about the 9 others that I will not be able to hire. Statistics show what happens to young people in urban communities when they are unable to engage in positive activities, the picture is not pretty. I think about myself, and what would have happened had I not found employment when I was 15. Even with the job at Bi-Lo, I still found ways to get into trouble occasionally, but being engaged at work definitely provided me with something positive in my life to keep me from drifting too far down a wayward path. I believe that there is a strong correlation between that first job at Bi-Lo and where I am today.

Where I am today is the Executive Director of a non-profit that seeks to provide the same opportunities that I was afforded when I was 15. It is the mission of FCS Community Economic Development (CED) to equip individuals and families to strengthen themselves economically. CED impacts the lives of low-income families by increasing their purchasing capacity and placing economic power back into the hands of the community. The program emphasizes the importance of honorable work and economic empowerment as essential to human dignity. It provides employment with health-care benefits and quality merchandise at affordable prices, thus avoiding the spirit-eroding effects of subsidies and handouts.

For those of you that have supported us in the past, we thank you for your support. 2009 was a year of transition for CED. After many years of service to the communities of Grant Park and South Atlanta, we said goodbye to the Family Store and Home Resource. It was time to re-design our vision. What has grown up in their place are the fresh ideas and visioning of South Atlanta residents themselves: The South Atlanta Marketplace (still carries on the Pride for Parents and Back to School campaigns), Community Grounds Café, and Firetongue Music Studios.

Starting a small business, no matter where, is a difficult and challenging proposition. Add to that the challenge of starting three businesses in a place most businesses have left plus the current economic climate and there is no doubt that our work is cut out for us. However, surmounting challenges in difficult terrain is the work we have been called to. We believe in a God that cares deeply for the poor and a God who can also move mountains. So we forge ahead with our mission, in the hope that God will provide the necessary resources. But certainly we cannot succeed without the support and personal involvement of caring friends like you.

On the attached page, you will find a list of ways that we invite you to engage with us in this mission. There are a variety of options; hopefully there is one or more that will suit you, your family, your church, or your place of business. During this start-up period, revenue from our businesses will cover about 60% of our operating costs on a monthly basis. And it will take a year or more to operate at full capacity in terms of employment and benefits to our employees. Your contributions, whatever they are, will help us to grow toward full capacity and provide much needed economic opportunities to residents of South Atlanta. We need your help getting there. Will you consider investing with us? Follow this link to our response form and return it to us, will you? If you wish to donate online, you can visit: www.prideforparents.org/donate. Your partnership with us is vitally important.

Thanks for your support. We’ll keep you informed on our progress.
Sincerely,

Jeff Delp

1lb Bag of Coffee Sale!

commgrounds — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 16:49:54 +0000

As a precursor to our re-opening, Community Grounds Cafe and the South Atlanta Marketplace will be offering our Coffee for $7 a bag (regular $10) from January 25-30. Come on out and check out our coffee and get some for your home or office at an amazing price! Check out the flyer below for more information.

Community Grounds Coffee Sale

After the sale is over, you will be able to continue to purchase our coffee at our regular price of $10 a bag. Make Community Grounds Cafe your coffee supply source today and support a great cause in our community!

Mission Year/Pride for Parents Benefit Concert

commgrounds — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:36:08 +0000

Brando Hall and Andrew Elledge live in Concert!

Join us on December 12th at 8pm for a benefit Concert for Pride for Parents and Mis si on Year . The concert is $10 at the door and bring a present for the Toy Sale. The concert will take place at Community Grounds Cafe . For more information, check out this flyer.

Brando and Andrew are current Mission Year team members who have a passion for music, as well as, a passion for serving their Mission Year communities. Come on out and support them as they provide a night of memorable entertainment!

More information on Pride for Parents:

Pride for Parents is an annual toy and gift sale designed to benefit hard working families in the South Atlanta neighborhood and the communities surrounding it. Through donations of new and gently used toys and gifts, we offer quality and affordable merchandise to the families of South Atlanta. To learn more about how you can become a part of Pride for Parents please visit, www.prideforparents.org .

More information on Mission Year:

Mission Year is a year long urban ministry program focused on Christian service and discipleship. We take teams of people, place them in an area of need, and help them to serve people and create community. We are committed to the command of Jesus to “love God and love people,” by placing the needs of our neighbors first and developing committed disciples of Christ with a heart for the poor. Visit www.missionyear.org for more information.

South Atlanta Sounds– Starting this month with Jess Barber!

commgrounds — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:02:07 +0000

Come for a night of great music as Jess Barber, South Atlanta resident, shares with us her musical talents. She will be singing and playing her own songs for all to enjoy. Come out Friday night and enjoy music and fellowship in our neighborhood!

When: Friday Oct. 16th @ 8-10PM
Where: Community Grounds ( 1297 Jonesboro Rd)

Cover will be $5 at the door.

Karaoke & Game Night

commgrounds — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 16:35:28 +0000

Come join us for our first Karaoke & Game night on Friday, September 25th at 7:30 in Community Grounds Cafe. Karaoke Night is in conjunction with Firetongue Music Studios (www.firetonguemusic.org), which is next door to Community Grounds Cafe.

The cost for Karaoke & Game Night will be $5. That comes with a cup of coffee and an opportunity to sing all that you want. Come on out, and bring your neighbors and friends!

Proceeds from the evening go to support Firetongue Music Studios, Community Grounds Cafe, and the South Atlanta Marketplace.