Local Nonprofit Awards Extra Wish Grants to Ten Georgia Families

On April 25, 2023, BCM Georgia hosted their 11th Seeds of Change Society Luncheon at Cherokee Town and Country Club. First Horizon Bank, along with 120 members, sponsors and guests, raised over $60,000 to support the agency’s mission “to keep people from becoming homeless and work to elevate their possibilities for economic empowerment.”

The event celebrated the inaugural winners of an Extra Wish, a grant program for Budget for Life™ families. Through the agency’s Budget for Life™ program, families receive financial support, educational seminars, career and financial coaching as well as case management to enable their long-term financial stability. Ten grantees received up to $1,000 to pay for a financial burden such as a car repair, medical and mental health needs, dental work, and job training.

“At this time, families are struggling more than ever,” said Holly M. York, BCM Georgia Chief Development Officer. “Working families are battling a 10% increase in cost for housing, food, and utilities while their wages have not kept pace. They are struggling to make ends meet. The success of this fundraiser means that BCM Georgia can work to fulfill our mission.”

For the Wright family, receiving the Extra Wish Grant meant they could get needed medical care.
Their son has a severe peanut allergy and asthma, and they're living on only one income and insufficient insurance coverage. Unable to afford their son's medicine, a new EpiPen® or a rescue inhaler, the Wrights ended up in medical and credit card debt that was, in their own words, "crushing them".

"Because we put our son’s wellbeing first, we've neglected our health,” they said. “We need some dental work done, but we don't have the money."

It's for all of these reasons that BCM Georgia granted the Wrights their Extra Wish at the Seeds of Change Luncheon.

"We are blessed to even have an opportunity to be a part of this program, and this grant will help so much!" said the Wrights.

The other nine Extra Wish recipients all have just as compelling stories, from a single mom who was Ubering to work every day because she couldn’t afford car repairs to another mom trying to pay off credit card debt while putting herself and her son through college and working full time.

“We’re grateful that the support of generous donors enables us to help even more deserving individuals and families who are working hard and just need some extra help and support,” said York. “Together we can keep families in stable housing and help them better their lives for the future.”

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About BCM Georgia

Since 1987, BCM Georgia has existed to keep people from becoming homeless and work to elevate their possibilities for economic empowerment. Every year, BCM Georgia serves over 1,500 families through three virtually based programs: Emergency Assistance, Budget for Life™ and Foundations 3™. Each of these programs are built to meet families where they are and give them the tools they need to transition from surviving to thriving. A diverse network of churches, foundations, civic groups, corporations, local governments, and donors support BCM Georgia’s vision of caring communities where everyone has a home and the opportunity to thrive. Visit bcmgeorgia.org to learn more.