The Collective
FCS (Focused Community Strategies) is a collective of visionaries and social entrepreneurs, transforming distressed urban neighborhoods through Christian community development. We are vision-driven by the collective executive leadership of our called, front-line visionaries. Self-preservation is not a goal of FCS. We are committed to remain nimble as a learning organization to respond to the vision at hand. As a collective, we currently have multiple organizations that work together to transform communities.
A collective is the musicians and the dancers… those who create in sync and feed off of each other’s energy.
A collective is a kitchen full of cooks… those who provide for each other and nourish each other’s souls.
A collective is a room full of dreamers… and the people who make those dreams reality.
Partners of FCS Urban Ministries
Charis Community Housing
Charis Community Housing is a faith-based community development ministry providing affordable housing options for mixed-income communities. Charis’ core practices are neighborhood focused, homeownership, re-neighboring and strategic partnering.
FCS Community Economic Development
Equipping 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. CED currently runs three business in the South Atlanta neighborhood: Community Grounds Café, Firetongue Recording Studios, and the South Atlanta Marketplace.
Flourish
FLOURISH is a new collaborative ministry that helps churches care for creation in ways that honor God and help people. FLOURISH recognizes environmental stewardship as an expression of our love for God and a celebration of the bountiful world in which he has placed us. Flourish works with local churches and partners to share ideas about how to integrate creation care with ministries of evangelism, compassion, missions, and community service.
GlenCastle
GlenCastle is a safe, affordable apartment community that provides an entry point back into stable neighborhood living for those priced out of the market for basic necessities. A drug-free environment with supportive chaplaincy services, GlenCastle is a stepping stone for 67 families and individuals who are working diligently toward a better life.
Mission Year
Mission Year is a year long urban ministry program focused on Christian service and discipleship. Mission Year takes teams of young adults, places them in an area of need, and helps them to serve people and create community. Mission Year is committed to the command of Jesus to “love God and love people,” by placing the needs of neighbors first and developing committed disciples of Christ with a heart for the poor
Moving in the Spirit
Moving in the Spirit is a nationally recognized youth development program that uses dance as a vehicle to positively transform the lives of children and teens in Atlanta, Georgia. Moving in the Spirit educates, inspires and unites young people through dance, in order to help them become successful, compassionate leaders.
Divisions of FCS Urban Ministries
Adopt-A-Grandparent
The Adopt-A-Grandparent Program (AAGP), since 1978, matches adult volunteers looking for companionship with older citizens who are often alone and friendless. Passing wisdom, stories, faith and love from one generation to another – as well as warming a lonely heart – happens on a daily basis.
Beltline Bike Shop
We help neighborhoods build community with at-risk youth through the Beltline Bike Shop. We try to identify young leaders capable of creating better futures for themselves and their future children and families. We mostly do so on a one-on-one basis. We are building what we call a web that will help support a healthy community. Our web is basically getting an at risk youth involved with as many people in the community as possible therefore limiting any potential for bad behavior. We think that by identifying motivated youth we help them to develop healthy relationships as well as work and life skills we will help lead struggling youth into productive lives, motivating them to dream of a bright future.
Common Focus
Common Focus is committed to the building of community by creating dialogue that leads to action. Our commitment is to create common focus, common action and common good.
Community Chaplaincy
FCS Community Chaplaincy works with all the ministries of FCS to enlist train and deploy community chaplains in our focus neighborhoods. The Chaplain offers the ministry of Christian presence, modeling compassionate service and helping to call together spiritually gifted and committed neighbors toward the purpose of community renewal.
Community Fellowships
Community Fellowships is a grassroots, neighborhood ministry that works to share the love of Christ through supplemental education and recreation programs, youth and leadership development and job training. Community Fellowships seeks to break down socioeconomic barriers by building relationships that result in empowered community.
Gift Card Giver
We collect gift cards, count them, and then redistribute them to individuals and organizations in need. We are striving to make our community aware of the needs within it, and then address those needs in tangible ways.
Metro Merge
The mission of Metro Merge is to join God’s restorative work in the city by co-investing with local residents through sustainable entrepreneurship. Our passion is to connect local residents and vocational neighbors (partners) into authentic relationships, resulting in sustainable business start-ups by partnering with entrepreneurs in historic South Atlanta.
Neighborhood Partners
Neighborhood Partners works with local communities to create new and viable opportunities for neighborhoods to thrive. Neighborhood Partners is currently focused on community development and school development consultation to help neighborhood groups to accelerate their ultimate goals.
The Jubilee House
The Jubilee House of South Atlanta is an intentional community committed to working for the transformation of the South Atlanta by living together and supporting one another in a Christ-centered home rooted in Christian justice and unconditional love. The members strive to act as a bridge between God and neighbors, by dedicating their time and resources for the men, women and youth in the neighborhood.