FCS exists to reweave the fabric of neighborhoods so that they become places of opportunity, access, and belonging.
Housing has always been a cornerstone of that work. Access to stable, affordable housing is the key to making sure neighbors can stay rooted in place.
“The impact is greater than we can imagine,” says Mpho Gwabeni, who serves as FCS’s Accounting Coordinator.
She knows from personal experience. Today, let’s dive into her story and how FCS’s work in housing has ensured her family can thrive.
Community connection made putting down roots possible
Mpho’s story begins not in South Atlanta but rather in South Africa. “My mother, Prudence Gwabeni, came to Atlanta in 1982 from South Africa,” she explains. Soon after arriving, Prudence got connected to Urban Recipe, an organization that to this day partners with FCS to offer two food co-ops to South Atlanta residents. Prudence volunteered, then worked for Urban Recipe as a coordinator. Her pastor at Georgia Avenue Baptist was also involved with Urban Recipe and happened to be connected to FCS’s housing effort at the time, Charis Community Housing.
“My godparents were also involved with FCS and Urban Recipe. It was like one big family,” Mpho laughs.
Thanks to these interwoven connections, Prudence got the opportunity to move into an FCS home in 1988, where she’s been ever since. That home is where Mpho grew up with her parents and her three sisters.
Growing up in that home, Mpho never realized how important it was that her family laid the foundation for her to be grounded in her community. “I was young back in Grant Park, so I didn’t realize what I had then. But I see it now. We were stable, we could put down roots, and never had to move. When I think about my mother moving from another country with four children, I can see how nice it must have been to have that sense of security and stability for her, too. I think, on the whole, that stability made this place stick with me. It made me want to stick around in Atlanta,” she says.
As a young adult, her connections in Atlanta would offer up another opportunity: working for FCS.
“I started in 2015 – it’s been nine years,” Mpho says. She started as an Administrative Assistant, where fellow FCS team member Shell Stafford took her under her wing. Mpho smiles when she says, “Shell is my work mom. She taught me everything I know. She guided me, mentored me, and taught me how to open up and embrace my ability. She is a huge part of my success,” Mpho states.
Investing in the next generation of neighbors
Now, as an integral part of FCS’s operations, Mpho knows she’s making an impact on families like hers, too.
Mpho continues to reflect. “The impact is greater than we ever could have imagined. When people come in and throughout the day, they have conversations with us about how much they appreciate how we’ve worked with them. It’s amazing. FCS intentionally goes about making connections. They show patience in the way they speak to people. The aura just happens naturally. Putting people in homes, patiently working alongside people, inviting people—FCS will help you see you through.”
Mpho is invested—not just as a resident but as a long-standing neighbor. “I’m down the street from FCS,” she says with a gesture. And she aspires to be a homeowner, just like her mother. Even with the path her mother forged, Mpho is grateful for the extra support FCS provides on the homeownership journey.
“FCS has a partnership with NeighborWorks, which has paired me with a mentor. She’s explained the process to me, the financial pathway to homeownership, and it’s so much easier to figure out when you have that kind of guidance,” Mpho explains.
Mpho hopes that once she owns her own home, her stability will allow her to pour into the next generation of neighbors even more.
We are so grateful for the team members and neighbors like her. Together, we can build stronger, more connected neighborhoods where every family has the opportunity to thrive.
