(Editor’s note: Nonprofit organizations have become a major factor in Gwinnett life, plugging holes for the community. One example is Corners Outreach, which has been incorporated since 2010. Learn about their work today.) -eeb
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
FEB. 20, 2024 | Larry Campbell recognized that education for immigrant children without financial stability for the family doesn’t work. He’s president and CEO of Corners Outreach, based on Shackleford Court in Norcross, downhill from the Vietnam Church on Beaver Ruin Road.
A native of Nashville, Tenn., Campbell, soon to be 72, now lives in Berkeley Lake. He is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University. He had a 13 year career managing large operations for Union Carbide before moving to Atlanta for the warmer climes. He founded a technology consulting company, which he sold in 2016. He was one of the founders of Corners Outreach Church, back in 1991 on Medlock Bridge Road.
The Corners Outreach 501(c)3 nonprofit started in 2010 to focus on Title I elementary school students, giving them after-school and summer help. Later it expanded to all grades, and today serves nearly 1,000 immigrant students. But soon Larry began to understand Corners Outreach had to pivot to serve the whole immigrant family to move beyond dependency on relief to economic self-sufficiency.
Becky and Larry Campbell
Larry found out: “We surveyed our community, and learned that many of the men had experience in the landscape business. So we started a company, Lawncare With a Purpose, paying these workers a living wage. We start out at $15 an hour, and they can work up to $28 an hour, for a 40 hour week, and paid time off for holidays. It now employs over 100 workers. Many were astounded to find that when they had holidays, they got paid for a full eight hours.”
These workers can be home with their families on Saturday. Campbell says: “We also employ many of their wives with sewing capabilities. During the pandemic, we employed women in making Covid masks. We now employ women to drive vans to pick up kids. The women also do the cleaning of our buildings.”
Grants and contributions help fund the non-profit. In addition, when lawn care customers pay for their services, 10 percent of that money goes to the non-profit, creating a self-funding mechanism. Campbell call this “asset-based community development.” He feels: “This is a big deal, for it forms a funding mechanism for other projects.”
Corners Outreach listened to its teenagers. From this, they began a staffing company. It placed 54 persons last year, many in health care, and hope to go over 100 this year. Campbell remembers: “As an example, one business said that they could not find a bi-lingual receptionist, so we found them one. Companies are pleased to get our youth, for they understand work.”
Jose and Alejandra Vichez
Hector and Maria Felix
Corners Outreach non-denominational church meets at their building. Campbell is one of the elders, along with Jose Vichez, 51, and Hector Felix, 59. The church employs its own minister. Sunday’s attendance averages about 100, mostly-immigrant families.
With the after school and summer school programs, included is tutoring of students, plus giving help in music, arts, sports and early and high school education. A big victory for this program was getting the Gwinnett Board of Education buses to drop off students at Corners Outreach. Besides after school education at the corporate headquarters, Corners Outreach also tutors at two off-site locations, on Jimmy Carter Boulevard and Peachtree Industrial Boulevard.
Corners Outreach has a $4 million budget from grants and contributions. Its focus is on skill development, giving individuals, family and the wider immigrant community what they need to move to economic self-sufficiency. That includes education, job creation and training, job search skills and financial counseling. Eventually, they hope to see the family move into home ownership.
What a goal! Attaboy, Corners Outreach!
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