But it wasn’t always like this. Just five years ago, the building sat empty, old desks, chairs, and other furniture scattered throughout, many on their sides and in disrepair. The former elementary school had closed in May 2020, merging with Riley Elementary to create the new John R. Lewis Elementary.

Following the loss on Christmas of two men experiencing homelessness, then Mayor-elect Lester Miller gave Macon-Bibb departments and partner service providers a charge to open an emergency shelter to prevent it from happening again. Led by the Emergency Management Agency (EMA), a plan was formed, services put in place, and the facility was converted and opened to people needing shelter…in less than two weeks.

“I was a person who was one light bill away from being homeless myself [growing up],” says Mayor Lester Miller of his personal connection to making this happen so quickly and understanding of how much this was needed. 

“This was a crisis center, basically. This was not a hotel,” Steve Bell, who served as the Center’s first Executive Director, says of what they told people coming through the doors. “I’m just trying to make sure you stay alive.”

“Initially, when we opened, it was simply to give them a warm place to stay and a meal and then give our caseworkers a chance to have a conversation with them,” says Alison Bender, who began as a volunteer and was later named the Executive Director. 

While the story of how quickly the doors opened to people in need, the truly moving story is how the community opened its arms. To create a safe environment for people. To welcome them inside and make them feel at home…and then to give them the tools and confidence to find their own home.

The building wasn’t truly set up for living. There were cots in the rooms and donated sheets and linens. There were bathrooms but no showers. There was a kitchen, but nothing was hooked up and no one to serve the meals. So, a call went out to the community: “we need your help.”

And Macon-Bibb – as it does time and time again – showed up and showed out.

Tens of thousands of items were donated, from clothing items to shampoo to deodorant to book bags to socks and shoes to coats and clothes to toothbrushes to hairbrushes…and so, so much more. People volunteered to serve the three meals a day. Businesses, without being asked, donated tens of thousands of dollars. 

“It was such an overwhelming response, we had to stop accepting donations here at Brookdale and set up a drop off location at the Fire Station down the street,” adds EMA Director Spencer Hawkins.

“I knew that this was something I could continue to be part of,” Bender says of her first week volunteering.

“I’ve never seen the community support something lie they did Brookdale,” says Bell. “My heart was overwhelmed with the amount of love that came out of this community, and also lighting the spark back in me to do as well as I could for the individuals that were here.”

However, just having supplies and a place for people to put their head wouldn’t be enough for the volunteers, for the staff, for the partners, or for the Mayor. There needed to be a next step for people…they couldn’t just go back to sleeping outside or in blighted homes. They needed a path forward, and when they walked away from Brookdale, they needed to be better prepared for life. 

So, the Warming Center almost immediately began evolving to the Resource Center. Birth certificates, social security cards, housing applications, veteran affairs, addiction support, mental health services, job applications, real world skills…all were provided to residents. Holiday parties, birthdays, celebrations, get togethers, chores, responsibilities, homework assistance, tutors…education and social aspects were all included in living in a home like this. 

Whatever they needed to help them move toward permanent housing and find some kind of stability and normalcy.

“The folks walking in through this door, are coming in at some of the worst moments in their lives,” says Hawkins of what he stressed to the staff. “We need to ensure they are treated and cared for with respect, dignity, and compassion.”

“It’s already traumatic in some way for everyone involved, and we just want people to feel like they belong here while they’re here,” says Bender.

She can still recite the names of the children who have stayed at the Center and even talk about their progress in school. When she talks of them, her voice is filled with the same love and pride as she speaks of her own children.

There’s a real connection between the people working and volunteering at Brookdale and those who used to stay there. It’s not just the children Bender and Bell remember…they still run into some of the people in stores and in public. 

“I’m proud of you; congratulations,” Bender says she wishes she could tell every person that came through Brookdale. “I knew you could do it all along. I’m glad you believed in yourself.”

And that warmth indicates something deeper about Brookdale. It’s not just changing the lives of the people staying there…it’s changing the lives of every person involved.  

“This organization sparked something in other nonprofits,” says Bell of the first few months. “Raising money can be tough…it was not tough here. We had businesses coming to us just wanting to donate money and volunteer hours.”

“The people we see, the people that come through, have an impact on us, I hope as much as we have on them,” says Bender.

“Thank you for changing the life of a child,” Mayor Miller says he wants to say to every person that has worked there, that has donated to the residents, or who has spent time volunteering in the Center.

Brookdale is still opening its doors to people in need and is at the center of the community’s effort to help people in need. It is still changing to meet the ever-evolving needs of the community. It – and most importantly – the residents still need our community to come forward and help. 

“We still have people living on the streets. We still have people not turning on the heat in their home because they can’t afford it,” says Hawkins. “The community needs us to step in a way that is still necessary five years after we opened these doors.”

Five years later, nearly 5,000 have come through its doors. 

Five years later, nearly 5,000 people have had a warm and safe place to stay and had the chance to move toward permanent housing.

Five years later, Macon-Bibb is in the midst of a transformative experience that is changing the way it views people experiencing homelessness and people who are housing insecure.

And it all started by a group of people and organizations who opened the doors to people in need…and didn’t take no for an answer.

Its opening had only been announced two days prior, on January 4.

It was physically set up to from January 1-5.

The first partner meetings on what was needed to make it work took place December 29-31.

The first official planning meeting was December 28.

From December 25-28, phones were buzzing with texts, calls, and messages about the need to do something…discussions about what was even possible.

Because on December 25, Macon-Bibb faced a tragedy, one that ultimately lit a fire in an entire community to do something different…something transformative…something to truly help people.

Larry Howard & Manuel Foster.

Two men experiencing homelessness who lost their lives on Christmas because they were sleeping in the severe cold that night. Two men – not names – who have not been forgotten by the people of Macon-Bibb County.

“We took a leap of faith wanting to do what was right for the community. We got everyone involved and said in no uncertain terms we were going to do this,” Mayor Lester Miller – who hadn’t even been sworn for his first term when the planning began – says of that two week period. “In a short period of time, we were able to do something spectacular. We weren’t going to take no for an answer.”

According to Emergency Management Agency (EMA) Director Spencer Hawkins – who was tapped to lead the effort – his first conversation with Mayor Miller that Monday wasn’t brief, but the message was clear and direct: “Open a warming center quickly. What do you need?”

So, he laid out the needs for a shelter operation (a building, cots, food, staff, etc.), all things the EMA had spent years training the community to set up quickly. “We know how to do mass care operations…and how to keep people safe in dangerous situations,” he says.

“I know his passion, his heart, his work ethic…he was the first person I was going to go to,” says Mayor Miller of his calling on EMA to take lead. “It had the partnerships, technology, and systems in place to get it organized.”

But it would take more than a single meeting of two people talking to really get it going. Dozens of people gathered daily in person and online to discuss what would be needed. Multiple site visits to the former elementary school were made to figure out how and where things would be set up.

“The relationship with the Bibb County School District really took away our biggest hurdle: the building,” says Mayor Miller. “They were at the center of making this happen.”

In the middle of this preparation, the Mayor and Commissioners had their Inauguration Ceremony, and Larry Howard & Manuel Foster were remembered in the Mayor’s speech. A pledge was made.

“This is wholly unacceptable, especially in this community where caring for one another is a way of life,” the Mayor said in his speech that day. “Make no mistake, we will take decisive action, immediately, to protect our most vulnerable neighbors.”

The next day was New Year’s Eve, and one more in-person meeting was held among the partners before the physical work to set up the building truly began. For nearly a week, firefighters, Public Works crews, EMA staff, Commissioners, volunteers, school district staff, and more spent their time getting the building physically ready to open.

Desks and chairs were moved to the gym, plumbing was tested, cots were set up, the admissions area was prepared…and a whole list of more work needing to be done was created. Commissioners Bill Howell & Wilder even made several trips to Tennessee to pick up the first of many loads of donated linens, towels, and pillows.

“The more we started talking about this and people started doing their part, it became easier and easier. And our team grew and grew,” says Mayor Miller. “It took a tremendous effort by a lot of people.”

During the setup, Steve Bell was invited for a tour of the facility and to talk about the plans for the Center. He would then be invited to take on the role as its first Executive Director.

“When I came that first day, the firemen were moving beds into the school,” he says. It was a daunting task, but one he wanted to be part of immediately. “There was nothing like this in the community. I’m so thankful we could offer a respite to people who needed it.”

Monday, January 4, at 11:00 a.m., the partners gathered in the cafeteria of the still being converted former elementary school. They were the people who had been meeting nearly daily to talk about what people needed the most and what could be provided in a facility that most thought wasn’t possible just two weeks prior…but immediately saw how much good it could do. They had brought their entire resources to bear on making that day and the opening possible.

They were the people and groups that wouldn’t take no for an answer…all to make sure people could regain stability in their lives.

“Our entire community should be proud of the outpouring of support and speed of effort to find a temporary solution to this challenge while we work to find effective and sustainable long-term solutions,” Mayor Miller said at the announcement. “What we’re opening this week is just the first step in what we want to make available here.”

Two days later at noon, the doors opened to anyone who needed it. It may have just been cots and linens for the moment, but it was safe and warm. It was a space they could call their own for a time, and people were there waiting to help them. They could get hot meals, birth certificates, Social Security cards, addiction counseling, mental health support, a haircut, help with housing and job applications, clean clothes, toiletries, and, eventually, a hot shower.

“There was no soft opening, there was no ribbon cutting,” says Bell. “It was: there is a need in this community, and action took place quickly.”

Someone walking in on the first day, in the first hour, was an indicator of the need in Macon-Bibb. But before that person walked in the door, before they had that warm and safe place to stay…people and organizations had come together, and a building was made ready.

We were “filling a gap in the community, and [opening quickly] showed we had the capacity to care, the capacity to hope,” says Hawkins.

“It was a lot of hard work. A lot of people caring. A lot of love,” says Mayor Miller.

And by not taking no for an answer.

Part 2 – creating Brookdale inside the walls – will be published Friday, February 13.

“As our community grows and changes, so do the levels of risk posed by various threats and hazards,” says Robert McCord, EMA Deputy Director. “By reviewing our potential risks and planning for preparation and response, we can reduce or eliminate the impacts from the threats.”

Four meetings will be held to go over different aspects of the plan and solicit feedback. The first three meetings will be held in Commission Chambers at City Hall (700 Poplar Street) on the following dates and times. The fourth and final meeting on April 6, at 6:00 p.m., will be held in the meeting space at the Macon Mall (3661 Mercer University Drive), which is by the Board of Elections.

February 5 * 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

March 9 * 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

April 6 * 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.

“This meeting is open to anyone who wants to learn more about how we prepare for disasters or would like to provide us information. We want different points of view and new ideas so we have a complete view of our community,” adds McCord. “Everyone’s voice should be heard and be part of making our community more prepared for future disasters.”

There is an online survey currently live seeking additional input that people can provide. It will be open until February 4, 2026, and can be taken by clicking here: www.bit.ly/maconmitigation.

At noon on January 6 five years ago, the Brookdale Resource Center (then known as the Brookdale Warming Center) opened its doors and welcomed its first resident. Since then, 4,862 people have come through the doors for a warm and safe place to stay, get new identification cards, connect with needed services, find jobs, start on the road to permanent housing, and so much more.

“What started as a way to simply provide a warm place to stay in the cold months has grown far beyond what we could ever have hoped, and thousands of people in our community have a better life for it,” says Mayor Lester Miller, who began the process of opening the Center in the weeks before he took office in January 2021. “We’ve overcome every challenge placed before us, all because we’re united in making sure people have what they need.”

“We’re here to help people experiencing homelessness or are housing insecure with whatever needs they may have,” says Executive Director Alison Bender. “We want to stabilize families and create stronger futures for people by providing that safe place where they can stop, take stock, find what they need, and move forward with the tools to be successful.”

To mark its fifth anniversary, Macon-Bibb County and the United Way of Central Georgia are encouraging the public to step forward to support the residents, staff, and volunteers.

Since opening, hundreds of thousands of dollars, needed items, and volunteer hours have been donated by people. To mark the fifth anniversary, people are encouraged to do five things that, ultimately, will support current and future residents:

• Give five dollars. (Click link to donate online/see donation lists)
• Volunteer five hours of service. (Click link to sign up)
• Order five needed items. (Click here for Amazon wishlist) (Click here for donation list)
• Share the story of Brookdale with five people.
• Support Brookdale for the next five years.

“The Brookdale Resource Center couldn’t support as many people as it has for this long without help from the community, and we are eternally grateful for that,” says Carl Tims, CEO of United Way of Central Georgia. “We know, though, there are still many more people that need us, so we’re taking this moment to re-energize the public’s support for the people and families who need us the most.”

Also, during this time, Macon-Bibb and United Way will be highlighting residents and their successes and the staff, volunteers, and partner organizations that supported them through their journey. There will also be a look back on the massive effort that went into opening the Center, a monumental task that took place over a single holiday weekend. Stories, videos, pictures, statistics, testimonials, and more will be published in the two organizations’ e-newsletters and social media pages and through the local media.

“What happens inside these walls is truly inspiring, from the outpouring of love by our entire community to the results we see with families to the look of renewed hope in a child’s eyes,” says Bender. “We are all working together here to make sure our friends, family members, and neighbors all have a safe and strong path forward with their lives.”

“We want people to truly understand what happens here and why…to understand the love that has driven so many people to reach out and help someone have a better future,” says Chief Communications Officer Chris Floore. “There’s never been a moment in this story where someone said they couldn’t help; they always ask what more they can do. And that’s the story of our community.”

—

Thank you to the following agencies/companies for supporting Brookdale Resource Center: 

The Salvation Army of Central Georgia, the Bibb County School District, United Way of Central Georgia, Community Foundation of Central Georgia, the Macon Coalition to End Homelessness, Depaul USA Daybreak, Macon-Bibb County Transit Authority, the Mentor’s Project of Bibb County, Bibb County Sheriff’s Office, River Edge Behavioral Health, North Central Health District, Macon-Bibb County Health Department, Georgia Women (And Those Who Stand With Us), Macon Periods Easier, Choosing a Quality Life, Macon Area Habitat for Humanity, Community Partnership-Bibb County Family Connection, the American Red Cross of Central Georgia, Goodwill of Central Georgia, Coca-Cola, Loaves and Fishes, the Society of St. Andrew, First Choice Primary Care, Middle Georgia Community Food Bank, Macon Housing Authority, Macon Violence Prevention (MVP), Macon Mental Health Matters, Washington Memorial Library, New Piney Grove Baptist Church, GA Power, Atlanta Gas Light, Metro Power, Terracon, Robins Financial, Capital City, Blue Bird, Amazon, Schwartz Roofing, Leadership Macon Class 2020-2021, Mercer University, & Irving Tissue. 

Macon-Bibb County Departments involved with this effort include: Mayor’s Office, Emergency Management Agency, Fire Department, Public Works, Recreation, County Manager’s Office, Budget & Planning, and Communications.

This inaugural month-long celebration, which stems from the International Association of Emergency Managers, aims to promote the field of emergency management to leaders across all sectors.

“This recognition is testament to the hard work and dedication of the entire emergency management team,” said EMA Director Spencer Hawkins. “I want to personally acknowledge the incredible staff of the Macon-Bibb County Emergency Management Agency. Day in and day out, they work tirelessly to prepare our community for any challenge that may come our way.”

By engaging and educating decision-makers and chief executives, National Emergency Management Awareness Month will help to build a deeper understanding of the profession and highlight the critical role emergency managers play in safeguarding communities and organizations. National Emergency Management Awareness Month is a coordinated, industry-wide campaign designed to promote the capabilities of emergency management and highlight the contributions of emergency managers.

Click here to read the full proclamation.

People will be able to hear from about a dozen different preparedness and safety agencies about how they are helping keep the community safe. They will also be able to take information home about how they can help prepare their families and homes.

“The Emergency Preparedness Fair is an incredible opportunity for families in Macon-Bibb County to learn about the resources and tools available to them to keep their loved ones safe,” says Special Projects Officer Sophie Rosen. “When we’re informed and connected, we’re stronger together!”

Irving Tissue is a key partner at the fair. They will be serving free hotdogs and hamburgers for people attending, as well as handing out tissue products. There will also be games and fun for everyone in the family.

“Ensuring that the people who live, work, and play in Macon-Bibb County are prepared for disasters is one of the most important jobs we do in emergency management. We cannot do this alone; emergency management is a team effort,” says EMA Director Spencer Hawkins. “Because of the hard work of your EMA and the many partners that we have at the fair you will leave empowered and ready for what disasters may strike.”

People can sign up for MBCAlert by going to www.maconbibb.us/mbcalert, and people are encouraged to follow the Agency on Facebook, X (Twitter), and Instagram. You can also download the MBCAlert App on both the App Store and Google Play.

Hawkins also wants to stress to people that follow local media and weather forecasters on their social media channels to make sure they get as much information as possible about emergencies and severe weather.

“These calendars were such a hit the first year, we knew they needed to come back again,” said Emergency Management Director Spencer Hawkins. “One of the best parts of this project is working with the Bibb County school kids who provided all of the art for the calendars. This also would not have been possible if not for the generous donation by Irving Tissue.”  

Students from different Bibb County Schools participated in an art contest in September, making art that shows how people should stay safe ahead of and during a disaster. Along with the artwork, EMA provides helpful tips and information you should know to be prepared. 

Students who are featured in the calendar include Kennidy Mitchell, Atia Traynham, and Myrah Reeaves from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School; Herra Buenaventura, Jesse Jiang, and Tessa Smith from Sonny Carter Elementary School; Za’Darius Center and Daindre Center from Westside High School;  Jace Hall, Kiersten Jones, Liliana Serrano, Sawyer Hawkins, and Sylvia Jones from Vineville Academy; and  Shiasa Roach from John R. Lewis Elementary School. 

“This project was led by our Special Projects Officer, Sophie Rosen. She worked for months with the Bibb County School District, the individual schools and the Hutchins Career Academy print shop to bring this amazing calendar to you,” said Hawkins. “I am very proud of her efforts and hard work.” 

Irving Tissue donated $2,000 to support the EMA’s mission of sharing vital disaster preparedness information with the residents of Macon-Bibb County. 

You can pick up your calendar at the location below, but you can also download a PDF file here.

Macon City Hall

 Bibb County Courthouse

Bibb County School District

Board of Tax Assessors

Tattnall Square Pickleball Center

Elaine Lucas Senior Center

Frank Johnson Recreation Center

South Bibb Recreation Center

Bloomfield-Gilead Recreation Center

Delores A. Brooks Recreation Center

Memorial Park Recreation Center

Rosa Jackson Recreation Center

L.H. Williams Recreation Center

Theron Ussery Park Recreation Center

Vineville Academy of the Arts

Sonny Carter Elementary School

MLK Raiders

John R. Lewis Elementary

Students can draw or paint any artwork including preparedness actions, natural disasters, man-made disasters, or communications. You can see examples in the flyer below. 

This is the second year EMA creates this calendar. Calendars are free and distributed to people in our community.   

The deadline to submit artwork is October 16, 2024.  

 Previous guests have included Mayor Lester Miller, Macon Violence Prevention Coordinator Jeremy Grissom, Macon Mental Health Matters Coordinator Andrea Cooke, Director of Planning and Public Spaces Director Alex Morrison, and Macon-Bibb Industrial Authority Executive Director Stephen Adams.

People will be able to hear from about a dozen different preparedness and safety agencies about how they are helping keep the community safe. They will also be able to take information home about how they can help prepare their families and homes.

This year, Irving Tissue will be a key partner at the fair. They will be serving free hotdogs and hamburgers for people attending, as well as handing out tissue products. A new addition will be organizations bringing their vehicles to let kids get inside.

“Ensuring that the people who live, work, and play in Macon-Bibb County are prepared for disasters is one of the most important jobs we do in emergency management. We cannot do this alone; emergency management is a team effort,” says EMA Director Spencer Hawkins. “Because of the hard work of your EMA and the many partners that we have at the fair you will leave empowered and ready for what disasters may strike.”

People can sign up for MBCAlert by going to www.maconbibb.us/mbcalert, and people are encouraged to follow the Agency on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can also download the MBCAlert App on both the App Store and Google Play.

Hawkins also wants to stress to people that follow local media and weather forecasters on their social media channels to make sure they get as much information as possible about emergencies and severe weather.