The Georgia World Congress Center Authority has partnered with the Atlanta Union Mission to provide jobs and supplies to individuals who utilize the mission’s services. Atlanta Union Mission President Jim Reese addressed GWCCA employees on Tuesday, May 4 with the story of his career path that led him to AUM and an explanation of all that the mission does for those in need in the Atlanta community.

At the close of the presentation, GWCCA management presented Reese with a cartload full of toiletry items such as toothpaste, shampoo and soap that had been donated by employees for use at the Atlanta Union Mission. The GWCCA also announced that four people in AUM’s rehabilitation program have been hired as part-time employees of the convention center. The Atlanta Union Mission was established in 1938 as a refuge to those displaced by the Great Depression. Over the past 72 years, AUM has helped those in need in the Atlanta community providing emergency food and shelter, residential recovery programs and transitional housing in their five facilities. Last year alone, AUM provided 370,000 bed nights and served 1 million meals. The GWCCA looks forward to an ongoing relationship with AUM and is proud to help further their mission by providing jobs and supplies.

The GWCCA works with many local organizations providing job opportunities and skills training through the Goodwill, food and supplies to the Atlanta Community Food Bank and weekly mentoring to elementary school students through the Atlanta 5th Ward Boys Association. During FY 2009, more than 1.1 million people attended events at the GWCC. The facility hosted 53 major trade shows and conventions, 12 public and consumer shows and 285 meetings and corporate events creating an economic impact of $1.9 billion.