Nomination Statement for Monica Magee

Finding ways to be of service is a building block of my life. Seeking ways to help “the least of them” is a core principle I value.  Understanding the social ills that impede the success of those who are underserved, is what I believe is my challenge.  Each person should have the option to secure a decent standard of life, a safe environment to live, schools to educate ourselves and our children, affordable health care, and healthy food to eat. All humans have a fundamental need for each of these things.  However, many are not able to access it.  Those of us who have access, could and should use our knowledge to create pathways for the underserved to have the fundamental basics of life.

In America, many citizens cannot find and secure affordable housing.  This landscape is a complex and ever-changing problem.  The Land Trust Model provides an option that is one of the pathways for underserved citizens to move into homeownership.  Using this resource affords working citizens a decent place to live at an affordable price.  While there are many different paths to take to obtain and secure housing, the Athens Land Trust Model is currently working for 56 families who reside in Athens, Georgia.

Working with the Land Trust allows me to be part of the solution, guiding people to a positive way of becoming self-sufficient.  Our agency offers empowerment programs for economic and financial growth.  We provide on-site youth training in the areas of construction, farming, and conservation so that they can emerge with a skill set that will help them to earn livable wages without a college diploma.  We are in concert with the community, holding meetings and taking surveys to stay abreast of what the community needs are and how we as an agency can address it.  I can’t think of any better reward in my work than serving to help people who need it.  I am humbled and grateful that my destiny has led me to this place.