As the Brookdale Resource Center celebrates five years of serving the Macon-Bibb community, the milestone is also a moment to recognize the people behind the work, the employees who show up every day to support, guide, and care for residents during some of the most difficult moments of their lives.

For many staff members, working at Brookdale is more than a job. It is a daily reminder of how quickly circumstances can change.

“Working here is a humbling experience,” said Latrallis Guy, a Service Specialist Assistant who began her career at Brookdale as a Client Service Specialist. “I used to think homelessness was just people laying on the side of the road, under the bridge, but it taught me that can be someone just like you or me. You can have it all today and it can be gone tomorrow.”

In her current role, Guy handles much of the behind-the-scenes work that keeps Brookdale running. She coordinates volunteers and outreach events, plans activities for residents, helps with cafeteria menus, and steps in wherever help is needed. With experience in home health and as a clinical technician, she brings both compassion and flexibility to every part of the job.

That adaptability has been essential since Brookdale first opened its doors.

“When Brookdale opened, COVID had just happened and a lot of people had come into this situation where some of their jobs had ended because of COVID,” said Tamika Johnson, Director of Case Management, who has been with the center since January 2021. “We were just living in a strange time.”

Originally launched as the Brookdale Warming Center to provide shelter during cold winter months, the facility has since evolved into the Brookdale Resource Center. Its mission expanded to provide not just shelter, but resources that help people get their lives back on track.

“Everybody that came through here wasn’t on the street,” Johnson said. “It was people that were living in homes but came into that situation they couldn’t handle. There are people that come here from all walks of life and not just from Macon.”

Throughout that evolution, Johnson says one thing has remained constant, community support.

“When this place opened, this community actually came out,” she said. “Macon comes together for Macon. When it’s something that needs to be done, Macon comes together.”

Since opening, hundreds of thousands of dollars, needed items, and volunteer hours have been donated by people. To mark the fifth anniversary of the Brookdale Resource Center, 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.