accent gwinnett magazine

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

PARTNERSHIP GWINNETT

In November, eight municipalities will have the Tax Allocated District (TAD) referendum on the ballot . . . READ MORE

GREEN AND CLEAN

Imagine driving through the streets of Gwinnett and instead of just seeing concrete and grass in . . . READ MORE

BUSINESS

Have you thought about where you would like to retire? That’s a trick question. The real question is . . . READ MORE

FALL FESTIVALS, BEAUTIFUL DAYS, HAPPY FAMILIES

As the summer heat abates and we note a crispness in the evening air, our thoughts move toward all that . . . READ MORE

We painted the town red during our 3 year celebration.

I am so overwhelmed! Tonight is a celebration of so many things, and I am so thankful to all of you who . . . READ MORE

FALL HIKES WITH KIDS

Hiking is one of the most popular outdoor activities for every one of all ages, including children . . . READ MORE

FAMILY

Be careful what you say. Your kids are listening. I learned this lesson very well at 3 am on the . . . READ MORE

BOOK REVIEW

The advent of the age of automation has given us a proliferation of instant solutions . . . READ MORE

RECIPES

It's really chili! READ MORE

WHO'S HAUNTING GWINNETT

You re all alone as the glowing candle casts shadows across the floor that creep up the bedroom wall . . . READ MORE

THE LAST WORD

We all realize that there is not much in life that is free. Even love is sometimes bought . . . READ MORE

^{by: Chari Sutherland}

Although Marina Peed did not grow up in the South, she has that subtle air of Southern hospitality that sets others at ease and a firm handshake that affirms she means business. Peed’s capacity as president and executive director of The IMPACT! Group has brought positive changes to many Gwinnett neighborhoods. IMPACT! is a nonprofit community development corporation that provides affordable housing, homeowner education and resources to the community. “I like to say the IMPACT! Group invests in people and invests in places,” says Peed.

IMPACT! Group, formally known as Gwinnett Housing Resource Partnership, is entering its fifteenth year of service to the community. Although there is some focus on helping families purchase new homes, IMPACT! also emphasizes revitalization. All their services are provided free of charge to the general public. Their clients come from all walks of life, including senior citizens, single parents, or the average working couple with two children.

Last year IMPACT! worked with about 3,300 families, providing services such as an emergency shelter program, homebuyer education, foreclosure prevention counseling and down payment assistance. In their homebuyer education classes and counseling sessions over 800 families were served. Loan originations exceeded $1,500,000. “These are just numbers but they’re really people and they’re families,” Peed says. “We feel really good that we’re able to give people information they need to make good choices for themselves, avoid getting ripped off and provide quality places to call home.”

Peed has been with IMPACT! since 1993, after her move to the area from Boston. She was a volunteer the first three years. In Boston, she worked with a consulting firm that focused on community reinvestments. She learned from that experience to identify gaps in community resources and needs and how to fill in those gaps. Peed continues, “It also taught me that investing in low income neighborhoods is and can be good business for all parties involved—for lenders, contractors and certainly for residents in the community.”

An economic impact study by Capital Strategists, Inc. found that IMPACT! puts an average of $60 million back into Gwinnett’s economy on a yearly basis. This is accomplished when, through IMPACT!’s many projects, builders construct new homes or renovate existing ones, lenders earn commissions on new mortgages and realtors earn commissions on home sales. Currently IMPACT! is doing a comprehensive redevelopment of an apartment complex in Norcross, which is generating four million dollars in the community, reports Peed.

The work of The IMPACT! Group has increased real estate values and reduced crime in revitalized areas. Peed is glad the work she does helps others. “I can’t imagine working as hard as I do…if I didn’t know that we were really making life-changing differences in people’s lives and in our community.”