- Health and Wellness Hero LaTonya Gates Johnston, founder of PAWKids
- Business Builder Heroes John and Gail Mapp, owners of Level Construction Services
- Neighborhood Builder Hero Chuck Johnston, author and retired educator
- Neighborhood Champion Kathy Waller, executive director of Atlanta Committee for Progress
The honorees were included on a mural on Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway painted by artist Petie Parker earlier this month.
“We want to make sure that we’re honoring the true heroes of the westside,” said Gavin McGuire, Grove Park Foundation’s executive director.
“It gives us a chance to pause, look at the past and continue to bring more people into our work. We’re trying to tell the story of the people who are instrumental in Grove Park’s growth, development and historical roots for our kids and generations to come.”
Since 2017, Grove Park Foundation has brought the neighborhood’s people, nonprofits and corporations together to collaborate on opportunities that bring equity and a better quality of life to the communities of Center Hill, Dixie Hills, West Lake, Hunter Hills, Almond Park, West Highlands and Rockdale.
KIPP Woodson Park Academy serves over 900 students from kindergarten through eighth grade. Created in partnership with Atlanta Public Schools in 2019, the campus opened in 2021 and has a health clinic and early learning center. The foundation and Atlanta Public Schools collaborated to fund the school.
The foundation is also involved in the ongoing restoration of a 300-seat performing arts theater and cultural center for residents. McGuire says the 10,000-square-foot building will host future Grove Park Heroes ceremonies beginning in 2025 or 2026.
“It’ll be a place for the community to gather with their neighbors for diverse entertainment options,” he said. “We’ve been getting feedback from the residents on the type of programming they’d like to see because we want everyone to connect.”
Grove Park Foundation also teamed with…
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