Citizen Advocacy relies on county money, asking commission not to make cuts

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Macon-Bibb County Mayor Robert Reichert has to present a balanced budget to the commission Tuesday afternoon.

The county is looking at a project $10 million deficit and has to make cuts to its budget. Commissioners have been looking at making those cuts to outside agencies. The county funds $10.7 million among 24 agencies.

Citizen Advocacy is funded federally, but also relies on the $4,500 the county provides. Director of the non-profit, Amanda Smith, says they use that money to get word out of the people in need of advocates.

Citizen Advocacy promotes, protects and defends the welfare of a person with a developmental disability.

Connelly Poole has been an advocate for 6 years for Frazier Smith, a man who spent about 70 years of isolation in a mental hospital and nursing home.

“I was able to take him to the grocery store,” said Poole. “He didn’t know what a grocery store was and I was able to take him to the mall, he was fascinated.”

Poole was able to be a friend Smith.

“He didn’t have a friend, his family is a long ways out of town and so we were able to communicate with him and the amazing thing, is when we first met him, he was afraid to leave the institution,” said Poole.

It wasn’t long before Frazier became family to Poole.

“He ate meals with us, he went to church with us and I would pick him up every Sunday,” said Poole.

Those bonds are what Amanda Smith, Director of Citizen Advocacy, strives to create in the community.

“My goal is to locate people who are vulnerable,” said Smith. “People who don’t have anyone in their life. No family, only paid staff and learn their story. And once I learn their story, I go out in the community and look for that special person and ask them to open their hearts to this person. ”

With the $4,500 the county gives the group, Smith is able to get word out about what they do with flyers and programs.

“It’s Bibb County dollars going into Bibb county and what it does is essentially help members of our community that you never see come out into the community,” said Smith.

With cuts, it would be harder to build more relationships like Frazier’s and Poole’s.

“There are a lot of Mr. Fraziers out there,” said Poole. “They just need you to come out there and say ‘Hey, how are you doing?'”

Poole says Frazier is back in a nursing home and is not allowed to leave because of issues with his family, but that doesn’t stop Poole from visiting him at least once a week, with Frazier’s favorite meal from KFC.

If you would like to sign up to be an advocate, call Amanda Smith (478) 733-8602.