Children change what they aspire to become every year or two, sometimes even more frequently. It’s very rare that you hear about someone who remains steadfast in their childhood dream and accomplishes it.
For Marjy Stagmeier who had been the Monopoly star of her 6th grade class in Atlanta, Georgia, whilst she was 11 years old, this is exactly what transpired.
Marjy was so inspired by the monopoly accomplishments that she decided straight away that she intended to be a property owner when she got older, what a generous landlord she has become.
She started to invest in old inexpensive apartment complexes after graduating from Georgia State University. She soon discovered that many of her tenant households were single-parent low earners in need of community resources such as projects after school as well as play areas.
Marjy founded her own 501(c)(3) charity, Star-C, to offer free on-site support to families residing in modest rental apartments in reaction to the need for public services, and Star-C has now become a Lifesaver for households.
She told GNN, “Many children who came via the Star-C after-school program are now physicians, plumbers, and schoolteachers, making decent salaries that lifted them out of hardship.” “We were able to move close to 100 households from rental to owning a home, and we held rents minimal so that families could save funds.”
A chance encounters with Bill and Melinda Gates in 2017—along with Mathew Desmond, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Evicted—opened her eyes: albeit with her rents beneath the market, some of her renters struggled to pay rent, therefore she started to create an unofficial resource network for families seeking subsidized housing.
A large number of Marjy’s tenants became jobless and some needed to handle several children who were unexpectedly at home throughout the day when COVID-19 hit in March 2020, exacerbating the need.
As such, in April, Star-C initiated a 50,000 dollars Gofundme account for displacement relief, but the responses surprised Marjy, with roughly 50 thousand dollars generated.
The local municipality of Cobb County learned about the Star-C Eviction Fundraising Campaign and immediately voted to contribute $1.5 million of the federal stimulus money, putting the cherry on top. Other cities, such as Fulton County, followed suit, and Star-C has already gained more than $9 million through governments and charities, allowing it to assist over 3,000 families to escape eviction.
Chief Magistrate Brendan Murphy Marjy of Cobb County assists Marjy and Star-C by offering rental assistance and courtroom cooperation in conjunction withChief Magistrate Cassandra Kirk of Fulton County.
Via their hotline, Marjy’s team has met with thousands of Atlanta households and has collaborated with over almost 350 landlords covering 65 thousand rental apartments.
“The eviction relief fund partners with landlords that give low-income families affordable rents,” Marjy explains. “Our landlords are aware of their most vulnerable tenants and work with them on their applications.”
Janice Abrams sobs as she learns she will need financial assistance.
Not only for tenants but even for struggling landlords, the Star-C initiative has become a game-changer.
“We have a lot of tenants and landlords who are just thankful. Thank you notes, and phone calls from families who have now found jobs and are able to pay their rent are common for our Star-C staff.”
Further good news came in the form of the federal relief plan for 2021, which included an additional $4.1 million to help them give greater assistance.
“It is a win-win situation for all, including the homeowner, infant, landlord, and local school, if renters and their kids are secure in their neighborhood.”
You can support Marjy’s nonprofit by contributing here or volunteering on their website.
