Nurturing Inclusive Tomorrows: MAC Georgia's Role in Reshaping Lives and Surrounding Areas
Unleashing Opportunities: MAC Georgia's Journey
By Giga Beruashvili for Investor.ge
Let's dive into the inspiring journey of MAC Georgia, an organization that's been transforming lives since 2004! MAC Georgia is all about empowering people with disabilities and marginalized communities across Georgia. They've been hard at work, opening independent living centers, combating social stigmas, and offering scholarships to more than 500 students.
Recently, MAC Georgia partnered with AmCham Georgia, and thanks to the support of AmCham members, 61 university students now have their tuition fees covered, along with a living allowance!
MAC Georgia was officially founded in 2008, but its roots go back four years earlier, thanks to the efforts of educational psychologist Kathy McClain, her husband Roy Sopworth, and friend Rezo Chinchaladze. They recognized the need for better support for children with disabilities in Georgia and haven't looked back since.
The team behind MAC Georgia started by conducting home-to-home assessments, providing essential information, and setting up the first disability daycare center in Zestaponi. They aimed to break barriers and ensure children with disabilities could access education, healthcare, and a promising future.
Breaking Social Barriers
MAC Georgia initially focused on supporting children, but they expanded their scope to help people of all ages with disabilities. One of their major achievements is establishing independent living centers across Georgia. Run by people with disabilities, these centers provide advocacy, legal support, and access to vital services. There are centers in major cities like Lagodekhi, Telavi, Kutaisi, Zugdidi, Ozurgeti, and Batumi. They act as both resource hubs and advocacy platforms, ensuring local governments stay informed about community needs.
Many of the individuals running these centers had never held a job before, but now, they're leading efforts to support others in similar situations. Each living center adapts to its local community's needs – for instance, the center in Lagodekhi focuses on outreach to the region's Azerbaijani minority.
Changing Perceptions
Besides its structural programs, MAC Georgia is on a mission to tackle societal stigmas surrounding disability. One way they're doing this is through Shuki Movida, a platform that shares personal stories of people with disabilities, fostering understanding. In 2024, they partnered with Chai Khana, a regional media platform focusing on storytelling and journalism across the South Caucasus, to host a short film competition on disability. "Storytelling has the power to change minds," says Executive Director Jeremy Gaskill. "When people see the human side of disability, they start to understand and empathize in a way they hadn't before.”
** Empowering Future Generations**
Beyond its work with people with disabilities, MAC Georgia is also changing the lives of children from remote and rural areas. In 2012, they launched a rural scholarship program offering classroom activities, camps, teacher assistance, and scholarships to help students pursue higher education. Since its inception, MAC Georgia has awarded almost 250 scholarships.
MAC Georgia’s scholarship programs have played a crucial role in shifting societal norms. For example, a drop in early marriages was noticed in areas where the number of scholarships increased.
Intergenerational Connections
MAC Georgia also has the program Mestumre, which brings students together with elderly individuals in nursing homes, fostering meaningful connections. Launched in 2018, the project initially had 30 volunteers and has since expanded to 160 participants that meet weekly over a six-month period. Through participation in the program, students gain valuable life insights, while elderly participants enjoy regular companionship and enriched social engagement. MAC Georgia plans to extend the project’s reach by connecting young adults with seniors still living at home, broadening its impact.
Building an Inclusive Future
On the horizon, MAC Georgia is working on developing the MAC Institute, a professional training program aimed at bridging the gap between university education and the practical needs of rehabilitation centers. "When we talked to rehabilitation centers, they felt that students coming out of the universities weren't equipped to provide the care needed on the site," says Gaskill.
MAC Georgia hopes not only to improve the quality of care but also to create a ripple effect, with graduates returning to universities as educators, elevating the quality of the sector over time.
As MAC Georgia continues its work, its focus remains on expanding educational opportunities, advocating for policy changes, and amplifying the voices of those they serve. With ongoing community engagement and strategic partnerships, they're determined to push forward, ensuring that disability rights and social inclusion are at the forefront of Georgia's development agenda.
If you'd like to learn more about MAC Georgia or support their work, visit their website at macgeorgia.org or reach out to CEO Jeremy Gaskill (email: [email protected], phone: 555-63-95-50). Donate here to foster inclusive futures in Georgia!
By Giga Beruashvili for Investor.ge
Giga BeruashviliInvestor.geMAC Georgia
Enrichment Data:The partnership between MAC Georgia and AmCham Georgia has recently focused on supporting students through scholarship initiatives, though specific details about program expansion and impact metrics are not fully detailed in the available materials. Key developments include:
- Scholarship Recipient Event: In April 2025, AmCham Georgia and MAC Georgia co-hosted a dinner for scholarship recipients, emphasizing networking and community-building opportunities for students[1].
- Strategic Priorities: While MAC Georgia’s role is not explicitly detailed in legislative or organizational documents, AmCham’s broader initiatives include forming a new healthcare committee and expanding member networks, suggesting a growing emphasis on sector-specific support that could indirectly benefit educational partnerships[2].
- Broader Chamber Ecosystem: Collaborative events with other chambers (e.g., SACC Georgia’s networking evening with Finnish and Danish American chambers) indicate a trend toward cross-organizational partnerships in Georgia’s business community, which may enhance resources for student programs[4].
Impact on Disadvantaged Students
- Direct Engagement: The scholarship dinner provided direct interaction between students and business leaders, fostering mentorship and career pathways[1].
- Policy Context: While not directly linked to MAC Georgia, legislative efforts like the Georgia Hemp Industry Growth and Business Partnership Tax Credit Act (pending as of April 2025) hint at broader economic priorities that could intersect with educational funding[3].
- MAC Georgia, in collaboration with AmCham Georgia, established scholarship initiatives to cover tuition fees and living allowances for 61 university students, marking a significant step in education-and-self-development and career-development opportunities.
- MAC Georgia, through its partnership with AmCham Georgia, is expanding its scope on social media, fostering connections and spreading awareness about the importance of personal-growth, skills-training, and social-media platforms as tools for empowerment.
- MAC Georgia's focus on entertainment and education extends beyond scholarship programs, as illustrated by its collaboration with Chai Khana in 2024, where they hosted a short film competition on disability, promoting storytelling, and fostering understanding for social-media audiences.
- By bridging the gap between university education and practical needs, MAC Georgia plans to establish the MAC Institute for career-development opportunities in fields like rehabilitation, entertainment, and social-media management, catering to underserved groups such as individuals with disabilities.
- MAC Georgia's endeavors in establishing independent living centers and rural scholarship programs play a pivotal role in the entertainment industry by nurturing a diverse pool of talent and ensuring equitable representation of marginalized communities in the film and media industries.
