Photo courtesy of Greg Mixon.
Greg Mixon Clerestory Nonprofit
Greg Mixon, a lawyer based in the 280 corridor, founded Clerestory, Inc. in 2011. The organization seeks to aid those in need by building relationships and fostering successful transition into the job market.
It wasn’t long ago that Greg Mixon looked at Red Mountain and thought of it differently.
To him, the landscape that brought beauty to the greater Birmingham area suddenly became more than that. It was a barricade. And he wanted to break it down.
Mixon is founder of Mixon Law Firm, LLC, located in the Colonnade, and has lived in Altadena since 1991. He began practicing law in the area in 2000, and his work took him frequently into downtown Birmingham. Over the years, he developed a strong desire to find a way that the communities on 280 could help those in need on the other side of the mountain.
He began his involvement with ministry at the Brother Bryan Mission in 2009 in the form of a mentoring program. One-on-one, he worked with those who sought to improve their lives but didn’t know how to begin the process. Through the experience, he discovered efforts to feed and shelter those in need have their limitations.
“There seemed to be a hole in relief infrastructure in Birmingham, in that there are a lot of organizations helping the poor and the at-risk with food, shelter, clothing and the basic essentials,” Mixon said. “But when somebody wasn’t in crisis anymore and wanted to get a job, find housing and become self sufficient, I really couldn’t find anything that would help them long-term economically.”
Ultimately, he decided the way to bridge the gap was to build relationships.
In 2011, Mixon launched Milo Group, Inc., and its purpose was to provide guidance on moving forward for those who have suffered disaster in their lives. In its first year, the organization received $22,000 to assist with its efforts, proving people agreed with Mixon’s mission. And that led to refinement.
Recently, the organization changed its name to Clerestory, and honed its focus on providing assistance with job training and job placement. Mixon said he wants to provide opportunities in the form of internships and permanent jobs that will help people jump-start their careers.
The name, Clerestory, is an architectural term referring to high placed windows above eye level, which allow light and fresh air into dark, enclosed places. Mixon chose the name because he believes people are prone to life beneath a low ceiling.
“What we need to do is blow a hole through the roof so people can look up and see that there is light,” Mixon said.
One of the programs Clerestory has become involved with is Jobs For Life, which is an organization based out of Raleigh, N.C. The program works through volunteer mentors who come alongside men and women of all ages to help them develop professionally.
Mentors and students work through an eight-week curriculum that involves interviewing skills, work ethic and public speaking, which are woven into Biblical principles and values. There have been five graduating classes hosted by local churches, including Double Oak Presbyterian, Altadena Valley Presbyterian and Mixon’s home church, Oak Mountain Church.
Ward and Beth Drennen, who attend Oak Mountain Church, invested a significant amount of their time in Clerestory. Ward led and taught one of the most recent Jobs For Life classes, which included several volunteers from the 280 area.
He said that as a mentor in the program his life has been impacted. He wants others from the 280 area to attend the classes to learn more about the work that is going on.
“When you meet the people we work with, it is contagious. You can also find ways to make opportunities available to them,” Drennen said. “It gives me a better understanding of the struggles that some go through and an appreciation for the things we take for granted sometimes.”
Mixon’s long-term vision for Clerestory is to become closer with local churches and nonprofit organizations in order to bring about social and individual economic change. He consistently encourages people to look for things that give the opportunity for relationships.
“Use the talents that you have and where you are in life to find a way to connect with someone who you would otherwise never know, whether that is being a mentor or helping employ somebody,” Mixon said. “Just find someone off of your normal grid and build that relationship.”
For more, visit clerestoryinc.org.
