ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – At first glance, East Lake Golf Club and the neighborhood of East Lake have little in common except location.
But for residents and golfers, the excellence of one begets the excellence of the other.
“[East Lake Golf Club is] an ally to make sure we have what we need,” said Jennifer McCrary, the director of outreach and engagement for the East Lake Foundation.
McCrary has lived in East Lake for more than a decade. She’s watched as the TOUR Championship has poured tens of millions of dollars into the neighborhood, with East Lake Golf Club pouring in millions more.
Still, the fences stand tall, dividing the course and surrounding area.
“The East Lake community has a long, storied history of crime, poverty, and miseducation,” she said.
It’s not difficult for wealthy, exclusive clubs to create friction with the surrounding area.
“We’ve never had an issue with the private club,” McCrary said. “They are why most of this development has happened.”
What’s happened is bountiful. Over its 30-year existence, the East Lake Foundation has sought out new businesses and emphasized education, helping direct funds into the nearby Drew Charter School.
“Children being exposed to opportunity, access, and understanding their potential is all a part of breaking the generational cycle of poverty,” McCrary said.
It’s also created more rent-to-buy opportunities for East Lake residents, like townhomes that sell for under $200,000.
“In Atlanta, that is absolutely unheard of,” McCrary said.
It’s all made possible by the success of East Lake Golf Club.
“We have a lot more resources as a result of the generosity of the golf club,” McCrary said.
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