MCDONOUGH, Ga. — Terrell Scott has always cared about the McDonough neighborhood where he grew up.

But he said that he’ll never forget the guy who used to terrorize his block.

“He brought more devastation and desolation to a community that did not need it. He was feeding the next generation and young people drugs,” Scott said.

Scott was that guy.

He was sentenced to 20 years in prison for his crimes.

But he found a bible while behind bars, and with the help of a girl he grew up with and later married, he came back to that neighborhood a changed man.

“I knew if he would be changed, he’d impact other people. He led people when he was doing wrong,” Scott’s wife, Brandy, said. “He could lead people doing right.”

Several years ago, Scott, now known as Pastor Scott, founded Passion-Life Church and The River Refuge, a nonprofit that serves local children and families.

Many people are struggling to make ends meet, and sometimes struggling to keep their kids out of trouble.

A few months ago, the nonprofit broke ground on what’s known as The Malachi Project, a large community and youth center on Rodgers Street.

It’s being built right in the middle of the neighborhood Scott knows so well.

Scott admits he once did some bad things around there, but now he’s setting things right and aims to help as many children as he can.

“We are working to bring up the literacy rate, to equip them and just spend time with them. Father them so they don’t get into gangs and a lifestyle like I was,” Scott said.

If you’d like to learn more about The Malachi Project, visit https://www.theriverrefuge.org/.

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