Mercedes-Benz USA Puts the Spotlight on More Atlanta Heroes

“Greatness Lives Here” Documentary Series and Recognition Initiative Honors Auto Mechanic Who Helps At-Risk Youth, Six Other Creative Community Leaders

ATLANTA–(BUSINESS WIRE)–With metro Atlanta students back in school, Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) is recognizing local heroes who are in a class of their own. The company today released its latest documentary short for “Greatness Lives Here” (GLH), an initiative dedicated to celebrating Atlantans who quietly devote their lives to empowering the youth of tomorrow and making a difference in their community. To help generate additional visibility for their passion and nonprofit work, a series of video vignettes highlights each of these people doing their heroic, but often under-recognized, work in the community and their impact.

The most recent entry in the inspirational series, spotlighted on MBUSA’s GLH Facebook page and on the company’s other social media channels, shares the story of Larry Witherspoon, founder of Automotive Training Center (ATC).

In Fulton County, where more than 3,000 people are currently jailed, Witherspoon oversees a program that offers a path away from prison. “I nearly missed being a statistic myself,” said Witherspoon. “I personally understood what it was like to be facing criminal charges and to know what a big impact that would have made on my life.” As founder of ATC, Witherspoon uses auto repair to mentor at-risk youth, including those who were formerly incarcerated. Because of his efforts, 86 young men and women have graduated from ATC and more than 80 percent of them are currently employed.

Watch the video now on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/MBUSAGreatnessLivesHere/) and YouTube (https://youtu.be/t6znOMG6-to).

In the months ahead, GLH videos will showcase additional local heroes who have had a profound impact on the neighborhoods of Greater Atlanta, where MBUSA is headquartered. These stories include:

Maria Armstrong & Tangee Allen, Raising Expectations: two college friends who actively recruit and tutor at-risk youth for future success in higher education
Susan Norris, Rescuing Hope: a novelist who is empowering survivors and first responders to rewrite the narrative of human trafficking in America
Dean Leeper, Kindezi Schools: a former homeschool teacher who uses family-sized classes and superior teaching techniques to transform the lives of students from underserved communities
Amy O’Dell, Jacob’s Ladder: a single mom who built a groundbreaking school for her son and other children with neurological challenges
Susan Jacobs-Meadows, Canine Cellmates: a dog lover who leverages canine companionship to change the lives of incarcerated men

“We’re a brand that’s synonymous with success and so we want to ensure that the next generation has the tools it needs to achieve their goals. Greatness Lives Here celebrates the extraordinary people who give selflessly of their time to clear obstacles in the path of those goals,” said Drew Slaven, vice president of marketing for MBUSA. “As a marketing company – that’s what we do best: shine the light on the things that inspire us, that make us proud to be part of this amazing community.”

These newest heroes join an impressive group already recognized by MBUSA with videos hosted on the GLH Facebook page from organizations such as Atlanta Music Project, Bearings Bike Shop, Camp Southern Ground, Childkind, Friends of English Avenue, Hollis Innovation Academy, L.E.A.D. (Launch, Expose, Advise, Direct), Ron Clark Academy, Scott Rigsby Foundation, Second Helpings Atlanta, The Backpack Project, and The New Freedom Project.

From a Holocaust survivor who feeds the needy by distributing leftover food from supermarkets and restaurants and a musician who believes instruments can motivate inner city children to conquer challenges at each stage of life to the first double-amputee to complete the Ironman and the couple who uses bikes as a tool for children to build life skills, these individuals reveal the power of the human heart that exists in Atlanta.

There are more stories to be told. To help MBUSA highlight other community leaders in Atlanta, visitors are encouraged to share names by posting on the GLH FB page or by sending an email to GreatnessLivesHere@MBUSA.com. Individuals can like and follow the GLH FB page to stay up to date on the great work being achieved by GLH heroes, organizations and MBUSA community partners.

“Greatness Lives Here” is done in partnership with Merkley + Partners (New York), MBUSA’s lead marketing agency and directed by Emmy-nominated filmmaker Henry Corra.

“We are so grateful for the opportunity to shine a light on the unsung heroes of Atlanta. It was uplifting and inspiring to hear these people’s stories,” said Max Godsil, Group Creative Director for Merkley +Partners. “Each is a tribute to the spirit of Atlanta – what MLK called the ‘beloved community.’ Our initiative’s notion of ‘Greatness Lives Here’ turned out to be truer than we could have imagined.”

About Mercedes-Benz USA

Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA), the sales and marketing arm for Mercedes-Benz in the United States, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, is responsible for the distribution, marketing and customer service for all Mercedes-Benz products. For the 60 years Mercedes-Benz has operated in this country, the company has been an integral part of the communities in which it does business and the neighborhoods where its employees live and work. A common thread through its activities over the decades has been a commitment to nurturing leadership. To that end, MBUSA places particular emphasis on initiatives designed to educate and empower the next generation, helping them to develop the tools they need to reach their full potential and become the leaders and success stories of tomorrow.

On a national level, MBUSA provides multi-million-dollar support programs through partnerships with Laureus Sport for Good (sports-based programming designed to provide healthy afterschool activities and keep youth in the educational environment) and the Johnny Mac Foundation (providing scholarships to children of fallen soldiers).

In Atlanta, MBUSA is involved with over 50 organizations in its effort to empower and enable the next generation and address local needs in its community. In addition, MBUSA is deeply committed to Atlanta’s Westside, a fast-developing area surrounding the Mercedes-Benz Stadium that includes under-resourced neighborhoods. Here, MBUSA partners with multiple organizations to help create a sustainable future for the youth of the Westside.

Accredited journalists can visit our media site at www.media.mbusa.com. Follow us on Twitter @MBUSAnews.

Contacts

Donna Boland, 770-705-2009