Building a Life of Service: Christy Schmucker’s Take on Giving Back
Christy Schmucker, Retail Team Lead for United Bank’s Hill Street location in Griffin, spends her working days directly interfacing with customers. Originally from Coweta County, Christy is relatively new to the Griffin community and celebrated her three-year anniversary with United Bank in June of 2025. She took the job specifically because she loves to help people, and that’s exactly what she does, assisting the branch operations coordinator and supporting her team in any way.
“Every day is different and that’s why I love it,” said Christy. “But my favorite part is that I get to work with so many people in this community. I have met wonderful individuals who are making a difference, and I feel very fortunate to work for a company that encourages their employees to get involved.”
United Bank team member Christy Schmucker (right) is a mentor for women through the Christian Women's Center in Griffin.
One of the organizations Christy works with is the Christian Women’s Center, a 40+ year-old nonprofit ministry serving women in need in Griffin. The Christian Women’s Center, or CWC, started out as a refuge for women coming out of abusive relationships and as the needs of the community evolved, shifted to focus on women who struggle with addiction. Today, the Christian Women’s Center runs a 12-month residential program for women coming out of addiction. The focus is not on recovery but rather redemption and hope.
Taking in up to 14 women at a time, the year-long program provides housing, food, one-on-one counseling, group counseling, career readiness classes, health screens, parenting instruction, life skills, Bible studies, opportunities to volunteer, wellness education/exercise and partnerships with community services. Everything the women need is 100 percent donated and funded through the organization and, most importantly, there’s a dedicated staff that pours into them throughout their counseling.
“The ladies in the program are loved by our volunteers, who accept them as people trying to change and seek a better life; they are never made to feel that they have a sickness. I’ve seen the difference it makes for them. Their basic needs are taken care of, allowing them to start putting the pieces back together again,” said Christy. “The Bible is the focus and foundation of everything they do. Lesley McMichael, the director, believes that these women can be restored to physical, emotional and spiritual well-being by establishing a relationship with Christ. It’s truly amazing what the Christian Women’s Center does in the lives of these ladies.”
Part of the program includes working up to three days a week in the organization’s thrift store on North Expressway in Griffin. Once they establish a routine and a regular paycheck, the CWC works with the Bank to help participants open checking accounts and learn basic financial skills, including how to build their credit history and balance a check book. For Christy, the act of serving the program participants has been extremely rewarding.
The Christian Women's Center in Griffin is a 12-month residential program for women coming out of addition.
“When working with these ladies, we are not just banking them, we’re encouraging and supporting them as they build new lives,” she said.
Christy is also a board member of LifeSong, a ministry of First Baptist Church in Griffin. LifeSong teaches job skills and provides resources to women trying to get back on their feet through an eight-week curriculum. Everyone in the Christian Women’s Center program participates in LifeSong so that they are equipped to secure jobs.
“I’ve been a LifeSong board member for about two years and earlier this year, I was asked to be a mentor at the CWC,” said Christy. “I’ve learned so much through the process. When you pour into someone, it makes them more apt to pour back in. It’s the ‘barrel of monkeys’ metaphor, come to life. Someone reached down to pull me up at one point in my life and now I can reach down and pull someone else up. It’s the most positive ripple effect, the best kind of contagion that improves our community.”
Christy has taken her passion for community even further. Recently, she participated and graduated from the Spalding County Chamber of Commerce’s leadership program. Her final group project was an easy-to-access directory of the community resources available to help people in need. Those resources include food, housing, medical care, childcare and job assistance. Her team put together a comprehensive database called the Griffin Spalding Community Resource Network, which includes contact information for each organization, easily accessible through QR codes or by contacting the Chamber. Her group maintains the database and has printed rack cards to hand out in public areas where many don’t have access to transportation.
Christy (left) and Christian Women's Center Executive Director Lesley McMichael attend the annual gala help to raise awareness and support for the CWC.
“As someone who is not from Griffin, my involvement with this program and this database has helped me connect more with the community,” said Christy. “It’s my hope that our database not only provides a wealth of resources for those in need, but awareness for other volunteers who wish to become more involved. I believe your community will always need you, and you will always need your community.”
Christy’s next step with the Christian Women’s Center is to schedule financial literacy classes as part of her mentorship.
“I’d like to help participants learn more about how they can save and build for their futures,” she said. “These ladies open accounts with us through the program, and it’s my hope that they will stay with United Bank once they graduate because they know their bank cares about them.
“I’ve personally witnessed the incredible work the Christian Women’s Center can do in the lives of those who are struggling,” Christy continued. “As I deepen my involvement with this organization and as well as others in the community, I realize how fortunate I am to have a job that allows me to serve. I can do even more of what I love – helping people – and I’m so grateful.” OS