Message to Woodlawn United Board Members and Community on the Passing of Tom Cousins

It is with great sadness that I inform you of the passing of Tom Cousins at the age of ninety-three. Tom was a great friend and mentor. In 1995, he established the East Lake Foundation to revitalize the East Lake neighborhood, one of Atlanta’s most dilapidated communities at the time.

When I retired in 2008, Gillian and I visited Tom and his wife, Ann. Tom explained his holistic model of neighborhood revitalization: an education pipeline from cradle to college and career, mixed-income housing, and wraparound services, all essential components of a vital and vibrant neighborhood. He later created Purpose Built Communities®, inspired by the East Lake model, to help revitalize neighborhoods across the country.

That visit sparked the beginning of what would become Woodlawn United. Gillian and I began planning its creation based on the Purpose Built Communities model. Today, the Woodlawn neighborhood stands alongside nearly thirty others as part of the Purpose Built Communities Network. These communities are now vibrant and thriving thanks to Tom’s vision and passion.

Tom was a unique individual who not only had the foresight to dream of a better future but also the determination and ability to bring those dreams to life.

We will miss Tom dearly and send our deepest condolences to his wife, Ann, and the entire Cousins family.

T. Michael Goodrich, Sr.

Founding Chairman, Woodlawn United