A year of compassion: One Bartow County man's daily mission to serve the unhoused

A Cartersville man has set out on a mission to help the people in his community who need it the most. 

Instead of once a week or several times a month, Brandon McCoy, through his non-profit Guided Light Recovery, said he is determined to help the unhoused and those in need across Bartow County for 365 consecutive days.

"I focus on seven days a week, personal contact with the homeless," McCoy said. "We give them food, water, personal hygiene items, clothes, shoes, and stuff like that and we also get job offers. None of this would be possible without God and without the community. I get so many donations from the community and they really make this possible."

McCoy said homelessness is something he sees daily. It's a reality that made him examine how fortunate he is in his own life, especially when he reflects on problems he has faced.

"It's a big problem here.. with the homeless for sure. You'll see them just walking up. I see it everyday. 

McCoy is quickly approaching 300 days. He said back on day one, setting out on this journey is something he never would've thought he'd be doing. He said his life has been far from perfect, and he wanted to right his life's wrongs by changing the way he lived and working to get closer to God. He said he at one point felt like he was on top of the world, but chose to live in a way that eventually led to everything being taken away. McCoy was forced to humble himself and start over. He said his second chance gave him a new outlook on life, and helped him realize the value in being a light for others.

"I feel like it's part of my testimony, of me trying to heal myself through God," McCoy said. "I was going through my own trauma around the time I started doing this. I just kept hearing this voice in my head to do this and to start doing the right thing. I was telling them [the unhoused] that they helped me because I was going through my own pain. So, they asked if I'd come out the next day. So, I came out. They asked if I'd come out the next day and I kept coming out, kept coming out. Then it turned into 30 days. Then it turned into 100 days of me being out here."

McCoy sets up a tent with a variety of food, drinks, and personal hygiene items by a sign that reads free food, water, and advice. McCoy sets up Monday through Friday from 1-5pm outside of the All American Coin Laundry on Tennessee Street in Cartersville. Saturday and Sunday he sets up at Arias Tires on Tennessee Street as well.

McCoy said he's aware that some of the unhoused and less fortunate can't make it to where he sets up, so some days during the week he makes it a point to drive around and find people who could use a cold water and food.

"Sunshine, rain, snow or when it was hailing, I was still out here," McCoy said. "I haven't let anything stop me. When I'm not at the tent I'll come, and I'll make bags like this and I'll just drive around to make sure they get something. What I'm trying to build is based off of groundwork. It's based off being out here every day. Day to day. Knowing these people. Knowing what they're going through."

CBS News Atlanta followed McCoy over two days while he carried out his mission. We met Jeremy Rice, Justin Devenpeck, and Angela Ellis who all utilized McCoy's free resources.

"I actually didn't even expect y'all to be out here, so it was a great blessing to be able to have some resources out here and people with God's love," Rice said after walking over to the tent at the All American Coin Laundry. "A lot of times you have to look in the dumpster and all kinds of stuff, and it's good to have actual resources out here so you don't have to do all of this and go to those extents."

Devenpeck said he traveleed from Acworth in search of McCoy after seeing him on Facebook. 

"I didn't know exactly where he was today but I found him," Devenpeck said.  "Resources that you don't usually have everyday or can't afford, it's a blessing that someone is handing them out."

Ellis said she and her daughter don't know what they would do without the daily help they receive from the 365 mission.

"We come here every day to get food," Ellis said. "Without this I don't know what we would do. He's done a lot for us. He donated us a tent each. Me and my daughter."

CBS News Atlanta also met Blue, someone who said he has been living in the woods in Cartersville for a decade.

"People treat you like you have a disease and they can catch it, or they don't know my story and they don't' really care to know my story," Blue said. "He's done a lot for me. He's hooked me up with my family again. He's inspired me to do better and try harder."

When asked what's next after the completion of the 365 days, McCoy said he will probably continue to help out as much as he can. He said his next goal is to raise enough money to open a designated building location to provide food, water, and hygiene items, and free advice.