By By Adam Prestridge
It is said that home is where the heart is.
As for Atmore native Carl Johnson, his home may not be in Atmore, but his heart sure is.
Johnson, 48, recently made a generous donation to the Atmore Area Christian Care Ministry to the tune of $15,000. He said he simply made the donation out of Christian faith and because Atmore is his home.
"I think I owe the community something and I think this was a good way of doing it because Atmore's my home," Johnson said. "I don't think you should lose sight of your roots, where you came from. I think it's good to support an area that has been so hurt. It really hurt me to read about Hurricane Ivan and how it came through Atmore and tore the place to pieces. If you have the money and can do it, I think people should try to support things back in their hometown regardless of whether they live in Atlanta, Washington, D.C. or New York."
Johnson added that being able to donate the money is a blessing.
"It makes me feel good," he said. "My family and I have been blessed and so has the firm and I firmly believe we should share that where are roots are."
Johnson chose Atmore Area Christian Care Ministry after he learned of the organization's need.
"A friend of mine told me that they had a need, that they had to cut back people who couldn't afford groceries," he said. "So I decided to send them $15,000 out of my giving account."
Johnson, who is the son of Murray and Jean Johnson, has been an attorney with Roswell Capital Partners in Alpharetta, Ga. for 11 years. The money was made possible through a set aside account his company established in each of its employees' names.
"The business is run by Christians and they have a strong belief of taking 10 percent right off the top and donating it to ministries," Johnson said. "The money came through a foundation set up for me. The company does a set aside for its employees. I can donate it to the Salvage Army here in Atlanta or to the Alpharetta Red Cross, but I sent it to Atmore instead."
For the past 10 years, the company's management used the money set aside for charitable organizations it chose. Johnson had a hand in changing that policy.
"I got with another attorney here and we encouraged them to rather than donating to their own charities to allow the employees to have a say so in where the money goes," he said.
Johnson graduated from Escambia County High School in 1978 where he played football. He later attended Auburn University where he played football until an injury sidelined him. He graduated from Auburn with a bachelor's degree in history and political science and later with his juris doctorate from Samford University-Cumberland School of Law, both with honors. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for Patriotic Scientific and Peregrine Pharmaceuticals.