Bruce Deel

Rebuilding broken lives, restoring lost dreams, reigniting flames of hope-it’s why we do what we do.

As the founder and CEO of City of Refuge, Bruce Deel is bold, relentless and unyielding in the fight against poverty and the consequences it has in Atlanta, GA. He founded the organization in 1997 with a mission to help the broken, assist the at-risk, and prevent future crises. For the past 18 years, his mission has been to bring light, hope and transformation to Atlanta and other cities. Bruce brings a sincere level of passion and integrity for creating leaders within the community to continue the mission.

Located in one of Georgia’s toughest neighborhoods, City of Refuge provides housing, medical and mental health care, educational training, vocational training, case management, a safe house for the victims of sex trafficking, an auto repair training center and a host of other services to the disenfranchised and homeless of the city. It’s housed in a sprawling 210,000 square foot warehouse, which serves as the base of operations. Since Bruce believes collaboration is an essential facet to positive life-changes, he has partnered with various local and national businesses to provide on-campus solutions in childcare, healthcare, and vocational training. 

As a credit to his successful leadership at City of Refuge, Bruce has received numerous awards.

Bruce is the Senior Pastor of The Mission Church and a graduate of Lee University in Cleveland, TN. As a result of his experience and success, Bruce has become a highly sought after speaker and serves as a consultant to numerous non-profits around the country. Bruce has been married to his beautiful wife Rhonda for a marvelous 32 years, and they are the proud parents of five daughters.