Marquie Gregg

Albany, Georgia (Senate District 12)

If you’re going to talk with Marquie Gregg, you might just need to follow him as he goes about his day—which is nonstop. “I polish all the windows, blinds, doorknobs, and make sure they’re clean. And open the blinds, and let the sunshine come in and take care of the rest!”

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If you’re going to talk with Marquie Gregg, you might just need to follow him as he goes about his day—which is nonstop. “I polish all the windows, blinds, doorknobs, and make sure they’re clean. And open the blinds, and let the sunshine come in and take care of the rest!”

He also wipes down every surface, shines, sweeps, and mops, cleans the commodes, and replaces the toilet tissue and paper towels at The Arc of Southwest Georgia’s Albany offices—and when he’s done, he starts all over again. That’s his day, every day.

“When that long hand gets on twelve and that short hand gets on nine? That’s when my shift starts. And when that long hand gets on twelve and that short hand gets on one? That’s when my shift ends.” Marquie Gregg has been doing janitorial work here from 9:00-1:00 every day for eleven years and eight months. “And I would love the opportunity to continue to work until the day I retire.”

When he talks about work, his voice goes warm with enthusiasm. You can almost see exclamation points taking shape in the air over his head. Marquie loves his job.

But his day’s not over when his workday ends. When he gets home, where he lives with his grandfather and younger brother, he begins a second shift cleaning the house from top to bottom, and cooking, too.

“Yes!24-7! 365 days a year, nonstop.”

Does he like it that way?

“Yes, ma’am!”

Why does he like being so busy?

“’Cause I like to keep busy every day. And when I get tired, I sit down and rest for a bit? And then I get back up and start where I left off. Whew!”

When he was a child, his mother taught Marquie to cook. Chicken. Hamburger Helper. Pork chops. Steaks. These are the dishes he still cooks today for his grandfather and brother—as well as his older brother’s family when they swing by to visit.

His mother spent years contending with multiple health problems, and she died in 2013. It was a staggering loss during a stretch of staggering losses: his grandmother, then his father, and his aunt. Earlier this year, he lost a close friend from church. “It’s been hard,” he says softly, nodding.

When she was alive, his mother ran the household. “And she did everything she could: cooking, cleaning—until it was time for her to sit down.” He pauses, thoughtful. “And I said, ‘Mama, I’ll take it from here.’”

Marquie talks about his mother often: how she’s at peace now, and how he tries not to disappoint her. “I know she’s looking down. But if she would’ve still been here? She would have been so happy.” Certainly, she’d be proud of her son.

We all would like to carve out a life for ourselves doing what we love, and doing work that feels satisfying and meaningful at the end of the day. Marquie Gregg has done that, for now. He likes knowing that his janitorial work makes the offices at The Arc nicer for everyone, and, in doing the housework at home, he contributes to the care of his grandfather, who’s 94, the way his mother once cared for him. His brothers, in turn, care for Marquie, who has an intellectual disability. At this moment, the family has reached a state of balance.

Unfortunately, it’s not guaranteed to last. Marquie doesn’t have a Medicaid waiver, which would allow him to receive home and community-based services for his needs, regardless of family circumstance. Anyone living with a disability whose needs could be taken care of in the community is eligible. However, for more than a decade, between 6,000 and 8,500 Georgia residents who have applied have been placed on waitlists. Many have been waiting for years or even decades. Meanwhile, many of them live—needlessly, and at great expense—in nursing homes or similar institutions. Or they rely on family help for all their everyday needs, which can become burdensome and have a negative ripple effect on family members’ abilities to lead economically productive, fulfilling lives.

Drastic action is needed to change these conditions for thousands of Georgia residents who are waiting for the services they are qualified to receive. This action need not break the bank. It would cost taxpayers an extra $49 a year to support everyone on the waitlist today. Furthermore, to prevent this challenge from cropping up again and again, new strategies are needed to better address the needs of people with developmental disabilities moving forward.

In Marquie’s case, the lack of a Medicaid waiver means that another set of family calamities could very well disrupt the delicate arrangement that keeps him cared for and gives his life meaning. And unfortunately, he’s already very much acquainted with calamity. He says his work—and his Christian faith—help him cope with grief for his mother. “Yeah, because I’m doing this all for her! At least, where she is now, she won’t worry about no more sickness, no more sorrow.”

He does take his own occasional moments to rest, too. He likes watching TV and especially enjoys The Food Network. He also likes going for walks in the park. As he puts it, “Go outside and get some fresh air, and then just come back in, take things easy.” Back with his family, he loves playing with Chloe, his brother and sister-in-law’s pit bull/German Shepherd puppy whose energy matches his own: She’ll spend hours chasing balls that he throws. “I’ll tell you, she’s a playful dog,” he says. “She’s always glad to see me!” 

Sometimes,it’s nice to unwind a little. “Just breathe in and out; everything will be allright. Then, get back up and start back to work.” After all, there’s a lot ofwork to do.

Writer: Kate Sweeney , Photographer: Jessica Whitley