The Georgia town that jobs forgot (1 of 6)

Georgia has been hit hard by the recession. Harder than most states.

In fact, Georgia faces historic levels of unemployment with nearly half a million workers looking for jobs. Georgia has the 3rd highest poverty rate in nation, with two cities ranked among our nation’s 10 poorest places to live. Meanwhile, businesses refuse to open in Georgia because our representatives pass laws intended to please a small, extreme group.

This careless focus on fringe issues has a direct impact on how quickly Georgia will recover. One recent estimate shows that Georgia is 47th in job creation.

To highlight the personal impact of the economic collapse, Dateline NBC recently profiled three residents of Millen, Ga. The stories are powerful enough to share.

Below is part one of a six part series.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

View the entire series:
The town that jobs forgot: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6