Governor Announces $99,000 in Grants for Volunteer Programs

Governor Announces $99,000 in Grants for Volunteer Programs

Governor Names Eloise Hadaway the 2006 Georgia Volunteer of the Year

ATLANTA – Governor Sonny Perdue today awarded $99,000 in state challenge grants to 13 Georgia communities implementing community-based volunteer recruitment and management programs.  Each community must provide an equal match to the grant award, bringing the total award to $198,000.  Governor Perdue also recognized Eloise Hadaway as the 2006 Georgia Volunteer of the Year for her outstanding service to the community of Macon.  Governor Perdue made the announcements at the first Statewide Summit on Volunteerism, held at the Georgia International Conference Center.

“Government services cannot take the place of a caring community,” said Governor Sonny Perdue.  “These challenge grants and the matching local funds will help these communities harness and cultivate the volunteer effort that exists in Georgia.”

The following communities received a grant of $10,000, the largest grant available: Athens/Clarke County; the city of Dalton; Forsyth County; the city of Harlem; the city of Macon; the city of Rome; the city of Savannah and Thomas County. 

In the last year each of these communities established exceptional volunteer programs, and served as a model for other communities in the state.  Two of the volunteer programs target youth in an effort to build a foundation for continued volunteerism in adulthood.  Thomas County emphasized youth service through a dedicated Youth Volunteer Week during the summer, and the city of Rome plans to establish a computer training camp for middle school children in the foster care system.   

The remaining community recipients were awarded grants ranging from $2,500 to $5,500.  These recipients include: Coastal Georgia (Glynn and McIntosh Counties combined), Cook County, Cordele/Crisp County, Dodge County and the city of Eatonton.  Each community must participate in Hands On Georgia projects in the future and report impact numbers to the statewide network.  A list of the communities receiving challenge grants is provided below.

Today’s announcement marks the first round of grant awards for Fiscal Year 2007.  A second round of $101,000 in funding will be awarded in March 2007.

In addition to awarding communities the challenge grant funding, Governor Perdue praised the 2006 Georgia Volunteer of the Year, Eloise Hadaway, 83. 

“Eloise Hadaway is an outstanding example of the difference someone can make in a community by giving her time and talent to help others have a better life,” said Governor Perdue.  “Hands On Georgia works to be sure volunteers like Ms. Hadaway are identified, nurtured and encouraged on every level.”

Hadaway works more than 60 hours a week with Hands On Macon.  Each day for the past 12 years, Hadaway drives to a local supermarket to collect food items scheduled for expiration.  She delivers the food to Macon Outreach, which provides hot meals to the hungry and homeless.  Over the years, Hadaway has secured more than 40 tons of food.  Two days a week, she also serves as a Golden Guide at the Medical Center of Central Georgia, helping patients and family members navigate the hospital.  Hadaway also volunteers at the assisted living community where her 102 year-old mother lives. 

Hands On Georgia is a statewide network that supports innovative volunteer approaches to meeting Georgia’s critical needs through service and civic engagement.  Hands On Georgia calls upon the citizens of Georgia to help tackle tough issues in the state through volunteer service and engaged citizenship.  Hands On Georgia currently has 16 affiliates including the communities of Adairsville, Atlanta, Columbus, Dooly County, Forsyth County, Hall County, Harlem, Liberty County, Macon, Milledgeville, Northwest Georgia, Rome/Floyd County, Savannah, Statesboro, Thomas County and Wayne County.  Hands On Georgia’s signature event, Hands On Georgia Week, engaged more than 30,000 citizens this year in projects in all 159 counties in the state.  For more information about Hands On Georgia call (404) 979-2888 or email info@handsongeorgia.org.  

Challenge Grant Award Winners

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