Governor Perdue Launches Hands On Georgia

Capitol Press Conference Kicks Off Statewide Volunteer Initiative

                ATLANTA – Governor Sonny Perdue announced today the launch of Hands On Georgia, an initiative aimed at spreading the spirit of volunteerism to communities across the state.  The Governor is challenging Georgians over the next three years to engage 20,000 new volunteers; contribute 500,000 plus hours of volunteer service to communities across the state; and partner with 120 community and faith-based organizations and schools. The Governor and First Lady will serve as Honorary Chairs of Hands On Georgia and Ambassador Andrew Young and Mrs. Young will serve as Honorary Co-Chairs of the organization.

             “I am calling upon the citizens of this state to serve your communities, and I have asked experienced community leaders to create an initiative that will reach into every corner of the state,” said Governor Sonny Perdue.  “I want to thank Michelle Nunn of Hands On Network, Hands On Georgia Board Chairman Eric Tanenblatt and our private partners for their leadership in bringing this initiative to fruition.”

            Joining Governor Perdue, and representing the Signature Corporate Sponsors of Hands On Georgia, were Mr. Brad Shaw, Senior Vice President for Corporate Communications and External Affairs at The Home Depot, Ms. Helen Smith Price, Assistant Vice President and Executive Director, The Coca-Cola Foundation and Teresa Rivero, Grant Officer, The Robert W. Woodruff Foundation.   Each of these organizations has been instrumental in the formation of Hands On Georgia and is committed to bringing a broader level of private participation to the organization. Employees of The Coca-Cola Company and The Home Depot will be joining community volunteers in this week’s service events, as well as future “hands on” projects.

  Governor Perdue, Mr. Shaw and Ms. Smith Price participated in a “hands on” volunteer service project building picnic tables and benches. These items will be placed in the outdoor recreation area of a Macon foster home being renovated later this week.   The Capitol service project was the first in Georgia’s inaugural “Week of Service,” which runs through November 13, and includes five volunteer projects in five cities: Columbus, Macon, Gainesville, Atlanta and Thomasville. 

            Upon taking office, Governor Perdue recognized a need to raise the level of civic engagement across the state. It is his hope that by catalyzing a groundswell of volunteerism, communities, in partnership with the state, could better address their infrastructure and social needs. To achieve this end, the Governor solicited input from public and private citizens who had demonstrated success in this arena.  The outcome is Hands On Georgia, which will maintain an on-going relationship with Hands On Network and its statewide affiliates.

Hands On Georgia will undergo a temporary incubation period within Hands On Network, an innovative, international alliance of volunteer organizations transforming people and communities through service and civic engagement.  There are 35 Hands On Network organizations in the U.S., and international affiliates in the Philippines and China, as well as 20 partner organizations in the United Kingdom. 

Those individuals, communities and private partners wanting to join this volunteer effort can log on to www.HandsOnGeorgia.org for more information or call Kimberly Goff, Executive Director at (404) 979-2910.

More About The Sponsors

The Coca-Cola Company is the world's largest beverage company. Along with Coca-Cola, recognized as the world's best-known brand, The Coca-Cola Company markets four of the world's top five soft drink brands, including diet Coke, Fanta and Sprite, and a wide range of other beverages, including diet and light soft drinks, waters, juices and juice drinks, teas, coffees and sports drinks. Through the world's largest distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy the Company's beverages at a rate exceeding 1 billion servings each day. For more information about The Coca-Cola Company, please visit our website at www.coca-cola.com.

Founded in 1978, The Home Depot is the world's largest home improvement specialty retailer and the second largest retailer in the United States, with fiscal 2003 sales of $64.8 billion. The company employs approximately 300,000 associates and has 1,826 stores in 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, eight Canadian provinces and Mexico. The company recently announced the creation of a business development operation for retail expansion into China.  Its stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE:HD) and is included in the Dow Jones Industrial Average and Standard & Poor's 500 Index.

The Robert W. Woodruff Foundation is a charitable organization that supports education, health care, human services, economic development, art and culture, and the environment through grants ranging from thousands of dollars to millions of dollars. Established in 1937, the foundation primarily focuses on giving to organizations and endeavors that serve Georgia, but exceptions have been made for outstanding organizations that promote the well-being of mankind throughout the United States.