Governor Perdue Announces Hands On Challenge Grants

Communities across Georgia to mobilize local volunteer efforts

ATLANTA – Governor Sonny Perdue announced today the availability of $100,000 in funding to communities interested in implementing or expanding community-based volunteer programming in their local area.  Each community is required to match the grant money dollar for dollar with locally raised funds bringing the leveraged amount of statewide community funding to $200,000.

“The Hands On Georgia State Challenge Grants offer communities the necessary funding that can help volunteer managers develop and implement engaging, innovative and responsive volunteer opportunities,” says Governor Sonny Perdue.  “Communities in our state face difficult challenges meeting the needs of our citizens.  These grants allow community leaders to offer solutions to their most pressing needs.”

Hands On Georgia Challenge Grants totaling $300,000 were awarded to 25 communities in the past two years: Athens/Clarke County; Atlanta; Columbus; Cook County; Cordele/Crisp County; Dalton; Dodge County; Dooly County; Eatonton; Fannin County; Forsyth County; Glynn and McIntosh Counties; Harlem; Macon; Milledgeville; Newton County; Reidsville; Rome; Savannah; Statesboro; Thomas County; Tifton; Wayne County; and Webster County.

Hands On Georgia and the Georgia Department of Community Affairs jointly distribute the grants to local governments partnering with community agencies that will engage volunteers in service.

“Volunteers are the backbone of our communities and these grants help support our local communities in their efforts to stand tall,” said Mike Beatty, Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, and member of the Hands On Georgia Board.  “We are pleased with the work done by prior Challenge Grant recipients.  This new round provides opportunities for more communities to engage their residents in sustainable programming to recruit, train and manage volunteers in local communities.”

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 our state through volunteer service and engaged citizenship.  There are 19 Hands On Georgia affiliates in the communities of Adairsville, Athens, Atlanta, Coastal Georgia (Glynn and McIntosh Counties), Columbus, Dalton, Dooly County, Forsyth County, Harlem, Hall County, Liberty County, Macon, Milledgeville, Newton County, Rome/Floyd County, Savannah, Statesboro, Thomas County and Wayne County.  The organization’s signature event, Hands On Georgia Week (September 29 – October 6, 2007), will engage more than 35,000 citizens in 400 service projects in all 159 counties in the state.

Georgia communities interested in applying for a Hands On Georgia and Georgia Department of Community Affairs Challenge Grant can download the application from www.handsongeorgia.org.  For more information about Hands On Georgia, please send an email to info@handsongeorgia.org or call 404.979.2910.