Perdue Announces Hands On Challenge Grants

Published 5:59 pm Monday, January 14, 2008

ATLANTA — Gov. Sonny Perdue is promoting the availability of $115,000 in funding to communities interested in implementing or expanding volunteer programming in their cities and towns. Hands On Georgia Challenge Grants totaling $400,000 have been awarded to 25 communities, including Dalton, in the past three years.

“In the three years the Hands On Georgia State Challenge Grants have been offered, I have been pleased with the innovative ways in which Georgia’s communities have used the funding to implement engaging and accessible volunteer opportunities,” said Perdue. “Across the state, local communities face daily challenges to meet the needs of their citizens. This funding allows community leaders to offer viable solutions to fulfill those needs.”

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

The available funding represents the second round of grants. The first round totaling nearly $85,000 was awarded in November at the Georgia Summit on Volunteerism. The grant requires each recipient to match the grant award with locally raised funds, dollar for dollar, bringing the total leveraged amount of statewide community funding to $400,000.

Hands On Georgia is a statewide network that supports innovative volunteer approaches to meeting Georgia’s critical needs. The program 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 19 affiliates, including one in Dalton.

You can download an application for the Hands On Georgia and the Georgia Department of Community Affairs State Challenge Grant at www.handsongeorgia.org. For more information about Hands On Georgia, e-mail info@handsongeorgia.org or call (404) 979-2910.