The partner connection, 2014 July

July 2014

NEWS AND EVENTS
DCA Recognized for Staff Generosity to State Charitable Contribution Fund

The Appalachian Regional Commission's (ARC) Tourism Council recently published a guide to the Appalachian Region's most distinctive local food destinations. Georgia is well-represented in Bon Appetit! Bon Appalachia!, which features all things foodie: Farmers' Markets, Farm to Fork Restaurants, Farm Tours, Festivals & Events, Vineyards and Wineries; and Craft Breweries and Spirits.
Find the guide at: www.visitappalachia.com. Both the interactive website and the paper map feature locations selected through an online nomination process that took place in 2013. The interactive version includes almost 650 destinations across the 13 states of Appalachia, while the paper map highlights 283 of these locations.
The Appalachian Regional Commission is a regional economic development agency whose mission is to be a strategic partner and advocate for sustainable community and economic development in Appalachia. DCA manages Georgia's ARC program, which serves 37 counties in north Georgia. Commissioner Gretchen Corbin serves as Georgia's Alternate (to Governor Deal) on the ARC governing board.
DCA Toastmasters Club Achieves
National Award

DCA's SCCP Team. Front row: Haley Allison, LaQuanta Pressley, Kathryn Darville, Cathy Quay, Traci Turgeon, Brian Williamson, Gretchen Corbin. Back row: Brian Connor, Max Rietschier, John Ellis, Jamilla Byrd, Phil Smith.
In June, the Georgia Department of Administrative Services (DOAS) recognized the outstanding achievements of the Department of Community Affairs and twenty other state agencies and members of the University System of Georgia at the annual State Charitable Contributions Program (SCCP) awards ceremony. In the last 17 years, the program has raised over $43 million to help support local and nationwide charities.
To promote giving, the DCA SCCP team, headed by Haley Allison, rallied the staff throughout the fall of 2013, with a series of events whose proceeds went to the SCCP. The work of this dedicated team encouraged staff to increase their contribution by a whopping 100 percent over the 2012-2013 SCCP campaign.

"Huge congratulations are due to every one of our employees who contributed and a big thanks to our spirit committee for leading the agency down the path to success," said Commissioner Corbin. "I'm not surprised at the heart of our DCA family, and I'm very glad that everyone else knows about it, too."

Front row: Gloria DiMaggio-Tow, Beth Spears, Willa Turner, Tarron Gibbs, club president Christy
Barnes. Second Row: Mark Todd, Cassandra Knight, Erica Etterling, Candice Gunn, Janine Giles (Toastmasters International Area Governor), Zaneta Ivery. Third row: Leonard Newsome, Scott Shwitters, Carmen Chubb, Brian DiNapoli, Joseph Tollison. Not pictured: Brenda Bryant, Frederick Link, Hazik Ali, John Ellis, Michael
Collins

DCA had a 77 percent rate of employee participation in the State Charitable Contribution Program for 2013-2014. These team efforts and our employees' generosity resulted in DCA winning an unprecedented three awards for state agencies of 101-500 employees:
Governor's Award for Largest Increase in Contributions Total
Governor's Award for Highest Level of Employee Participation
Commissioner's Award for the Highest Contribution per Employee
DOAS Commissioner Sid Johnson announced that Commissioner Gretchen Corbin will serve as the honorary chair for the 2014-2015 campaign.
"I can't wait to see what our generosity, here at DCA and statewide, will bring in the 2014 campaign. I look forward to the honor and challenge of chairing the SCCP campaign this year and to the opportunity to provide significant funds to so many of Georgia's worthy causes," said Commissioner Corbin.
UPCOMING EVENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES

Many DCA staff members make frequent presentations to a variety of groups statewide. Learning to become better public speakers helps our staff and makes our presentations more enjoyable for our audiences. To cultivate our speaking skills, DCA staff started a Toastmasters International club.
Now, in just its third year, the DCA Toastmasters Club has achieved Distinguished Club Program status, thanks to an ambitious agenda set by its immediate past president and members. The club had to meet five of the ten Toastmasters International Club goals to achieve this status, which is a challenge for clubs as young as DCA's.
"We are extremely proud that our immediate pastpresident, Leonard Newsome, had the vision to push the club to this designation," said Christy Barnes, DCA Toastmasters Club president. "We have many unsung heroes as well, especially those officers who attended training and Toastmasters competitions on weekends and evenings."
DCA's Toastmasters Club meets the first and third Tuesday of each month, and is open to all, not just DCA employees. President Barnes would love to see you there! For more information, contact Brian DiNapoli at brian.dinapoli@dca.ga.gov.

Homeowners who became unemployed or underemployed within the last 36 months may be eligible for up to 24 months of temporary mortgage payment assistance; and homeowners who have experienced other financial hardships within the last 36 months, including those associated with military service, death of a spouse, or medical hardships, may be eligible for HomeSafe Georgia assistance. We encourage potentially eligible homeowners to attend one of these events, at which DCA staff will partner with the Department of Labor and other agencies to provide information and answer questions:
July 19: Back to School Health Fair; 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.; WalMart, 6149 Old National Highway, College Park
July 23: Veterans Education, Benefits and Employment Fair; 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.; Wiregrass Technical College, Brooks Hall, Building 500, 4089 Val Tech Road, Valdosta
July 24: T.E.A.M.26 Jobs Fair; 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.; VFW Post, 2872 Sunset Drive, Athens
July 30: Annual Job and Resource Fair; 8:30 a.m. - noon; South Georgia Technical College, John M. Pope Technology Center Auditorium, Americus

Roadside Beautification Projects Wanted

July 31: Veterans Helping Veterans Job/Career Fair; 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.; American Legion Post #294, 3282 Florence Road, Powder Springs
August 7: Veterans' Career Fair and Diversity Job Expo; 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.; Atlanta Motor Speedway, Hampton

August 9: JOBS Fair; 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.; Georgia Regents University, Christenberry Fieldhouse, Augusta

August 16: 10th Annual 13th Congressional District Health Fair; 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.; Mundy's Mill High School, Jonesboro

Has your local Keep Georgia Beautiful affiliate done a small scale, low cost and environmentally friendly roadside beautification project? The Association of County Commissioners Georgia (ACCG) is looking for examples of roadside projects that counties across Georgia can implement to enhance their communities' visual appeal.
Please forward a short description of your project to Kanika Greenlee at kanika.greenlee@kgbf.org

For more information: www.homesafegeorgia.com
Follow HomeSafe Georgia on Twitter: #HomeSafeGeorgia
Georgia Initiative for Community Housing Now Accepting Applications
The Georgia Initiative for Community Housing (GICH) is now accepting applications for participation in the threeyear program. Applications are available on the GICH website and are due by September 5. Interested communities are encouraged to submit a letter of intent by July 31.

Save the Date Community Planning Institute
October 10-11
The Office of Planning and Environmental Management (OPEM) will host the Community Planning Institute at Unicoi State Park, October 10-
11. We encourage elected officials, local government staff, and planning and zoning commissioners to attend. For more information,
see the OPEM webpage.

Vibrant neighborhoods with safe, decent and affordable housing are essential to any community's economic vitality. Since 2004, the Georgia Initiative for Community Housing, a partnership of the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, the Georgia Municipal Association, and the University of Georgia Housing and Demographics Research Center, has been helping communities across Georgia address housing and community development needs. Many local leaders have a vision for their communities but need assistance getting started. GICH helps communities develop a clear road map for achieving their vision.
This program provides a platform for thinking of creative solutions and networking ideas with housing professionals, city officials and staff, as well as community volunteers from across the state.

July is National Park and Recreation Month

For questions, contact Karen Tinsley at 706-542-4949 or klt@uga.edu.
Georgia Downtown Association Conference: August 20-22 in Decatur

It's National Park and Recreation Month and what better way to celebrate than with a trip to one of Georgia's State Parks or Historic Sites?
Did you know that many of our state parks are near or in a Main Street city? Try the Dahlonega Gold Museum or take the ferry from Darien to visit the Reynolds Plantation on Sapelo Island for great glimpses into Georgia's history; or take a camping trip to Sweetwater Creek near Douglasville, or General Coffee near Douglas. Our Georgia communities are full of natural and historic treasures!

Register now for the 2014 Georgia Downtown Conference, co-sponsored by the Georgia Downtown Association and the Department of Community Affairs. This educational and inspirational opportunity is appropriate for staff, elected officials, DDA members, volunteers and anyone else interested in downtown development and offers the added bonus of two days in downtown Decatur.
Registration Deadline: August 8. For more conference and hotel information, and to register, see the conference webpage.
Georgia Academy for Economic
Development Registration
The Georgia Academy for Economic Development provides participants with an understanding of the complexities of economic and community development, and tools to assist in the development of their region. The program, through a variety of defined activities, takes an in-depth review of possible economic development opportunities and strategies. The multiday program combines lecture, exercises, guest expert presentations, and other formats to keep the program interesting and interactive.
Registration for fall 2014 is underway. Contact the DCA representative in your region for more information and to register.

4.00%
Georgia Dream First Mortgage FHA/VA/RD/Conventional Uninsured
with a Georgia Dream Down Payment Loan
The Georgia Dream website provides complete information.

Region Location Start Date

DCA Contact

2 Clarkesville August kathy.papa@dca.ga.gov 14

3 Metro Atlanta

August leamon.scott@dca.ga.gov 28

4 Newnan

August leamon.scott@dca.ga.gov 27

7 Wrens

August tina.hutcheson@dca.ga.gov 13

10 Albany

August jo.childers@dca.ga.gov 26

12 Richmond August tina.hutcheson@dca.ga.gov

Hill

12

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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FINANCING June Financial Awards
Region Four Carrollton Payroll Development Authority

DCA on Twitter HomeSafe Georgia on Twitter Georgia Main Street on Facebook

$200,000 in EDGE funds Spurs $36 million in private investment Spurs an additional $35,000 in public (non-DCA)
investment Creates 230 jobs Assists with the location of Yachiyo Manufacturing of
America
Region Eight
Quitman County Development Authority
$160,000 in Equity loan funds Spurs $65,000 in private investment Retains 121 jobs Creates 15 jobs Will assist D&J Plastics, a fishing lure company, with a
facility expansion
Region Nine
Joint Development Authority of Jeff Davis County and Hazlehurst
$500,000 in EDGE funds Spurs $10 million in private investment Spurs an additional $65,000 in public (non-DCA)
investment Creates 250 jobs Assists in the location of EP American Footwear
City of Cochran
$50,000 in Immediate Threat and Danger (ITD) funds Will assist in the rehabilitation of city sewer lines Will benefit 53 people
City of Scotland
$50,000 in ITD funds Will assist in installing a radon removal treatment
facility on the city water system Will benefit 366 people
Region Ten
Development Authority of Bainbridge and Decatur County
$300,000 in EDGE Funds Spurs $10 million in private investment Spurs an additional $1.4 million in public (non-DCA)
investment Creates 100 jobs Assists in the location of Bainbridge Manufacturing

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