Georgia nonprofit joins coalition pushing to use federal aid to expand broadband access | CENTER SQUARE

by Corey Burres | Apr 21, 2021

Georgia nonprofit joins coalition pushing to use federal aid to expand broadband access | CENTER SQUARE

A Georgia nonprofit is among a group of organizations calling on state lawmakers to prioritize improving internet access with federal relief money.

The Georgia Center for Opportunity (GCO) joined a coalition of 13 other organizations across the country urging state leaders to use American Rescue Plan funding to increase internet bandwidth in rural and underserved areas of the states.

“Broadband for rural areas should’ve been a priority prior to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Buzz Brockway, GCO’s vice president of public policy. “Now, it’s an emergency.”…

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Poll: Support for school choice increases after COVID shutdowns | KULR8

by Corey Burres | Apr 12, 2021

Poll: Support for school choice increases after COVID shutdowns | KULR8

After states shut down schools and forced families into virtual learning, parents and families found new ways to provide K-12 education to their children. While doing so, support for school choice options soared, a new poll from Real Clear Opinion Research found.

Among those surveyed, 71% said they support school choice, which is defined as giving parents the option to use the tax dollars designated for their child’s education to send their child to the public or private school that best serves their needs. Across all racial and ethnic demographics, an overwhelming majority expressed support for school choice: Blacks (66%), Hispanic (68%), and Asian (66 percent)…

The Georgia Center for Opportunity’s (GCO) take: “As this poll clearly shows, ensuring educational access for all is a common-sense, non-partisan issue,” said Buzz Brockway, Georgia Center for Opportunity vice president of public policy, said in a statement. “Unfortunately, a sliver of loud and influential special interest groups work to bar parents, families, and students from achieving true educational equity. We can’t allow that to happen. When 65% of registered voters tell you they support a concept like the Education Scholarship Account idea proposed right here in Georgia, lawmakers need to listen.”

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Resilience and Equity | SAPORTA REPORT

by Corey Burres | Apr 6, 2021

Resilience and Equity | SAPORTA REPORT

The challenges of the last year have impacted all of us. From social injustices to racial inequality and COVID, our communities are suffering. We have also seen great acts of heroism with our front-line workers who have continued to serve our communities. A common thread that has emerged is the power of resilience. At Families First, we believe that resilience is the foundation of building strong communities…

Through this approach, baseline assessments of the families are created to determine each member’s unique needs, care plan, check-in timelines, and aftercare plan to measure improvement. Working with partners like the Westside Future Fund, Georgia Center for Opportunity, Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce, Impact46, Goodwill of North Georgia, Raising Expectations and others, Families First is helping our families create a personalized approach to move from surviving to thriving.

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Georgia Center for Opportunity to host drive-thru job fair in Gwinnett County Thursday | GWINNETT DAILY POST

by Corey Burres | Mar 31, 2021

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Georgia Center for Opportunity to host drive-thru job fair in Gwinnett County Thursday | GWINNETT DAILY POST

The Georgia Center for Opportunity will host the Better Work Gwinnett Job Fair Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Infinite Energy Center parking deck in unincorporated Duluth.

During this drive-through job fair, job seekers will have an opportunity to meet Gwinnett County employers hiring for hundreds of full- and part-time jobs. Job-seekers will also have a chance to connect with employers virtually after the event. In addition to employers, a number of service providers will be at the event, offering help with food insecurity, housing, and more.

“The global pandemic is impacting our neighbors,” said Director of GCO’s Gwinnett Workforce Initiative, Jace Brooks. “When the pandemic started, Gwinnett County saw thousands of residents out of work, many of them faced housing and food insecurity…

Big Drive-Through Job Fair In Gwinnett This Thurs April 1st | CBS Atlanta

by Corey Burres | Mar 30, 2021

Big Drive-Through Job Fair In Gwinnett This Thurs April 1st | CBS Atlanta

The Georgia Center for Opportunity (GCO) is proud to announce a collaborative effort known as the Better Work Gwinnett Job Fair occurring April 1, 2021, from 10am to 2pm at the Infinite Energy Center Parking Deck. During this drive-through job fair, job seekers will have an opportunity to meet Gwinnett County employers hiring for hundreds of full- and part-time jobs. Job-seekers will also have a chance to connect with employers virtually after the event. In addition to employers, a number of service providers will be at the event, offering help with food insecurity, housing, and more….

“The global pandemic is impacting our neighbors,” said Director of GCO’s Gwinnett Workforce Initiative, Jace Brooks. “When the pandemic started, Gwinnett County saw thousands of residents out of work, many of them faced housing and food insecurity. A drive-thru job fair will allow job seekers the ability to connect with potential employers while still practicing social distancing and
safe health regulations. It’s been great to see local groups working together in such harmony for the good of the community. We know the job fair will be beneficial to our local residents, businesses, and economy.”

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Need a job? Drive-thru job fair to offer hundreds of positions | AJC

by Corey Burres | Mar 30, 2021

Need a job? Drive-thru job fair to offer hundreds of positions | AJC

More than 20 employers are looking to fill hundreds of jobs and are making the interview process as safe and easy as possible.

Jobseekers will have the opportunity to meet employers from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Thursday at the Infinite Energy Center Parking Deck during a Better Work Gwinnett drive-thru job fair. The jobs are available in various industries and levels, and pay could range anywhere from $10 to $35 an hour depending on the position…

Better Work Gwinnett is a project born during the pandemic by the Gwinnett Workforce Initiative. The initiative is a collaboration between the nonprofit Georgia Center for Opportunity and several other organizations with a goal of placing people in jobs.

With about 30,000 jobless people in Gwinnett County, the initiative hopes to lower this number and fill 6,000 positions over the next three years by connecting jobseekers with employers, said Jace Brooks, director of the initiative.

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