DeKalb County Board of Health to Administer Vaccine at Doraville Station By Appointment Only MARTA is partnering with DeKalb County to provide a convenient COVID-19 vaccination site at Doraville Station, located at 6000 New Peachtree Rd., Doraville, 30340. Eligible Georgia residents with a verified appointment may take MARTA or drive to the site located in the parking deck at Doraville rail station to receive their vaccine from DeKalb County Board of Health medical professionals and volunteers. Georgia remains in Phase 1A+ of the vaccine rollout, which includes healthcare workers, residents and staff of long-term care facilities, adults aged 65 and older and their caregivers, and law enforcement, firefighters, and first responders. “MARTA is proud to again partner with DeKalb County to offer convenient COVID-19 resources,” said MARTA General Manager and CEO Jeffrey Parker. “The COVID testing site at Brookhaven Station has been busy and remains open for those needing a test. This large vaccination site at Doraville Station will start by providing life-saving inoculations to our essential workers and the most vulnerable in our communities and expand as the vaccine rollout progresses.” “DeKalb is proud to partner with the DeKalb Board of Health and MARTA to provide safe, easy access to the COVID-19 vaccine,” said DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond. “We have enjoyed a long, productive partnership with MARTA and support its efforts to accommodate this important public health service.” The Doraville COVID vaccination site will be open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. until noon. Short-term parking is free at Doraville Station and there will be prominent signs directing patients to two large tents where the shots will be administered. Those receiving a shot should bring health insurance information and photo identification. Masks are required to be worn. “We are truly grateful to DeKalb County government and MARTA for their swift response in providing transit accessible locations, as our COVID-19 vaccination efforts ramp up,” said DeKalb County District Health Director S. Elizabeth Ford, M.D., M.B.A. “Not only will these MARTA sites better serve our community, they will allow our staff to comfortably and safely vaccinate the community in a climate-controlled environment.” For eligibility, to make an appointment and to learn more about the vaccine visit https://www.dekalbhealth.net/covid-19-vaccine/. For MARTA rail and bus schedules and COVID requirements on the transit system visit www.itsmarta.com.   This is sponsored content.

Last week, the Metro Atlanta Chamber (MAC) announced ATL Action for Racial Equity, a multi-year, multi-step action plan designed to help address the ongoing effects of systemic racism impacting the Black community. In just a few days since launch, 30 additional metro Atlanta-based companies ranging in size and industry joined the initiative – to-date totaling more than 180 participating organizations. These companies and leaders will leverage the size, scale and expertise of the region’s business community to advance racial equity. Invitations to the initiative remain open, and MAC is inviting all businesses across metro Atlanta to sign on.  ATL Action for Racial Equity focuses on measurable actions across corporate policies, inclusive economic development, education and workforce development – critical areas in addressing the region’s immobility and inequity challenges. See quotes below from the region’s business leaders on why they chose to participate and why this initiative is important, now more than ever. Reach out to [email protected] to learn more. Ed Bastian, CEO Delta Air Lines and 2021 Board Chair, Metro Atlanta Chamber: “In metro Atlanta, our differences are our strength. We work together to make our community and the world better. We are not perfect, but we are committed to preserving and holding up this region’s legacy, especially now. As we tackle economic recovery, public health and the disproportionate impacts on our Black community, our business community must do its part. This is a moral and economic imperative as we work to grow our region’s competitiveness today and into the future.”   Jimmy Etheredge, CEO North America, Accenture: “Accenture is proud to collaborate with the Metro Atlanta Chamber and business leaders across Atlanta to take action on building a more equitable future for our community. Together, we are acting, we are leading, and we are driving change.”  Steve Koonin, CEO, Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena: “We proudly support ATL Action for Racial Equity and promise that our franchise will continue taking the steps and supporting the causes that lead to equity for all in our city.”  Rohit Malhotra, Founder and Executive Director, Center for Civic Innovation: “The Center for Civic Innovation mission and day to day operations are designed to fight for an equity-centered Atlanta. The business community in Atlanta has a long and complicated history with equity in our city— we’re glad to see the Metro Atlanta Chamber call on companies and institutions to take measurable actions that align with their publicly stated values and sentiments. It is in this city’s best interest for this effort to succeed.”  Jenna Kelly, President, Truist Northern Georgia Region, Truist Bank: “At Truist, we firmly believe in building more just, inclusive, and equitable communities by standing for social justice, denouncing racism in all forms, and partnering with people and organizations who are as committed to equity we are. As we continue to have intentional dialogue around the role we can play in advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion, we’re excited to join the ATL Action for Racial Equity to do our part in making a positive difference throughout Atlanta.”  Mary Schmidt Campbell, President, Spelman College: “If metro Atlanta is to close the region’s stark wealth gap, we all have to commit to bold innovative solutions. Spelman College, committed to the educational excellence of the 2000 Black women who attend the College, is also committed to the educational excellence of students in our neighborhood schools. For the past three years, our students have enjoyed major success in improving the reading scores of students in our neighborhood Washington Cluster Schools. We intend to launch a program that will accomplish improvements in math proficiency. This commitment to the improvement of K-12 education is aligned with the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce’s business and community imperative to advance racial inclusion. We are proud to partner with MAC in their strategic approach to advocating for equity.”  Kyle Porter, CEO, SalesLoft: “The social justice and equity issues facing our companies, city, and nation are complex and intense. At SalesLoft we are committed to the necessary introspection, self-reflection, and action to be a more inclusive company because we believe it’s the right thing to do for our team, customers, and marketplace. SalesLoft is joining the ATL Action for Racial Equity because our internal efforts will be magnified and our progress accelerated through collaborative community work. Our community will become our ally and accountability partner providing the space to heed best practices, share wisdom, and generate ideas that will positively impact us all.    Russ Torres, President, Kimberly-Clark Professional: “At Kimberly-Clark, we believe racial equity and justice are moral issues that must be addressed through comprehensive actions to enact meaningful and sustainable change. We are moving with urgency. Therefore, we are proud to partner with ATL Action for Racial Equity in this mission. Their disciplined, multi-year plan leverages the collective strength of metro Atlanta employers to support focused corporate policies that foster inclusive workforce and community development. With more than 1,500 Kimberly-Clark employees in the metro Atlanta area, this initiative is uniquely personal to us. We believe the success of our company depends on creating workplaces, communities, and experiences where inclusion and diversity are evident and thriving. Together with ATL Action for Racial Equity, we look forward to creating a vibrant and more inclusive region that offers opportunity, growth, and long-term value for all.”  Elie Maalouf, CEO, Americas, InterContinental Hotel Group: “We applaud the Metro Atlanta Chamber on this initiative and stand with our peers in the Atlanta business community to advance diversity and inclusion. This commitment and collaboration reflect IHG’s values and inclusive culture, and builds on our own efforts to bring lasting, sustainable progress for the region and our colleagues.”  Paul Bowers (Chairman and CEO) and Chris Womack (President), Georgia Power: “At Georgia Power, we deeply value the diversity of our team and the communities we serve. That’s why we are committed to creating an environment where employees and customers feel a sense of belonging and can be their true authentic selves.  We’re proud to be a part of the Metro Atlanta Chamber’s ATL Action for Racial Equity efforts to do the same here in Atlanta. We believe businesses working together to ensure equality is how we can make a collective impact, and we’re …

By Fredalyn M. Frasier, Project Director – Planning & Urban Design, CAP/ADID Last summer, Central Atlanta Progress (CAP) and the City of Atlanta announced the launch of “Atlanta Legacy Makers,” a public commemoration of Atlanta’s inheritance exemplified by two Atlanta mayors, Ivan Allen Jr. and Maynard Jackson. This public commemoration—demonstrating dynamic use of public space and public art in Downtown Atlanta’s Woodruff Park—aims to embrace the legacy that Atlantans now and next are charged to carry forward. The idea for an artistic tribute to Mayors Allen and Jackson was born in 2018, when local developer Gene Kansas invited Gary M. Pomerantz, author of Where Peachtree Meets Sweet Auburn: A Saga of Race and Family, to speak at the Auburn Avenue Research Library to celebrate the opening of Constellations, a shared workspace in a neighboring historic building on Auburn Avenue. During the talk, Pomerantz highlighted the significance of both Atlanta mayors in the history of Atlanta. Inspired by the talk and feedback from guests in attendance, journalist Maria Saporta wrote an opinion piece encouraging the city to commemorate the special relationship between the mayors in the form of a sculpture at the intersection of Peachtree Street and Auburn Avenue. In 2019, CAP convened an exploratory committee, and the idea for a selection process for a new piece of public art was formalized. The vision for this project has lived in the minds of community leaders for a long time now, and honoring these two Atlanta mayors and their remarkable legacy is not just a curatorial effort. Involving the community to build this tribute project alongside us, resulting in a public archive and artwork that speak to the larger theme of a united Atlanta community, remains a priority. Originally intended to launch as a series of events across the city, Atlanta Legacy Makers instead offers an array of shared online/individualized experiences, including: Read the book to dive deeper into the origins of the project. Where Peachtree Meets Sweet Auburn: A Saga of Race and Family by Gary M. Pomerantz is available for purchase and local delivery at A Cappella Books in Little Five Points, https://www.acappellabooks.com/  Atlanta Legacy Makers: The Podcast, produced by Floyd Hall featuring local leaders and visionaries discussing the themes and historic events featured in the book Where Peachtree Meets Sweet Auburn: A Saga of Race and Family. Listen to the episodes here.  An open call for oral history submissions for community members to submit their own stories to the public archive, be it a reflection on civil rights history or a response to social justice issues of today. Video and/or audio stories are encouraged. Submit them here. The newest community engagement opportunity is tied to the recent announcement of the four finalists identified in an open call for submissions for the public art commemoration. While the teams continue to refine their submissions, community members are invited to provide input to them by engaging with the feedback tool now available on ATLLegacyMakers.com. The brief exercise invites participants to imagine how they would like to experience the reimagined space and artwork.   Youth voices are also an important element of Legacy Makers. Students in Atlanta Public Schools Middle & High art classes will provide their personal interpretation of this piece of public art. The artwork will be shared with the public via the project website and social media platforms in April. The students’ images will also be shared with the final four teams competing for the opportunity to create the artwork for the city. Over the next six months, Atlanta Legacy Makers project will continue to present opportunities for the community to engage with the project and the design teams.  The most important aim of Atlanta Legacy Makers is to foster a broader conversation about the kind of city we want to be. Help us create the art and the archive and stay tuned for the announcement of the winning design team this fall. ATLLegacyMakers.com   This is sponsored content.

By: Colleen McNally, The Wilbert Group We spoke with Sharon about navigating the legal side of complex land deals, her new role as Chair of the Livable Communities Council and the unique ways she serves as a steward of her own neighborhood. They say home is where the heart is. Growing up in a little town in Northeast Alabama, Sharon Gay’s heart became fascinated with the urban environment. “My parents always made sure to take us to new places, in addition to going to cities like Chattanooga, Birmingham and Huntsville,” said Gay. “While other people might go to the beach on vacation, we went to New York, San Francisco or D.C.” Those experiences sparked a curiosity and passion that she’s carried with her throughout her life, albeit in some unexpected ways. “When I was a kid, I would draw towns,” she said. She even briefly thought about becoming an architect. Instead, she graduated from Vanderbilt University and moved to Atlanta to attend law school at Emory University with the goal of studying public policy.  But make no mistake — as the Office Managing Partner in the Atlanta office of the world’s largest law firm, Gay is indeed an influential leader in shaping the city’s urban environment as we know it today. She has spent the past 20 years helping governments and businesses do business with one another, especially when it involves land use and zoning, tax allocation districts (TADs) and other economic development incentives, transportation, public-private partnerships and more. This year, she is adding another impressive accolade to her resume: leading ULI Atlanta’s 50-member Livable Communities Council (LCC) as the 2021 – 2022 Chair. In this role, she will continue to advance regional conversations around the future of cities, responsible land use, and building inclusive and healthy communities. In 2021, the LCC will continue to focus on the role housing affordability plays in the Atlanta region and regional and cross-jurisdictional collaboration through the use of public incentives.  In the Zone Among Gay’s exposure to vibrant cities across the county, she always had a special place in her heart for Atlanta. “My mother grew up in Atlanta,” she said. “My grandparents lived here and my father went to Tech — that’s how my parents met.”  Gay originally thought she would move to Washington D.C., but when she graduated from law school, politics weren’t right for the types of things she wanted to work on. So, she kept staying in Atlanta, and eventually decided she was more interested in local issues here. “I realized you can see more of an impact when working on issues at the local level than at the federal level,” she said. “So I got more and more involved in local policy and politics, and particularly gravitated towards things around the built environment.” Prior to joining Dentons (formerly McKenna Long & Aldridge) in 1999, Gay received a hands-on education in urban planning while working for the City of Atlanta as Deputy Chief of Staff and Executive Council to former Mayor Bill Campbell — particularly as the city was preparing to host the 1996 Olympics. “I learned a lot about community development and urban redevelopment through [the Planning Commissioners’] eyes,” said Gay. “I learned zoning, planning and legal principles from planners, and from being on the ground, doing it.” After a year serving as the Vice President of Governmental Affairs for the Metro Atlanta Chamber, Gay decided she was ready to go into private practice and beyond reasonable doubt, she knew where her focus would be. Since then, she has played an instrumental role in a wide spectrum of projects ranging from major office, residential, retail, and mixed-use projects to the redevelopment of industrial properties and the creation and operation of community improvement districts (CIDs) and park conservancies. She has worked with both public sector and private sector clients to amend state legislation and local laws to facilitate economic development, brownfield redevelopment, CIDs, and water and wastewater privatization projects. “I don’t develop, of course,” Gay said. “I just help people get approval or the financing needed to develop.” And she’s really good at it. When a 138-acre, contaminated brownfield site was proposed to be redeveloped into Atlantic Station in 1999, Gay helped pioneer the use of TAD financing in Georgia. From there, she assisted local governments and developers across the state to fund more than 30 projects through the use of TAD financing, ranging from projects near Centennial Olympic Park to Krog Street Market and Atlanta Housing Authority projects. Another notable project that comes to mind for Gay is Camp Creek MarketPlace in East Point. “That was one of the most rewarding, because there had been no new retail or restaurant development in that part of town in decades,” said Gay. “North American Properties really leaned into convincing tenants that there was a retail market there, with enough people and customers, to make the project viable. I then assisted them in obtaining TAD funding, which was necessary to provide the infrastructure. As a friend of mine said, ‘I used to have to drive 15 miles to go to a bookstore, and now I just go right there.’ ” Walking the Walk Several more of her projects dot the Atlanta BeltLine, and are only a short walk from Gay’s home in historic Inman Park. That means to solve intricate issues, her work often requires intense engagement with her intown neighbors. In fact, she worked on Ponce City Market since the property was still known as City Hall East. “I was the person who went to [former Atlanta Mayor] Shirley Franklin’s team and asked, ‘Why don’t you sell it?’,” Gay said. Then, she not only represented the first team that bid but didn’t close, but also worked with Jamestown to close the deal. “The property was being rezoned from industrial to a mixed-use project, and no one could quite imagine what it would be like,” Gay said. “When we first worked on the zoning in 2005, the neighborhoods were really concerned it …

Congress has passed another round of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Many minority business owners were left out of the first round of funding due to insufficient “back office” paperwork and employee requirements that aren’t typical of minority-owned businesses. The new 2021 version of PPP expands the eligibility requirements for a number of business owners and contract workers who may not have been previously covered. Operation HOPE’s President and Chief Financial Officer, Brian Betts, gives an in-depth look at the new PPP and gives guidance on the distinctions between First and Second Draw PPP, and who is eligible to apply for both. Applications for a First Draw PPP loan close March 31, 2021. Watch the video below to learn more. If you would like to connect with an Operation HOPE financial wellbeing coach to assist you with your application, find the coach nearest you at operationhope.org/our-locations     This is sponsored content.

By Dr. Kashef Ijaz, Vice President-Health, The Carter Center The recent observance of the second annual World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day (Jan. 30) prompted me to reflect on my good fortune in overseeing the Carter Center’s tireless work to free people from an array of illnesses that cause untold misery and perpetuate the cycle of poverty. This work started 35 years ago, in 1986, with former President Jimmy Carter’s decision to take on leadership of the worldwide Guinea Worm Eradication Program, well before the broader movement to eliminate neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) developed.  In the 1990s, building on the success and lessons of the Guinea worm campaign, The Carter Center added programs to eliminate several other NTDs regionally in Africa and Latin America, including the bold effort to eliminate transmission of river blindness in the Americas. With our partners, we have assisted in eliminating transmission of river blindness in Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, and Mexico; in the Americas, river blindness transmission continues only among the indigenous Yanomami people deep in the Amazon rainforest along the Brazil-Venezuela border. With the help of indigenous health workers, we are reaching them, too.  Carter Center-trained community volunteers and health workers have distributed more than 800 million doses of medicines to prevent river blindness, trachoma, lymphatic filariasis (aka elephantiasis), schistosomiasis (snail fever), and soil-transmitted helminths (intestinal worms). We have assisted more than 800,000 eyelid surgeries to reverse the effects of advanced trachoma, and we have supported the construction of more than 3.6 million household latrines to enhance sanitation and prevent disease. Further, Ghana has eliminated trachoma as a public health problem, and numerous focus areas have been able to stop mass drug administration for some of these diseases because it’s not needed anymore.   During my almost 19 years in responsible roles at the CDC, I observed with admiration as The Carter Center forged strong, long-standing, mutually respectful and trusting partnerships with national governments, local communities, committed individuals, and other organizations. The Center has worked in some countries (Nigeria, Sudan, Ethiopia) for 30 years or more and has earned the trust of many local elected officials, traditional leaders, and communities to assist them in implementing efforts that harness the power of ordinary people to reduce disease.   Of course, our flagship NTD program is the Guinea Worm Eradication Program. When President Carter chose to take on that Herculean effort, an estimated 3.5 million cases occurred every year in 21 countries in Africa and Asia. Without a vaccine or a drug, eradication seemed like a wild dream. But, with the synergistic power of determination, hard science, innovation, and enthusiastic community trust and buy-in, the Guinea worm is being vanquished: Just 27 human cases were reported in six countries last year, half the number from 2019.  Furthermore, despite the worldwide disruption caused by COVID-19, the program remained up to 95% operational in 2020, and heroic work continues to be done to eradicate Guinea worm and eliminate other NTDs. The pandemic has been a challenge for us as it has for everyone, but our resilient staff and partners have adroitly factored it into their work. Practically all organizations’ NTD work in the field halted for safety’s sake, but in August, following World Health Organization guidance, we assisted Uganda in carrying out one of the world’s first large-scale mass drug administration resumptions. This reflects Uganda’s determination to stay on track in eliminating transmission of river blindness from its final two focus areas.  We are taking every precaution, but COVID cannot stop us. It is vitally important that we in the NTD community understand the importance of how the pandemic has exacerbated longstanding social and health disparities. This knowledge must inform current and future activities for disease elimination and eradication.  These successes and the many others I haven’t mentioned are what drew me to join The Carter Center in October and what inspire all of us to keep pushing, keep working, keep believing that we can go the last mile to eradicate Guinea worm disease and make a difference in people’s lives in positive ways. We remain committed to innovating and collaborating with governments, partners, other agencies, and the smallest and most forgotten of communities to recover from the effects of the pandemic and defeat NTDs for the benefit of humanity. May it be so.  The Carter Center is a member of the Georgia Global Health Alliance.   This is sponsored content.

The Way Forward is Made Clearer for Gwinnett Place and North Point Malls By Kate Sweeney Shopping malls. They’re not what they used to be. This is true, both in terms of the decline in indoor shopping centers’ success and popularity, and in that some malls are truly dramatically evolving to fit today’s more pedestrian-friendly, mixed-use-oriented lifestyles, and to better serve the shifting populations around them. Here in metro Atlanta, redevelopment dreams of two local malls, Gwinnett Place Mall in Duluth and North Point Mall in Alpharetta, recently received shots in the arm. Read on, for the new details on both.   This is sponsored content.

Date and time: Start: March 5, 2021, 3:00 PM EST End: March 5, 2021, 4:00 PM EST Via Zoom Dentons’ Public Policy practice is excited to invite you and your colleagues to the next edition of Dentons Dialogue: a series of dynamic conversations breaking down front burner policy issues around the US. Join us for our upcoming segment, where members of Dentons’ Public Policy, Capital Markets and Real Estate practices will discuss the latest policy developments surrounding financial services and housing.Our experienced speakers will share their unique perspectives and examine the practical implications and considerations for businesses going forward. Speakers Jana Cohen Barbe | Partner, Real Estate (Chicago) Ashley D. Bell | Partner, Public Policy (Atlanta) Gary L. Goldberg | Senior Policy Director, Public Policy (Washington, DC) John Holahan | Partner, Capital Markets (Washington, DC) Kellee A. Padgett | Partner, Real Estate (Atlanta) Moderator John R. Russell, IV | Principal, Public Policy (Washington, DC) About Dentions Dialogue: US Policy Perspectives Launched by Dentons’ Public Policy practice, Dentons Dialogue provides fast-paced perspectives that combine policy viewpoints with practical implications to keep clients up-to-speed on key sectors and issues. Dentons Dialogue follows the release of our annual US Policy Scan report, a clear, comprehensive and reader-friendly view of what US public policy will look like in 2021 and the people who will be driving change. Click here to learn more.  We want to hear from you We hope to see you during future installments in the Dentons Dialogue series. To receive updates directly to your inbox and to submit topics of interest for future programs, please click here. Questions Please contact Maddie Holihan at [email protected] Register Now.

Guest post By Natalia Garzón, director of development, We Love BuHi In March of 2020, people were not interested in listening to oral histories—people were interested in surviving. This was a truth that We Love BuHi, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, faced when COVID-19 found its way to the center of the immigrant communities of Atlanta. The organization, whose mission is to preserve the multicultural identity of Buford Highway, pivoted from collecting oral histories to providing people of the Buford Highway Corridor with essentials, ironically what this area has been largely known for by its visitors – food.   The Feeding Families of Buford Highway Project, a one-year program committed to raising $150,000, strives to mobilize monthly food-drives to impact a minimum of 500 families every month. Starting in November 2020 through November 2021, We Love BuHi aims to distribute 6,000 boxes of locally sourced produce and culturally centric dry staples (proteins are included where budgets allow) to food-insecure families, so that households can stay healthy during this unprecedented public health crisis. The initiative kicked off in April 2020 to ensure that the people of Buford Highway, a community corridor that bridges three metro-municipalities, had access to food as they navigated daily lives behind the curtains of a growing pandemic. Through a coalition of sister agencies, like-hearted entrepreneurs, and local volunteer ambassadors, We Love BuHi piloted a program that fed over 52,000 people, impacting nearly 15,000 families between April and July. With no clear near-term solutions in sight and alarmingly high COVID-19 infection rates, the agency heard the cries for a longer-term strategy: a sustainable and culturally-centric food giving program set out to lessen the hunger pains for the most vulnerable and hardest hit areas of Atlanta. Local immigrant communities in which the agency serves are broken out by the following populations: 70% are Latino/Latinx, 16% are Asian American or Pacific Islander, 11% are Black/African American and 3% are white. These demographics speak to greater disparities, including economic, educational, and professional ones that have been brought to light by the COVID-19 crisis. Immigrant households are often multi-generational, have at least one member that is considered an undocumented status and many mouths to feed. With businesses struggling, breadwinners (largely blue-collar, front-line workers) of families along Buford Highway have lost jobs and their ability to make rent and pay utilities—stresses that continue to take a tremendous toll. Adding salt to the wound, when area district schools went virtual, many of the corridor’s students stopped receiving free meals. Many families count on this federally funded, Title I program for their children. Title I designations require at least 40 percent of enrollment and are made up of children from low-income families. Whether studying from home through ever-changing protocols or adjusting to the abnormalities and emotional strains of social distancing and learning, children continue to take the brunt of the community’s overall distress. Pre-COVID research shows that a child’s development is severely impacted if they do not have the essentials to combat hunger. In a post-COVID world, the root cause of underperformance by lack of food has only exasperated this growing problem. With all the disparities being experienced at the heart of this community, Feeding Families of Buford Highway provides a monthly food-drive built on accessibility, dignity, and trust. In partnership with purpose partner organizations, such as Los Vecinos de Buford Highway, Latino Community Fund Georgia, The Common Market, Second Helpings Atlanta, and Talpa Supermercados, We Love BuHi continues to meet program objectives, rolling out its fifth food giving event on February 20 at Pinetree Plaza in Doraville, a local institution that is conveniently located from local apartment complexes and neighborhoods in need. We Love BuHi not only designed a sustainable program that addresses food insecurity along Buford Highway, but they also take deliberate actions to create events that foster connection and trust, an opportunity that is sorely missed in general distribution operations. All funds raised go directly into the hands and hearts of Buford Highway communities. The agency recognizes factors that are important to its people, which is why the organization takes great pride in its ability to curate culturally-centric boxes. Foods like rice, dry beans, tortillas, potatoes, apples, green peppers, persimmons, jalapeños, and radishes are ingredients that fit directly into recipes that fill communities with familiar comforts. In addition, distribution sites are coordinated with program partners in locations that are convenient; existing destinations such as consulates, strip-malls and plazas that are part of daily routes. The agency builds feel-good event themes that bring volunteers and supporters level-deep into understanding community perspectives and barriers. To learn more about the program, click here. For more information or for volunteer or sponsorship inquiries, please contact Natalia Garzón, director of development at: [email protected]   This is sponsored content.

Approximately 60,000 Americans are diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease every year, and more than 10 million people worldwide are living with the disease, according to the Parkinson’s Foundation. Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University have received a landmark commitment to accelerate the scope and impact of Parkinson’s disease studies and to position Georgia as a hub for collaborative research on this and other neurological diseases. The multiyear commitment from the McCamish Foundation will drive transformational research that harnesses science, engineering, and technology at Georgia Tech and Emory to better analyze the complexities of the brain and transform the treatment of Parkinson’s and other disorders of the nervous system. The Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering (BME), an academic collaboration between Georgia Tech and Emory, is uniquely positioned to lead this new kind of translational neuroscience discovery driven by engineering innovation. “This generous commitment will enable Emory and Georgia Tech to build on our powerful biomedical partnership as we work to combat Parkinson’s and other devastating neurological diseases,” Emory President Gregory L. Fenves says. “New treatments and cures require a deep commitment — I am grateful for our friends at the McCamish Foundation who will help us make the progress and find the answers that patients and families so urgently need.” Georgia Tech President Ángel Cabrera adds, “For 22 years, Georgia Tech and Emory University have collaborated to improve the lives of individuals diagnosed with many of the world’s most challenging diseases. Through the sustained support of transformational philanthropy, the Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering has become a national model for academic partnerships. This visionary and generous commitment from the McCamish Foundation will allow us to expand and accelerate collaboration and discovery to the point that an exciting new treatment for Parkinson’s disease and other neurological disorders could be within our reach.” Gordon Beckham Jr. has felt the impact of Parkinson’s personally, with the loss of his father, Hank McCamish, to the disease. Beckham now sits on the board of directors of the Parkinson’s Foundation and works to raise awareness to beat the disease. He says his goal is to build a strong research community in Georgia that will create new frontiers in the treatment of the degenerative disease. “The McCamish Foundation has been in discussions on and off with Georgia Tech, since my dad’s passing, about innovative approaches to dealing with Parkinson’s,” says Beckham, CEO of the Atlanta-based McCamish Group LLC and president of the McCamish Foundation. “We have always been impressed by the amazing depth of talent at Tech.” The McCamish name is well-known at Georgia Tech. Alumnus Hank McCamish, class of 1950, is the namesake of Tech’s basketball arena, McCamish Pavilion. Over the years, the family has supported numerous causes at Georgia Tech. This commitment is one of the largest in the Institute’s history and is the first of its kind for the Institute.  “More recently, we met Susan Margulies and learned of the formal biomedical engineering collaboration between Tech and Emory, two of the top institutions in the country in their respective fields,” Beckham says. “At the same time, the University of Georgia (UGA) is making major investments in Parkinson’s research. Given all this momentum within the state of Georgia, with BME as a nexus, the McCamish Foundation felt the timing was right to try something new at Tech and Emory while also leveraging the existing powerful collaboration between Tech, Emory, and UGA.” “We already participate in robust research collaborations with Georgia Tech and Emory,” says UGA President Jere W. Morehead. “We look forward to expanding our partnerships in order to leverage the complementary strengths of our three institutions to bring new hope to those who suffer from this terrible disease.” Beckham says The McCamish Foundation dreams of a day when all Parkinson’s related conversations begin with, “Remember when.” The McCamish commitment will support faculty research on neurological diseases, including establishing a seed fund to support high-risk, high-reward research ventures. It will also provide fellowships for graduate students and create regular interactions among researchers at Tech, Emory, and UGA, including an annual national conference focused on Parkinson’s disease. The idea is to give researchers space to collaborate and brainstorm unconventional ideas that hold the greatest promise for significant discoveries. “Our vision is to create the next frontier in neuroscience and neurotechnology by confronting the enormous complexities of the dynamic brain and nervous system,” says Susan Margulies, the Wallace H. Coulter Professor and Chair in the Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering. “Our brains engage with, adapt to, and are influenced by the world around us. Studying the changing chemical and electrical brain dynamics is a direct path to detecting and treating Parkinson’s disease and other neurological disorders.” About the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering The Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering is a partnership between Georgia Tech and Emory University. Combining the best of research and education, the department is dedicated to improving health and well-being by creating medical breakthroughs driven by engineering innovation and translational research.    This is sponsored content.

Earlier this year, GEEARS hosted Georgia’s fourth annual Strolling Thunder. In partnership with ZERO TO THREE, this special event brought together infants, toddlers, and their families to urge policymakers to make the needs of Georgia’s youngest learners a statewide priority—for stronger families, vibrant communities, and a prosperous state. Please watch our video to learn more about this fantastic virtual event.  We also want to share a few examples of how a diverse group of parents, caretakers, and teachers—from across the state—used their voices to advocate for Georgia’s youngest learners. Here they are in their own words:  “I think many families like ours could benefit from financial assistance when it comes to finding child care. Our babies, toddlers, and preschoolers deserve the best. And I am committed to seeing this change. It is my hope that are you too.”  – Mother of Four, Cobb County “We deserve paid time off and it should be longer… I would love to see a change because baby bonding is so critical for both parents during an infant’s life. Please keep this in mind because it is so important for Georgia families.”  – Mother, West End neighborhood of Atlanta “Programs like Babies Can’t Wait and other early education programs and resources are important to me. I hope you think about us when you are creating, choosing, and funding programs like these [programs].”  – Parent of Two “When I had my daughter, I could barely pull together enough paid/unpaid leave to spend 2 months at home with my newborn daughter. I strongly encourage you to vote yes on any measure that will provide paid family leave to state (and all) employees.”  – Parent, Decatur “Now, more than ever with families losing their jobs or struggling, paid family leave is important. I am hoping that by sharing my story you can take into consideration that we the people of Georgia need this.”  – Parent of Two, Mableton “I attribute my daughter’s learning to the Quality Rated child care she receives. What concerns me is that other children may miss out on the opportunity to build their educational foundation, especially because of the pandemic. I’m asking you to support efforts to provide pandemic relief to Quality Rated child care centers.” – Mother, South Atlanta “I am writing you to ask you to advocate for not only affordable child care, but also for quality early childhood education, because I believe children need a good start in order to be successful in life and that starts with quality education.”  – Parent of 3, Stone Mountain We want to thank everyone who participated, and we look forward to seeing you in person next year!   This is sponsored content.

By Wendy Stewart, Atlanta Market President for Bank of America For years, historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) have been instrumental in advancing economic mobility among underrepresented populations, offering students access to a quality education, pathways to stable employment and a lifelong network of alumni across the globe. Atlanta is fortunate enough to be home to some of these most historic and distinguished institutions.  Education is one of the most powerful tools available in addressing economic and social inequality; college graduates have access to a greater range of jobs, enjoy longer careers and earn higher salaries on average than those without college degrees. But, for many in the Black community, additional barriers exist not only in the pursuit of higher education, but entrepreneurial endeavors after college as well. A recent survey of Black business owners found that a majority of entrepreneurs of color (82%) have had to work harder to achieve success, with more than half of respondents (56%) indicating challenges accessing capital have limited their business growth.  To create more economic opportunity, generate jobs and advance racial equity in Atlanta, we at Bank of America are partnering with the Black Economic Alliance (BEA) Foundation, Morehouse College and Spelman College to develop the Center for Black Entrepreneurship (CBE). The CBE will be the first-ever academic center of its kind to produce, train and support a new class of Black entrepreneurial talent.   The CBE seeks to eliminate the barriers facing Black entrepreneurs, professional investors and business builders by leveraging education, mentorship and access to capital. By building on the existing culture of leadership and ingenuity at both Morehouse and Spelman, the CBE will help expand the business ecosystem, grow the pipeline of Black innovation, and bridge the divide between the business and tech communities and the next generation of Black entrepreneurs. This landmark partnership is just one component of our ongoing efforts to address the local issues that matter most: helping Atlantans thrive through education, career skills training, affordable housing and support for small businesses. We are honored to contribute to the rich history of these two storied universities as we help them meet the demands of the present: developing the next generation of minority entrepreneurs.   This is sponsored content.