city of valdosta southern hospitality group workcamp
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City of Valdosta Southern Hospitality Group Workcamp. Presented by Mara S. Register Assistant to the City Manager. How it Started. City Fathers set a goal to eliminate all substandard housing by the year “2020” KeyWe Housing Coalition was formed - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
City of Valdosta Southern
Hospitality Group Workcamp
Presented by Mara S. Register
Assistant to the City Manager
How it Started• City Fathers set a goal to eliminate
all substandard housing by the year “2020”
• KeyWe Housing Coalition was formed• Community Development
Department for the city searched for new ways to address housing needs in the community and discovered Group Workcamp
• First Workcamp held in 2005 and serves as the City’s minor repair program
• More than 240 homes have been repaired
What is Group Workcamp?
• Classic hands-on home repair• A six day adventure that allows
youth to make a lasting impact on the homes and hearts of elderly, disabled, and disadvantaged people
• Non-denominational program through Group Publishing in Loveland, CO
Who Participates?• Young people from different
church youth groups from all over the country
• Adult chaperones from participating church groups
• Red Shirts Manage the Camp• A team from the Group
Workcamp Foundation
The Partners• City of Valdosta• Lowe’s Distribution Center• Valdosta City School System• Lowe’s Retail Store• Habitat for Humanity• Local Churches• Group Workcamps, Inc.• VAMA (Valdosta Area Ministerial
Assoc.)
The Cost• City of
Valdosta• Lowe’s• Group
Workcamps Foundation
• $9,500• $9,500• Pro-rata
portion of the $399 per camper registration fee
In-kind Donations• Second Harvest Food Bank• Various local churches• KLVB• Habitat for Humanity• Lowe’s Distribution Center • Lowe’s Retail Store
2011 Southern Hospitality Workcamp
• June 26 – July 2, 2011• 370 youth and adults from 12
different states• 34 project sites• 9,900 volunteer hours valued at
$73,424• Six Workcamps Has Yielded $1.47
million in economic impact in the Community
Southern Hospitality Workcamp• Valdosta—the birthplace of Doc Holliday—is a
modern Southern town with a big difference…In a world where too many people just look the other way, the citizens of Valdosta are determined to fix the homes of their less fortunate neighbors! The entire community has made a commitment to eliminate all substandard housing by the year 2020. So when you choose Valdosta, you’ll be doing more than bringing hope to the folks who need it most. You’ll be part of something bigger. Whether you replace rotten siding for an elderly widow, give a disabled man the gift of mobility with a wheelchair ramp, or boost a struggling family’s self esteem by making their house look like a million bucks with a bright new coat of paint, you’ll really make a difference here. Come experience true Southern hospitality, and after a hard day’s work, kick back in one of the newest and best air-conditioned schools you’ve seen in a long time.
States Represented
• New Jersey• Florida• Texas• Ohio• Michigan• California
• Missouri• Iowa• Illinois• North Carolina• Pennsylvania• North Dakota
Awards & Achievements
• 2006 Magnolia Award Winner presented by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs
• 2007 Audrey Nelson Special Achievement Award Presented by the National Community Development Association
2011 Service Area Map
Youth Group
Youth Group
Work Crews at Project Sites
Crews at work
Work Crews On Job Sites
Crews At Work
Finished Houses
Project Results• Project recipients feel pride in their
homes• Property values have increased• Owners of other houses in the area
(mostly rental properties) have begun to make improvements to their properties
• Effective tool in stopping the deterioration of these homes
• Important part of the City’s Tool Box utilized in neighborhood redevelopment
Other improvement projects in the Designated Revitalization
Area
• Major repair/reconstruction for homeowners
• Homeownership development • Park improvements• Drainage and infrastructure improvements• Code Enforcement Efforts – demolition,
clearance and repair• Neighborhood Watch Groups
Lives Changed
Contact InformationMara S. Register
Assistant to the City ManagerCity of ValdostaP.O. Box 1125
Valdosta, GA 31603-1125(229) 259-3571 (229) 259-3539 (fax)