With more than 20 poultry processing plants that sustain the city’s economy, Gainesville is know to many as the “Poultry Capitol of the World.” According to the Georgia Department of Agriculture, the industry contributes $25.9 billion dollars annually to the state’s economy and represents some 100,000 jobs.
Many of those jobs are held by Latino families who in the last few months have become increasingly fearful.
The Compass Center, a community outreach organization founded in March through an initiative of the United Way of Hall County provides support and assistance to individuals who live in the area, especially Latinos.
“Our objective here is to offer access to existing community resources that connect people and families with services and providers in Hall County. We hope to provide them with information and put them in contact with services such as food banks, affordable housing, healthcare, education and workforce development,” explained Joshua Silavent, manager of The Compass Center.
“We knew how difficult it was to find help here in Hall County. It can be complicated to find the right resources. You spend a lot of time, and it can be frustrating trying to find them.,” said Joy Griffin, president of United Way of Hall County.
“We decided to do this after having the 211 help line active for several years now. We realized that many of those phone calls needed more than just an answer. And we wanted to go beyond that call. We wanted to get to know the people on the other side of the telephone and tend to their needs in order to improve their lives. We are concerned about people, and that’s how Compass was born,” added Griffin.
The center, which opened its doors on March 1, is still working to identify the most pressing needs of the community. Since its inception, however, it has already received hundreds of calls.
According to Compass volunteers, the relationships they have been able to form with people has grown stronger by the day.
“It’s important to us to develop a relationship with them and also with other organizations that can help them, in order to refer cases. We hope to see growth in the next few months,” said Silavent, who also works as a journalist.
He added that a large percentage of the Latino community in Gainesville lives below the poverty line.
“At least 15,000 individuals face that situation. That’s why we work with organizations such as ‘Upload Humanity,’ a project of Anmarie Martin, which strives to tend to the needs of the undocumented immigrant community,” explained Silavent.
For Martin, efforts such as Compass are vital during these politically charged times.
“I’ve been working with the Hispanic community for years,” said the former Hall County deputy sheriff. “I saw the needs that existed in our community, and I saw them up close and personal, not through numbers or statistics. I saw the pain being caused by many of our laws. Homes that are being torn apart by hunger and poverty… you add fear to that, and we have a very dangerous combination for our community. Through Compass, I saw another opportunity to help our people.”
For the volunteers, working for the organization is as satisfying as it is challenging. In the end, they say, it is about serving others.
Information: 770-535-7066 or www.unitedwayhallcounty.org/compasscenter
