Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed unveiled a new strategic service plan Tuesday aimed at encouraging more residents to participate in focused community service activities.
Atlanta is one of 10 cities that this week are debuting service plans funded jointly by the Rockefeller Foundation and Bloomberg Philanthropies.
Standing beside Reed as he made the announcement was his youngest senior staffer, Amy Phuong, 28, the city’s chief service officer and the brains behind the Forward Together volunteer plan.
“We want to make sure that this is not just a plan that sits on the shelf. This is a baseline to get things started,” Phuong said.
The city’s plan will focus on mobilizing volunteerism in three key areas -- developing youth, neighborhood revitalization and building a philanthropic base of supporters.
“The plan she has produced is serious and well-conceived,” Reed said.
The mayor said volunteers will help get his Centers of Hope recreation centers off the ground by providing mentors, tutors, coaches.
In the neighborhoods, with the help of corporate partners, the city is also launching the Love Your Block initiative, which will promote community beautification.
“We look forward to opening Centers of Hope across the city where young people can strengthen their academic and study skills, participate in sports and physical fitness activities, and develop important character traits,” Reed said. “And I’m ready to roll up my sleeves and begin working with residents to clean up and beautify our neighborhoods.”
Katy Elder, senior community affairs manager at the Home Depot Foundation, said the company is prepared to offer financial support to help local nonprofits and community groups revitalize Atlanta’s neighborhood blocks and green spaces.
“The Cities of Service initiative is a meaningful investment in our city and a demonstration of the spirit Atlanta has shown for decades,” Elder said.
Hands on Atlanta and the United Way of Metro Atlanta also will play key roles in the initiative.
A website, www.iamatlanta.org, which will match volunteers up with projects, will go live soon.
Phuong was named in October to the newly created position, funded by a $200,000 Cities of Service Leadership Grant from the Rockefeller and Bloomberg groups. She said she less concerned about how many people actually volunteer than she is about getting the work done.
"Instead of collecting bodies, the plan focuses on how we are going to impact Atlanta," she said.
About the Author
