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Real estate investing is not a new concept. But there are new real estate investors entering the field every day and with them, they bring a lot of misconceptions. Mashvisor…
Want to invest in real estate, but don’t have a good deal of investment experience or money to buy a rental property? No problem. Real estate investing does not necessarily…
Struggling to manage your Airbnb in the wake of Covid-19? Travel has all but come to a complete stop, and the vacation rental industry is taking a massive hit. As…
As COVID-19 disrupts our health, dally lives and the economy, nonprofits are navigating uncertainty, changing demand for services, loss of workforce/volunteers, loss of revenue, and/or other challenges while trying to stay true to their missions.
“We are experiencing a shared community trauma that is having a magnified impact on people already struggling with mental health issues, addiction, domestic violence, loneliness, physical health issues, housing instability and poverty,” said Kathy Colbenson, President and CEO of CHRIS 180.
The Georgia Center for Nonprofits (GCN), the state association for nonprofits, quickly launched an online COVID-19 resource complete with webinars, tools and guides (e.g., CARES Act Guide) and recently created a cross-sector taskforce.
“We are trying to be a steady agency to help nonprofits respond for their own organization, for their subsector and what can we learn from this,” GCN CEO Karen Beavor said. The taskforce includes representatives from 100 nonprofit providers, government, business and philanthropy sectors.
“The task force seeks to optimize our response to vulnerable populations, strengthen the nonprofit sector and pursue an inclusive recovery,” Beavor said.
GCN surveyed nonprofits about the impact of COVID-19 but received responses after the submission of this story. So, Atlanta INtown reached out to nonprofits we’ve covered – spanning behavioral services, housing, education and the arts – to see how they’re faring.
“We are seeing an uptick in anxiety, domestic violence and suicidality and our counseling referrals have increased dramatically,” Colbenson shared. “To respond to the crisis of job loss for people living on the edge, CHRIS 180 began a food delivery program which includes resource flyers, well checks and sometimes toys, baby formula and diapers. We also distributed Chrome books, tablets and MiFi cards [WiFi hotspot] to help with schoolwork, as well as tele-counseling for those economically disadvantaged.”
CHRIS 180 is concerned that social isolation, financial distress and fears are fueling a mental health and addiction epidemic alongside the pandemic, while fewer resources are available.
“Currently, we reach 5,000-plus people in 1,273 households per week with food and other resources – this service is steadily growing in response to the increasing need,” Colbenson added.
Lost-n-Found Youth? (LNFY) continues to provide shelter and support services to Atlanta’s homeless youth ages 18 to 25 – with a focus on LGBTQ youth – adapting its emergency transitional facility for extended stay and providing meals and other essential services.
“We could not afford to miss a beat,” said ?LNFY Director Nasheedah Muhammad. Before COVID-19, “LGBTQ youth represented over twice the overall youth rate in reports of unstable housing. Now more than ever, our organization is their lifeline.”
LNFY closed its thrift store for two months and recently reopened by appointment, reduced hours and virtual shopping. The thrift store represents more than 60 percent of LFNY’s monthly revenue. They’ve paused their volunteer corps and social distancing has decreased the number of occupants they can accommodate.
Leap Year had to quickly adapt in-person college prep for their first-generation Leap Year Fellows and 2nd grade literacy tutoring to virtual learning.
“We created a YouTube channel where the Fellows read books aloud. They introduce the book, do a guided read aloud session and then give a little quiz. We have over 30 videos and they are widely available,” said Amber Scott, executive director of Leap Year.
But Scott worries about widening educational disparities.
“There was already a learning gap before and now it’s exacerbated. There many K-12 kids who experiencing a major learning loss who are going to need additional support to make sure they are well-prepared for the future. Leap Year wants to be able to grow to help meet this immense,” Scott said.
The Atlanta Shakespeare Company also adapted in-person experience to virtual.
“We shut down on March 15. We cancelled six shows and all in-person camps. All 24 full time actor/managers, teaching artists and administrative folks went on unemployment,” said Laura Cole, The Atlanta Shakespeare Company Director of Education and Training. “Our main business is selling tickets to live performances. We can’t do that right now but we are doing what we can do.”
In one weekend, they produced three educational tour show videos for their school clients and family groups.
“We’ve had over 1,600 views and I have gone into a number of digital classrooms from Atlanta to Colorado, so far,” Cole said
Their summer camps for 2-8th graders and teen programs have all gone digital.
“We so want to be performing for a live audience in our wonderful theater space. Some day soon that will happen again! Don’t forget us,” Cole urged.
The community remembered nonprofits on #GivingTuesdayNow, coordinated by GCN. On May 5, more than $1.26 million was donated, by 7,881 donors, to 700-plus nonprofit – likely amplified by giving directly to nonprofits.
“In 2019 we ran $4 million through GA Gives but the total from other platforms was $14 million,” Beavor shared. You can still make a donation to any registered nonprofit in Georgia on gagives.org or directly to the nonprofit.
And the Greater Atlanta COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund, a joint effort from Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta and United Way of Greater Atlanta, as of early May, raised more than $25 million through collective resources.
More than $17.3 million was mobilized to 320 nonprofits focused on childcare, education, emergency financial assistance, food security, health, housing and small business support.
“Our latest round of decisions considered more than 650 requests from nonprofits across the region,” said Lita Pardi, Vice President at Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta. Foundation donors also responded with $25 million in grants from their donor-advised funds.
Support funds will be released on a rolling basis throughout the outbreak and recovery of the crisis.
“Years of disinvestment and systemic barriers have exposed families with low incomes and communities of color to the worst effects of the crisis,” said Katrina Mitchell, United Way of Greater Atlanta’s Chief Community Impact Officer. “It is critical for philanthropy to continue to strategically invest in vulnerable communities and solutions that ensure all children and families to thrive.”
Philanthropy, while often more nimble than government, is not the sole solution to the revenue loss and rising demand for services.
“Nonprofits are the human security system for the state and we have stood up over and above anything we even thought we were capable of,” Beavor said. “This system is comprised of many small agencies that have lost revenue and the concern is that they won’t be able to absorb any more impact. The scope of this problem requires that government, business and nonprofits are at the table working on solutions together.”
Despite being stretched to their limits, nonprofits remain optimistic and caring.
“This pandemic is exposing the best of us and the worst of us. We need to practice kindness and compassion for ourselves and each other. When we help someone else it always makes us feel better. Taking action helps us get to the other side,” Colbenson said.
The post New Challenge: Nonprofits stretch to respond to COVID-19 amidst uncertain future appeared first on Atlanta INtown Paper.
The Atlanta Police Department made 43 additional arrests on June 3 as protests over the murder of George Floyd continued around the metro area.
As protesters marched to the State Capitol, through Midtown, and gathered at Centennial Park in Downtown and the courthouse square in Decatur, the four former Minneapolis police offers involved in Floyd’s death were charged in the case. Closer to home, six APD officers were charged in an excessive force case against two college students.
Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said the City of Atlanta would accept a challenge from former President Barrack Obama to examine its use-of-force policies in policing. Bottoms said on Twitter last night she would issue an executive order establishing a commission of stakeholders and organizers to examine the city’s use of force policies and “call upon them to make recommendations accordingly.”
With protests showing no signs of letting up, Bottoms extended the nighttime curfew until sunrise on Monday, June 8. Starting Friday, the curfew moves up an hour to begin at 8 p.m. in an attempt to quell the type of unrest seen last weekend, which included looting, vandalism, and arson.
However, the ongoing narrative being spun by law enforcement and officials in Atlanta and nationwide that “outsiders” and “disruptors” – such as white supremacists and far-right or far-left organizations – are the cause of the violence were not borne out by arrest reports released by APD on Wednesday.
Of the 425 protesters arrested by APD between May 29 and June 1, only 51 came from outside Georgia. Records indicate that 223 of those arrested either lived in Atlanta or in the immediate suburbs such as Decatur, Marietta, and Stone Mountain. Arrest records from Tuesday and Wednesday are still pending.
Those figures contradict the “outside agitator” narrative being spun by law enforcement both here and across the country. The destruction caused during protests has been blamed on white supremacists, far-right organizations, and far-left organizations like ANTIFA.
Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shields blamed the destructive weekend protests on anarchists and a “highly calculated terrorist organization,” while Mayor Bottoms labeled them “disruptors” who had come to the city to cause chaos.
GBI Director Vic Reynolds said Tuesday that he had seen intelligence that outside agitators from “various groups” and “certain organizations” were involved in the looting, and arson during the protests in Atlanta over the weekend.
“We are convinced there are individuals here from around the country bent on violence and destruction,” Reynold said. “Officers and agents have seen it.”
However, he was not prepared to identify the organizations or individuals by name.
Experts and scholars are wary of the “outside agitator” narrative because it has been historically used to delegitimize protests, distracts from the underlying causes, and justifies violence against protesters, according to a report at CNN.
Still questions linger.
Media on the ground witnessed protesters arriving and leaving flashpoints with out-of-state or obscured license plates. Social media was buzzing, not only in Atlanta but around the country, that agitators were embedding themselves into peaceful protests then committing many of the acts of looting, vandalism, and arson. Loud fireworks and incendiary devices launched into crowds and at police appeared designed to scare and agitate the situation.
Comments on INtown’s own social media platforms suggested that many of the agitators were white people dressed in black and wearing face coverings.
Around 150 to 200 vehicles — many with obscured or out-of-state license plates — were peacefully “escorted” by police away from Perimeter Mall area early on May 30 as rioters looted malls and shopping centers in Buckhead.
The post APD makes 43 arrests on Wednesday as records show most protesters are from Georgia appeared first on Atlanta INtown Paper.
As the coronavirus still looms over the US housing market and economy, experts weigh in and offer some insight into what recovery will look like for real estate. Although there…Food Lion announced today it has entered into a transaction to purchase 62 BI-LO/Harveys Supermarket stores in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia from Southeastern Grocers. The addition of these stores will deepen the company’s ability to serve more customers with fresh and affordable products to nourish their families.
“We are so excited to add these new locations to our more than 630 stores across Georgia and the Carolinas,” said Food Lion President Meg Ham. “We’ve been serving customers in these larger regions for almost 60 years. We’re thrilled to add these locations and serve even more towns and cities across these three states with fresh, quality products at affordable prices every day with the caring, friendly service customers expect from their local Food Lion.”
Food Lion expects to hire more than 4,650 associates to serve customers at the 62 new stores.
The stores will remain open as BI-LO and Harveys Supermarket until the transaction is complete, which is expected to take place over a staggered period from January to April 2021, pending regulatory approval and customary closing requirements. Food Lion plans to operate all the stores under the Food Lion banner.
With more stores in more neighborhoods across its footprint, Food Lion is easy to get to, easy to get in and out of, and easy to shop. In addition to its longstanding heritage of low prices, Food Lion also makes shopping easy and affordable for customers through its MVP loyalty program, its award-winning Shop & Earn personalized monthly rewards program and with weekly promotions, hot sales, and everyday low prices. Food Lion also has a convenient mobile app that provides easy access to digital coupons, mobile shopping lists and much more.
Food Lion also has a longstanding history of caring for its neighbors in need. As the first grocery retailer in the country to establish a partnership with Feeding America to develop a retail food rescue program more than 20 years ago, all stores in the Food Lion network are paired with a local feeding agency to receive donations through Food Lion’s retail food rescue program and support through its hunger-relief platform, Food Lion Feeds. Through its network of 30 Feeding America® food bank partners across its 10-state footprint, Food Lion ensures food that is unable to be sold in its stores but is perfectly safe to eat, is donated to serve those in need.
“Caring for families and communities is at the heart of our brand. We believe no one should have to choose between dinner and rent and gas and groceries,” Ham said. “That’s why Food Lion recently announced a goal of providing 1 billion more meals through our hunger-relief platform, Food Lion Feeds, to feed our neighbors in need. As part of that commitment to the most vulnerable in our communities, these new stores will also be paired with local food bank partners. Caring is who we are and what we do at Food Lion.”
Food Lion will be served by ADUSA Distribution, LLC, through the Mauldin, S.C., distribution center once the transaction is complete. The distribution center will support the newly acquired 62 stores and Food Lion’s network of stores. The handover is anticipated to be complete in the first half of 2021.
Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John King will be deployed this week on military orders.
“We are living in unprecedented times and I am honored to answer the call of duty once again,” said Commissioner King. “While I currently cannot provide details on this deployment, my mission is always to protect our nation, our people, and our freedom.”
A Major General in the National Guard, King was recently deployed to New Orleans and New Jersey to enhance hospital bed capacity in hotspots impacted by COVID-19. During his deployment, Chief Deputy Commissioner Martin Sullivan will present the Commissioner’s budget cuts to joint appropriations committees. General King will remotely perform his official office duties.
Founder of Rimidi Dr. Lucie Ide talks about being an Atlanta native, and gives a few reasons she chose to locate her company in Atlanta.
Attorney General Chris Carr and West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey are leading a 23-state effort to protect property owners, farmers and energy producers against an attempt to revive an Obama-era water rule.
“We believe the Trump administration’s new rule defining the ‘waters of the United States’ respects the primary responsibility and right of the States to protect our lands and waters,” said Attorney General Chris Carr. “It also corrects flaws in the Obama-era rule it replaced, which had extended the authority of the EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers far beyond what Congress intended and the Constitution allows. We will continue to fight to preserve the proper balance between the roles of the federal regulators and the States in looking after our land and water resources.”
Carr and his colleagues have asked a federal district judge to join a lawsuit in support of the Trump administration’s Navigable Waters Protection Rule. That rule defines the “waters of the United States” over which federal regulators can impose permitting and other requirements on farmers, developers, and other landowners across the country. Carr and the coalition explain that the new rule gives greater certainty to farmers and landowners by drawing predictable and reasonable lines between waters and wetlands subject to federal regulation and those left to the States. The motion to intervene, filed late Monday, urges the court to consider the interests of Georgia and the rest of the coalition when it decides a challenge to the rule brought by a separate group of attorneys general led by New York and California. The coalition also opposed those States’ request for a nationwide injunction blocking the rule from going into effect.
Georgia co-led the brief with West Virginia. They were joined by Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Wyoming.
A copy of the coalition’s motion to intervene and its proposed opposition to a preliminary injunction are available by request (e-mail kbyrd@law.ga.gov). Both were filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.