Dept. of Labor Gets $5 Million Grant

State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said today that the Georgia Department of Labor and the Northwest Georgia Regional Commission Workforce Investment Board have received a $5 million National Emergency Grant to assist with cleanup and recovery efforts from severe storms that struck Georgia April 27 and 28. The funds will be used to create temporary jobs for laid-off workers to assist in the recovery efforts, as well as human services staff to help those in the communities affected.

“Governor Deal and I would like to thank Secretary Solis and the United States Department of Labor for all of their assistance after the devastating storm damage,” Butler said in a press release. “This grant will go a long way towards helping our recovery efforts in the affected counties in Georgia.”

The counties eligible for the Federal Emergency Management Authority’s Emergency Public Assistance program include Bartow and several other counties — Catoosa, Cherokee, Coweta, Dade, Floyd, Gordon, Greene, Harris, Heard, Jasper, Lamar, Lumpkin, Meriwether, Monroe, Morgan, Newton, Pickens, Polk, Rabun, Spalding, Troup, Walker and White.

The grant money will be used to hire and train laid-off workers to clean and repair public property. The grant will also be used to hire staff for public and non profit agencies helping in the relief effort, including public assistance agencies, as well as counselors to help the grieving and traumatized.

For additional information, contact the at 770-387-3760.