Friday, July 20, 2012

C  I  T  Y    O  F    A  T  L  A  N  T  A

ATLANTA CITY COUNCILMEMBER KWANZA HALL AND FULTON COUNTY COMMISSIONER JOAN P. GARNER HOST THE YEAR OF BOULEVARD BACK-TO-SCHOOL BLOCK PARTY

WHO:              District 2 Councilmember Kwanza Hall

                        Fulton County District 6 Commissioner Joan P. Garner

                        Children and families of the Old Fourth Ward

WHAT:           Year of Boulevard Back-to-School Block Party

WHERE:         Boulevard between North Avenue and Angier Avenue (Boulevard will be closed to motor vehicle traffic in this area)

WHEN:           Saturday, July 21, 2012 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.

ATLANTA – Atlanta City Councilmember Kwanza Hall is inviting the children and families of District 2’s Boulevard corridor to gear up for the upcoming school year by joining him and Fulton County District 6 Commissioner Joan P. Garner for the “Year of Boulevard Back-to-School Block Party” this Saturday, July 21.

Beginning at 10 a.m., over thirty city, county, and nonprofit agencies will be on hand to connect the families of the corridor with local social services. 

“For the first time ever, we are shutting down Boulevard and bringing dozens of government and nonprofit services right to the front doors of District 2’s neediest families,” said Hall. “I am thrilled that so many groups are coming together for a great day of fellowship, food, and fun.”

To kick off the morning, Hall, Garner, and the Furniture Bank of Metro Atlanta will deliver 100 beds to families from the corridor. According to Hall, “When we began planning this back-to-school event, we met with our local nonprofit partners to talk about organizing a traditional backpack drive for our families. As our talks got deeper, we learned that dozens of kids on the Boulevard corridor go to sleep each night without a bed of their own, so we reached out to the Furniture Bank of Metro Atlanta to help us make Saturday a day of Beds and Backpacks.”

Fulton County District 6 Commissioner Joan P. Garner echoed Hall’s enthusiasm and commitment: “I am honored that Councilman Hall has asked me to partner with him to address the needs of residents of the Boulevard corridor. Fulton County has health and human services that can help these families tremendously. We also have relationships with agencies and organizations that can broaden the spectrum of services this community will have access to on Saturday. I am happy to say there will be unprecedented participation by numerous Fulton County departments and the Fulton County Superior Court. Following Saturday’s Block Party, participating Fulton County departments look forward to deepening their relationships with the community.”

The block party also features free refreshments, music by Radio One’s Hot 107.9, sports, and other fun activities for families.  As part of their ongoing commitment to The Year of Boulevard, the Atlanta Hawks will set up a mobile basketball court on Boulevard. The United States Tennis Association is bringing two youth-sized tennis courts for kids. Zoo Atlanta is bringing its Zoo Mobile.

In addition to the fun and games, children and families from District 2’s Boulevard corridor (Ponce de Leon Avenue on the north to Dekalb Avenue on the south) will be encouraged to visit agency tables and sign up for services. After visiting agency tables and participating in the fun, each child from the neighborhood will receive a back-to-school backpack.

The Atlanta Workforce Development Agency is bringing its mobile unit, and the Fulton Superior Court will be among Fulton County’s representatives at the event. “The Fulton Superior Court appreciates this opportunity to reach out to the community we serve and inform the citizens of programs which could benefit them,” said Chief Judge Cynthia D. Wright.  “Long gone are the days where the Courts simply tried cases and pronounced judgment. The Superior Court of Fulton County has evolved into a problem solving judicial system which focuses on building families, building communities, building trust and building partnerships. Judges and staff and community partners will be on Boulevard to discuss topics from child support to domestic violence, to drug and mental health programs and other Court-related matters.”

The Back-to-School Block Party promises to be the biggest event so far in Hall’s yearlong Year of Boulevard initiative.  Launched in January, the initiative has been the catalyst for a new police mini-precinct located within Atlanta Medical Center, a neighborhood safety center located within the Bedford Pine complex, a massive community cleanup effort along the corridor, a summer camp sponsored by community stakeholders, and improvements to the Bedford Pine properties.