City of Valdosta Southern

Hospitality Group Workcamp

Presented by Mara S. Register

Assistant to the City Manager

How it Started• City Fathers set a goal to eliminate

all substandard housing by the year “2020”

• KeyWe Housing Coalition was formed• Community Development

Department for the city searched for new ways to address housing needs in the community and discovered Group Workcamp

• First Workcamp held in 2005 and serves as the City’s minor repair program

• More than 240 homes have been repaired

What is Group Workcamp?

• Classic hands-on home repair• A six day adventure that allows

youth to make a lasting impact on the homes and hearts of elderly, disabled, and disadvantaged people

• Non-denominational program through Group Publishing in Loveland, CO

Who Participates?• Young people from different

church youth groups from all over the country

• Adult chaperones from participating church groups

• Red Shirts Manage the Camp• A team from the Group

Workcamp Foundation

The Partners• City of Valdosta• Lowe’s Distribution Center• Valdosta City School System• Lowe’s Retail Store• Habitat for Humanity• Local Churches• Group Workcamps, Inc.• VAMA (Valdosta Area Ministerial

Assoc.)

The Cost• City of

Valdosta• Lowe’s• Group

Workcamps Foundation

• $9,500• $9,500• Pro-rata

portion of the $399 per camper registration fee

In-kind Donations• Second Harvest Food Bank• Various local churches• KLVB• Habitat for Humanity• Lowe’s Distribution Center • Lowe’s Retail Store

2011 Southern Hospitality Workcamp

• June 26 – July 2, 2011• 370 youth and adults from 12

different states• 34 project sites• 9,900 volunteer hours valued at

$73,424• Six Workcamps Has Yielded $1.47

million in economic impact in the Community

Southern Hospitality Workcamp• Valdosta—the birthplace of Doc Holliday—is a

modern Southern town with a big difference…In a world where too many people just look the other way, the citizens of Valdosta are determined to fix the homes of their less fortunate neighbors! The entire community has made a commitment to eliminate all substandard housing by the year 2020. So when you choose Valdosta, you’ll be doing more than bringing hope to the folks who need it most. You’ll be part of something bigger. Whether you replace rotten siding for an elderly widow, give a disabled man the gift of mobility with a wheelchair ramp, or boost a struggling family’s self esteem by making their house look like a million bucks with a bright new coat of paint, you’ll really make a difference here. Come experience true Southern hospitality, and after a hard day’s work, kick back in one of the newest and best air-conditioned schools you’ve seen in a long time.

States Represented

• New Jersey• Florida• Texas• Ohio• Michigan• California

• Missouri• Iowa• Illinois• North Carolina• Pennsylvania• North Dakota

Awards & Achievements

• 2006 Magnolia Award Winner presented by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs

• 2007 Audrey Nelson Special Achievement Award Presented by the National Community Development Association

2011 Service Area Map

Youth Group

Youth Group

Work Crews at Project Sites

Crews at work

Work Crews On Job Sites

Crews At Work

Finished Houses

Project Results• Project recipients feel pride in their

homes• Property values have increased• Owners of other houses in the area

(mostly rental properties) have begun to make improvements to their properties

• Effective tool in stopping the deterioration of these homes

• Important part of the City’s Tool Box utilized in neighborhood redevelopment

Other improvement projects in the Designated Revitalization

Area

• Major repair/reconstruction for homeowners

• Homeownership development • Park improvements• Drainage and infrastructure improvements• Code Enforcement Efforts – demolition,

clearance and repair• Neighborhood Watch Groups

Lives Changed

Contact InformationMara S. Register

Assistant to the City ManagerCity of ValdostaP.O. Box 1125

Valdosta, GA 31603-1125(229) 259-3571 (229) 259-3539 (fax)

register@valdostacity.com