Regional partnership delivers hope, music
Remedium Life Science, in coordination with the Chattooga Chamber of Commerce Foundation and Helping Hands Ending Hunger, prepare for a third truckload of donated goods to help struggling families throughout Northwest Georgia. After successfully distributing multiple truckloads last fall and winter, Remedium has organized another donation to arrive the week following Easter with a message of hope of better times on the horizon.
Cindy Rivers-McGraw, president of the Chamber of Commerce Foundation, and Carla Harward, CEO of Helping Hands Ending Hunger, have spent the last two months broadening efforts to maximize the impact of this delivery. Working with
Chattooga, Floyd, Walker and Whitfield County officials — along with Helping Hands school chapter administrators and other community organizations, which include the Boys and Girls Club, Three Circles Foundation, Family Connections, Chattooga Resource Center and Chattooga County Extension/4H — their goal is to ensure broad outreach to regional families and children in need who can most benefit from donated goods.
Among those leading the mission, Matt Connelly, chairman of Remedium, said, “The previous donations were able to provide the community a ‘lift’ going into the holidays, and we plan to continue supporting the region in any way we can.
“This just happens to be the most impactful way to show our support at this point in time,” he said. “We will continue to work with all of our partners to make a difference.”
The tractor trailer will be delivering 24 pallets of new clothing, shoes, baby items and diapers, bedding, kitchen items, as well as items for schools and students to use for programming including musical instruments, fitness and sports equipment. Making this donation especially impactful, toys and electronics for all ages, will be included, bringing “Christmas in April.”
Students and other volunteers will then assist with sorting all the donations and facilitating groups to “shop” as part of the following schedule:
♦ April 5: A truckload of goods will be delivered to the Chattooga County Ag Center with assistance of Chattooga County officials.
♦ April 6, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Students and community volunteers from Ridgeland High School, LaFayette High School
and the Three Circles Foundation will unpack and organize the goods with the opportunity to select special items for themselves and their families at the conclusion of the day.
♦ April 7, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.: City Park Elementary students (Dalton City Schools), Cherokee Ridge Elementary, Rossville Elementary and Gilbert Elementary students who are served through Helping
Hands will be able to “shop like it’s Christmas.” School staff, counselors, social workers, and community organizations serving families and children in Northwest Georgia also have been invited to select items for programming to distribute to their students and families in need.
♦ April 8, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.: School groups, foster parents and other regional community
groups serving residents in need, including the Boy’s and Girl’s Club, will select goods for programming and distribution to their organizations/ families.
♦ April 9, 9-11:00 a.m.: Remaining items will be distributed to families in need throughout the Northwest
Georgia community.
“We are grateful for all the volunteers and students who will assist with the arrival and distribution of the donated goods—it’s always exciting to see our residents come together to support each other,” said long-time Chattooga County resident Gary McConnell, who chairs Remedium’s Advisory Council. “We are building a stronger, more resilient community for the future, and I’m hopeful Remedium is awarded the opportunity to continue to support our region beyond these donations.”
“This event is generating a lot of excitement in the community,”
Harward said. “The variety of goods and, of course, the toys will have amazing impact on children and families who are struggling, especially now.
“Hope takes many shapes and thanks to Remedium, it comes with much needed basic goods for families’ dayto-day lives,” Harward said. “I’m most looking forward to experiencing with the joy of ‘Christmas in April’ with the little ones.”
Remedium Life Science of Georgia is partnering with the Northwest Georgia Joint Development Authority, Chattooga County and the Town of Trion to establish a new innovative industry in the community.
Remedium is seeking a license to cultivate and manufacture medical marijuana in the form of low-THC oil for Georgia’s qualified patients. If successful, Remedium will research, develop and distribute specialized medical cannabis solutions throughout the Georgia, while bringing jobs and economic growth to Northwest Georgia.