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Economic Opportunity Atlanta, Inc.
O A 101 Marietta Street Bldg. © Atlanca, Georgia 30303 Telephone: 525-4262
T. M. Parham :
Executive Administrator Contact: Mrs. Mitchell
For immediate release
April 9, 1969
Cities across the wacuntey are planning programs similar to
the START NOW ATLANTA campaign launched January 10 by Economic
Opportunity Atlanta, Inc. to involve more citizens in the war
against poverty.
One city official wrote, "In Phoenix (Arizona) we are very
enthusiastic about this program and hope that we will be ab!e2 to
follow in your footsteps to work out a similax program for our
city."
Miami, Florida already has initiated a similar program and
other cities have requested information.
Since START NOW ATLANTA was launched three months ago, 2,277
peoole have taken poverty area tours led by the poor and EOA has
aseminad the services of 374 volunteers.
The 2,000th person to take the tours led by the poor was
Mrs. Bill Curry, wife of the Baltimore Colts football star, who
was presented with a certificate by Vice Mayor Sam Massell in
Wine City on March 29.
EOA continues to receive daily requests from people who wish
to take the tours or volunteer their time.
The START NOW ATLANTA program was initiated for the hundreds
of Atlantans who have asked "How can I find out what needs to be
done and what can I do?"
The program offers two phases, one,the tours led by 23 poverty
,area residents called Volunteer Information Beopitie: Or Vik Pts
and the other a volunteer program.
The poor wanted to lead the tours because, as one said,
"We're tired of people coming through here shaking their head:
~about i.e rats and garbage and nasty shacks and not seeing us.
We'::e people too and we've done a lot to heip curselves."
Indications are that the tours are really “=wo-way streets;
as one V.I.P. put it, "They learn from us and we learn from *:7m."
Those tu-inge the cours are young, middle aged, old. They
cour by foot, by car, br ius. They are lawyers, businessmen,
doctors, social workers, club women, church members, journalists,
visitors to Atlanta, the already concerned, and those Jeutecionst
about-it-all. They come in greatest number from Metropolitan |
Atlanta, but also from various parts of the United States and} from
countries over the world. |
The 374 volunteers are working in a variety of projects, in-
cluding story hours, adult literacy classes, tutorial programs,
.
marionette shows, horticulture classes and legislative action.
In addition,. four white churches have formed partnerships
with black churches, 20 college fraternities are working in
volunteer projects and some 200 college students are conducting
a comprehensive consumer survey in one low-income area.
To volunteer, to arrange a tour for individuals or groups,
or to get a speaker or a panel, call 525-4262.