Rep. Carl Gilliard and St. Joseph’s/Candler are partnering to create The Empowerment Center to help families rise up out of poverty.

“We recognize the difficulties that the working poor have and we want to help their families become successful and sustainable,” said Rep. Gilliard, who founded Feed The Hungry in 2009. “The Empowerment Center is going to change the narrative on poverty.”

St. Joseph’s/Candler is providing and renovating space next to the health system’s Good Samaritan Clinic in Garden City to house The Empowerment Center. Rep. Gilliard will bring in a number of different local and state agencies that can help people gain skills or find resources to help with employment, education or certifications.

“A healthy life is marked by more than just the absence of disease. People need a good education, life skills, job training and a safe home,” said Paul P. Hinchey, President & CEO of St. Joseph’s/Candler. “The Empowerment Center fits squarely into our mission and history of community outreach and we are extremely excited to partner with Rep. Gilliard to improve the lives of those in our community.”

This is a natural partnership for two entities who have spent their existence helping those in need.

Gilliard is currently a state Representative covering western Chatham County but has spent his life working for civil rights and fighting violence plaguing cities. He founded the Chatham County Youth Commission, Project L.O.V.E. Inc, several anti-crime initiatives and spread his message on many different media outlets. In 2009 he began Feed the Hungry and has provided more than one million servings of hot food and fresh produce. The organization has grown into 12 cities in Georgia and two in South Carolina.

St. Joseph’s/Candler lives its important mission to treat illness and promote wellness for all people. And not just in healthcare. The health system’s St. Mary’s Community Center, St. Mary’s Health Center, Good Samaritan Clinic and African-American Health Resource and Information Center had more than 78,000 contacts with people last year needing help free of charge. St. Joseph’s/Candler community outreach programs help provide that.

The Empowerment Center will host and partner with:

The Georgia Department of Labor

The Georgia Department of Transportation DBE Certification Program

The Georgia Department of Community Affairs

New Beginnings Conflict Resolution Program

Small business development through the Georgia Secretary of State

Equal Opportunity Authority

Some of the regularly-scheduled classes will include topics on:

Soft skills

Financial literacy

Conflict resolution

New home buyer programs

College prep

The Empowerment Center is located at 4704 Augusta Road in Garden City.

Upcoming events at The Empowerment Center

July 16, 11 a.m.:  Family Health and Wellness Day. Free health screenings and 200 free watermelons to the first attendees. Presented by Clover Health.

July 17 11 a.m.: Expungement Clinic and Lunch with the Chatham County Sheriff's Office. (Presented by Georgia Legal Services)

July 18 11 a.m.: Job Fair (Presented by EOA).

July 19 Noon: DBE Certification presented by the Georgia Department of (Transportation DBE Supportive Services)

July 20 10 a.m.: Georgia Dream Program Down Payment Assistance Program. (Presented by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs).

The week of July 22-26 the Empowerment Center will do exclusive hiring events to help people get into careers. They will also focus on registration for a GED program in partnership with Savannah Technical College, as well as financial literacy and soft skills training.

To register for any program they can visit: www.savannahfeedthehungry.net or call 912-436-7380.