HCWA Cares for More Than Just Water and Sewer
The Henry County Water Authority (HCWA) cares for a lot more than just the water and sewer services of its community. Employees and customers also support several charities and good causes throughout the year and especially during the holidays.
For starters, the HCWA Board of Directors established the Authority’s Charitable Assistance Program (CAP) through unanimous passage of a resolution in 2014, allowing customers – some of whom include HCWA employees – the opportunity to “round up” their monthly bill or make one-time donations. The “Round Up” funds and donations are deposited into a CAP account for eventual distribution to fellow customers in need. Connecting Henry serves as the non-profit administrator of CAP dollars.
This year, more than 3,000 HCWA customers have participated in the “Round Up” efforts, providing $16,430 in total contributions for the CAP during 2022.
The HCWA also provides information and referrals to customers who may qualify for the Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP). This federal program, which is administered by the Clayton County Community Services Authority as the assigned Community Action Agency, helps low-income households pay for drinking water and wastewater services for their homes. Funds for the LIHWAP come from the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, as well as the American Rescue Plan Act, with oversight provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
In addition to the Authority’s ongoing efforts to invite customers to “Round Up” their monthly payments to fund the CAP account, HCWA employees have been spreading holiday cheer through their support of a few good causes in the community.
The IT Department has collected approximately $1,000 in gift cards to distribute to local foster families, with the help of Relevant Foster Care Ministry. The Engineering Department is participating in the Adopt a Senior Program, while also donating calculators for the non-profit ministry “Patrick’s Kids,” founded in memory Patrick (Pat) Jacques – the brother of HCWA Engineering Supervisor Fritz Jacques. The Billing Department has adopted a child for Christmas, and many HCWA employees are participating in Operation Lunch Box, which provides meals to local students who are food-challenged.
Finally, “HCWA Cares” is the Authority’s annual campaign that invites employees to consider payroll deductions and donations to support local charities they select. Each year, HCWA employees are polled to nominate charities they would like to see helped over the course of the following year. From those nominations, the top three vote getters (including ties) are identified, so employees can donate to them per pay period or via a one-time lump sum.
The local charities benefitting from the “HCWA Cares” initiative this year were Haven House, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Caring for a Cause, the Henry County office of the American Cancer Society, and A Friend’s House. The “HCWA Cares” beneficiaries in 2023 will be A Friend’s House, Haven House, Caring for a Cause, and Wings for Warriors (Ralph Easterwood, Inc. – Benevolence Fund for Henry County First Responders).
“Our workplace giving program provides a chance for our employees to give back to our community and to help tackle inequality,” says Tamara Woodie, HCWA Manager of Human Resources and Risk Management. “Whether it’s a dollar per paycheck or 100, there are local organizations that can use that money for good.”
Caption for photo:
Fritz Jacques, HCWA Engineering Supervisor, is pictured with calculators donated by fellow employees that will be put to good use by children in Haiti, thanks to the work of the Patrick’s Kids Foundation – a charity founded in memory of Fritz’s brother Patrick (Pat) Jacques.
#
Media Contact: Chris Wood, Ph.D.
P: 770-757-1681
E: chris@jwapr.com or john.wood@gcsu.edu