Rep. Garland E. Pierce

Happy Holidays! Let's plan to smile more because we never know who might need it!

Newsletter Information

AmeriCorps Grants and Volunteer Opportunities
VolunteerNC announced this week that North Carolina had received $11.5 million in funding from AmeriCorps to support nearly 700 AmeriCorps members to serve with 21 organizations across the state.
AmeriCorps is a federally funded national service program. Service opportunities in North Carolina include mentoring children, providing health services, restoring the environment, increasing economic opportunities, helping communities recover from disaster, fighting the opioid epidemic, connecting veterans with jobs, recruiting and managing volunteers, and more. Last year more than 4,000 AmeriCorps members served in North Carolina.
Many AmeriCorps programs in North Carolina actively recruit members to serve during the 2022-2023 service year. Service activities and qualifications are determined by the specific program. AmeriCorps service opportunities are available statewide, and members can serve in a full-time or part-time capacity. Benefits often include a living allowance, health care, various professional development opportunities and a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award upon completion of service.
To find out more about AmeriCorps opportunities, including a sign-up for grant opportunities, please visit the VolunteerNC website.

Governor’s School Supply Drive Kicks Off to Support Students, Teachers, and Public Schools Across State
This week Governor Roy Cooper announced the beginning of the Governor’s School Supply Drive and encouraged people to donate school supplies for public school students and teachers across the state. On average, teachers in North Carolina spend over $500 of their own money on supplies for their classrooms each year.
The Governor’s School Supply Drive will run from August 1 to August 31, 2022. As in past years, the State Employees' Credit Union (SECU) and Communities In Schools of North Carolina are partnering to collect and deliver the school supplies.
Requested supplies include:
• Paper – all types, including copy paper
• Pens and pencils
• Crayons and markers
• Dry erase markers
• USB flash drives
• Spiral notebooks
• Sanitizing wipes
• Tissues
Donation bins will be available in all State Employees’ Credit Union locations statewide. North Carolina residents can participate by dropping off supplies at a SECU location or by organizing a drive at their own workplace.

Federal Small Business Assistance Opportunities
Former Greenville, North Carolina Mayor Allen Thomas is now the Southeast Regional Administrator for the U.S. Small Business Administration and recently toured North Carolina publicizing opportunities for federal assistance for small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Thomas’ advice for new and aspiring business owners?
“Reach out to the SBA to launch their business, or to the SBTDC for free tools on how to get their underpinning beneath them for a launch. Understand how to get access to capital. We have resources to help them on the way.”
The North Carolina SBTDC is a business advisory resource for growing and developing businesses. Visit their website here for resources and information.
The U.S. Small Business Administration is also a great resource. Visit their website here for more information.
In Local Visit, SBA Regional Administrator Touts Agency's Programs
WilmingtonBiz
$200 million in small business loans heading to NC targeting disadvantaged communities

PRESS RELEASE

Representative Garland Rep. Garland E. Pierce
(919) 733-5803
[email protected]

SandHoke Early College Student Serves as a House Page

Raleigh, June 2, 2022 - Representative Pierce is pictured with House Page Keshawn McNair a 12th grader of SandHoke Early College. Keshawn served as a Page the week of May 31, 2022, in the North Carolina General Assembly.

This program offers young men and women the opportunity to learn about and participate in our state's legislative process. It is a four-day-long experience that allows high school students to observe how our laws are made.

Duke Energy’s Hometown Revitalization Grant program, will assist local communities and small businesses across the state to continue to recover from the pandemic.
This is a $500,000 grant opportunity and 20 communities will be selected to receive $25,000 each through a partnership with a local 501(c)(3)-administering nonprofit. The administering nonprofit will establish a small business support microgrant program to deploy the funding to their local small business community. Nonprofits that received a Hometown Revitalization Grant in 2021 are not eligible to apply in 2022.
Applications are due May 31 and funding decisions will be announced in August.