Georgia Center for Opportunity

Georgia Opportunity Center (GCO) is tackling welfare reform on two fronts at the same time to remove barriers like the “welfare cliffs” encountered by chronically un- and under-employed individuals on their way to self-sufficiency and independence. On the policy front, GCO is working with legislators to target licensing reform, expand apprenticeship programs and develop re-entry initiatives for prisoners. The other piece, which is especially intriguing to our foundation, is the Center’s local community-by-community initiative, Hiring Well Doing Good. This initiative brings together local businesses, nonprofits, the faith community, schools, and local governments to provide the wrap-around resources a person might need as they enter the workforce. We have lots of confidence in GCO’s Randy Hicks who is spearheading Hiring Well Doing Good and have included the initiative in our Venture Portfolio with a grant over four years.