Month: November 2022

It’s time for the Lighting of the Tree!
Since the first celebration in 1987, Gwinnett County has kicked off the holiday season on Thanksgiving night. From the mountains of North Carolina, this year’s 34-foot-tall Norway Spruce will be decked with dazzling lights, decorations, a brightly lit star to top it all off.
Bring the whole family for live entertainment, kids’ activities, food vendors, photos with Santa, and more! The festivities will take place on the Gwinnett Historic Courthouse lawn, located at 185 West Crogan Street in Lawrenceville on Thursday, November 24 from 5:30pm to 8:00pm.
Following the annual Lighting of the Tree on Thanksgiving night, visitors can stop by the Gwinnett Historic Courthouse lawn to enjoy the decorations and celebrate the holiday season with family and friends.

The Board of Commissioners gave the greenlight to several County initiatives during their latest meetings. Here is a quick glance at some of the actions taken.
Help for seniors and adults with disabilities 18+
There’s more help coming to Gwinnett County seniors and those with disabilities. The board approved a contract to pick up residents for non-emergency medical transportation across the county. The contract, which runs through mid-November 2023, is funded 73 percent by the Atlanta Regional Commission.  
More help from Fire and Emergency Services
Gwinnett Fire and Emergency Services has 200 new ways to keep residents safe. The department received a donation of 200 smoke alarms from Operation Save a Life. As part of an ongoing initiative, fire fighters will install the alarms in Gwinnett residents’ homes — free of charge. 
GDOT grants for pedestrians in Gwinnett
The Georgia Department of Transportation awarded the County with $1.1 million in grants from the Surface Transportation Block Grant Program. As part of the Loop Trail Pedestrian Project, the County will use the funds to build new pedestrian friendly walkways connecting the Gas South District, future businesses, and current shopping centers along Satellite Boulevard. The County will provide a match of $275,000 from the 2017 SPLOST program.

Gwinnett County Government and United Way of Greater Atlanta selected 50 local nonprofits that serve critical needs in the community to receive $4.25 million in Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery funds.
These funds — provided to Gwinnett County by the U.S. Department of the Treasury through the American Rescue Plan Act — will be used to address needs identified or worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic impact.
Critical needs supported by the round of grant funding include childcare, food insecurity, housing, literacy, mental health, and transportation.
“We’ve been proud to work with United Way of Greater Atlanta throughout the grant application process, building on United Way’s long-standing relationships in Gwinnett’s nonprofit community,” said Gwinnett County Chairwoman Nicole Hendrickson. “Local nonprofits are the heartbeat of our community. As this funding rolls out, I look forward to the positive impact it will have on residents and Gwinnett County as a whole.”
United Way of Greater Atlanta will manage and distribute $4.25 million in grant awards, providing the selected nonprofits with ongoing technical assistance and support to ensure compliance with grant administration and federal reporting requirements.
Further details about the awards are available on the Grants webpage.

If you have a passion to serve and protect your community, the First Responders hiring event is where you want to be!
Gwinnett Police and Fire and Emergency Services are hosting the joint hiring event Saturday, December 10 from 8:00am to 4:00pm at the Gwinnett County Fire Academy, located at 3608 Braselton Highway in Dacula.
Recruiters from both departments will be on hand to answer questions about various career paths. Successful police candidates may receive conditional job offers
Fire candidates will have an opportunity to complete an orientation, application, background check, PPE (sneakers and long pants required) and an oral interview, typically a two-to-three-hour process altogether.
For more information, visit GwinnettCountyJobs.com. You may also contact Sgt. Ryan Cowan at Ryan.Cowan@gwinnettcounty.com or Scott Fransen at Scott.Fransen@GwinnettCounty.com for police inquiries. Email FireRecruiting@GwinnettCounty.com for fire inquiries.

Join Gwinnett Parks and Recreation for the Native American Tales event on Tuesday, November 22 from 10:00am to 2:00pm at the Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center in Buford.
Experience the culture of Native Americans through storytelling, native dancing, and songs from YoNAsDa Lonewolf of the Lakota Tribe and Quese IMC of the Seminole and Pawnee Tribe. Attendees will learn how to make their own dreamcatcher and watch a drum making demonstration. 
The Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center is located at 2020 Clean Water Drive in Buford.