Congressman Johnson Recognizes Nonprofits at Ceremony of HOPE

Congressman Honors Service in Our Communities, Local Student With Congressional Award  

DECATUR – On Saturday, August 19 at Legacy Park in Decatur, Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04) held his Ceremony of HOPE honoring the work of six local nonprofits. 

It was the culmination of a week of HOPE – Helping Other People Elevate – in which the Congressman held a four-day grants workshop series for nonprofits and visited a community center and homeless shelter in Covington to speak with homeless constituents to hear from their perspective of what their life is like and how the community center is helping them get back on their feet. 

The Congressman also bestowed the Congressional Award on Thea Winckler of St. Pius Catholic High School. She earned the award for voluntary public service, personal development, physical fitness, expedition/exploration.

The Congressman recognized Catholic Charities of Atlanta, Friends of Disabled Adults & Children (FODAC), the Women’s Resources Center to End Violence Against Women, the Rockdale Coalition for Children & Families, Newton Mentoring, Inc., and Newton County Historical Committee on Black Preservation with HOPE Awards. 

“I have dedicated my life to the service of others, and while I made a career as a lawyer, a judge, a commissioner, and now as a congressman of this great district, let me be clear that it has always been a fight,” Rep. Johnson said. “A fight for the betterment of mankind and womankind, a fight for justice; a fight to make this world a better place. We have all witnessed some of the darkest times in American history; from the tragic loss of innocent teachers and students in Uvalde, Texas, to the murder of Eric Gardner and George Floyd, to the January 6 insurrection, to the recent Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. It is my personal convictions that brought me to Washington, D.C. to continue the fight. I stand with our young people as they engage politically to ensure that all people have a right at life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It’s an honor tonight to recognize all these wonderful organizations for the good they do and the joy they bring in Georgia’s Fourth District.

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