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The Republic Services team looks forward to working with the Atlanta Neighborhood Development Partnership to help build back our community by providing assistance to the businesses that power our local economy.
ATLANTA (Jan. 15, 2021) – The Atlanta Neighborhood Development Partnership, Inc. (ANDP) has received a grant from the Republic Services Charitable Foundation to support the revitalization of locally owned small businesses disrupted during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The $105,000 grant is part of Republic Services' Committed to Serve initiative, which was launched last spring to help support the Company's employees, customers and communities through the pandemic.
"Our Committed to Serve initiative is giving us another avenue to support local communities," said Gator Hodges, general manager of Republic Services of Atlanta South. "For years, Republic Services has supported neighborhoods through grants and volunteer opportunities, but now we have the opportunity to amplify our impact by supporting nonprofit projects that help local businesses. It's been a hard year for many small businesses. We hope this funding and support will make a difference in our community's ability to move forward."
With the help of this funding, ANDP, Inc. will be providing critical support and repairs to two minority-owned restaurants in the underserved Westside neighborhood.
- Marddy's Kitchen: Marddy's Kitchen is more than a restaurant; it's a community hub connecting people to fresh food, learning opportunities and economic momentum. Through a holistic approach to food and neighborhoods, Marrdy's kitchen is moving a community forward.
- EDC Kitchen: EDC Kitchen builds on the historic Westside’s legacy of chefs selling their goods locally by helping food entrepreneurs organically scale their businesses via access to affordable, shared commercial kitchen facilities and retail space. EDC Kitchen will further enrich the local community through a training program for Booker T. Washington High.
ANDP will be helping both businesses with repair and ventilation projects to help mitigate risks posed by the COVID-19 virus.
“As we work to address the homeownership gap and wealth gap in communities of color, we’re proud to partner with Republic Services to provide critical resources to small businesses that are essential to strengthen Atlanta’s Westside neighborhoods. This investment from Republic Services enables us to support the revitalization efforts of Westside Future Fund,” said John O’Callaghan, ANDP President and CEO. “We’ve seen firsthand the work of Kietra and her team at Marddy’s and know that this support will help her and EDC Kitchen strengthen their presence on the Westside and beyond.”
Projects at the two businesses will be completed in 2021.
"The Republic Services team looks forward to working with the Atlanta Neighborhood Development Partnership to help build back our community by providing assistance to the businesses that power our local economy," Hodges said.
Atlanta Neighborhood Development Partnership, Inc
A Chartered Member of NeighborWorks, ANDP develops, finances and advocates for affordable housing at scale that promotes racial equity and healthy communities where families thrive. Now in its 30th year, the organization has impacted more than 11,500 homes in metro Atlanta.
About Republic Services
Republic Services, Inc. is an industry leader in U.S. recycling and non-hazardous solid waste disposal. Through its subsidiaries, Republic's collection companies, transfer stations, recycling centers, landfills and environmental services provide effective solutions to make responsible recycling and waste disposal effortless for its customers across the country. Its 36,000 employees are committed to providing a superior experience while fostering a sustainable Blue Planet® for future generations to enjoy a cleaner, safer and healthier world.