DeKalb Senior, Youth Programs Win National Awards

DEKALB COUNTY, GA — A national organization for counties across the U.S. gave achievement awards to two of DeKalb County's programs: one for older adults and one for youth, according to a news release.

The National Association of Counties (NACo) awarded the Achievement Award to DeKalb County's Senior Center Without Walls: Virtual Village and the DeKalb Youth Virtual Career Academy last Thursday, county officials announced. The awards honor innovative, effective county government programs that strengthen services for residents, the release said.

Nationally, awards are given in 18 different categories that reflect the variety of services counties provide. The categories include children and youth, criminal justice and public safety, county administration, information technology, health, civic engagement and more.

“DeKalb is proud to receive national attention for initiatives that support two of our most important populations: senior citizens and youth,” DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond said. “I am grateful for the hard work and dedication of our DeKalb County employees that made these awards possible.”

DeKalb's Senior Center Without Walls: Virtual Village, established in March 2020, won the award in the human services category. The county's Human Services Department "sought to continue to provide essential care for DeKalb's elderly population in a time of uncertainty and crisis" due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The department created the Virtual Village to "streamline access and information on county services and provide up-to-date information on pandemic-related topics in a safe social setting," the release said.

The virtual career academy, operating for the first time virtually in 2020, won the Achievement Award in the youth and children services category. The virtual academy "provided supportive academic training and critical work experience in health care, business technology, digital technology, programming and information technology" for DeKalb County youth and young adults, as well as helped students earn credentials toward future education and training.

“DeKalb is showing even in a pandemic it is possible to deliver quality human development programs that empower residents to thrive,” District 3 Commissioner and NACo President Larry Johnson said in the release.