Submitted by the North Georgia Health District

The North Georgia Medical Reserve Corps received a $5,000 Capacity Building Award from the Office of the Surgeon General’s Office of the Civilian Medical Reserve Corps (OCVMRC). The funding, awarded by the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) on behalf of OCVMRC, supports Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) unit activities such as volunteer recruitment and training, supply and equipment purchases, personnel costs and more.

The Medical Reserve Corps is a community-based civilian volunteer program that helps build the public health infrastructure of communities nationwide. Each MRC unit is organized and trained to address a wide range of challenges, from public health education to disaster response.

“Without this funding, part of the unit’s time would have to be devoted towards fundraising. Being able to concentrate on what we can provide the community and train towards that goal makes us a stronger unit and more prepared to serve the community,” said Joanne Mauro, the North Georgia Medical Reserve Corps leader. “With this funding, the unit will be able to continue free CPR classes for all members; bring in experts to train members on several issues such as Stress Management for First Responders and Crowd Control; and continue offering free Emergency Response Training for Child Care Providers. The unit also loves offering free blood pressure checks at local health fairs and these funds will help support that effort.”

Almost $3.2 million was awarded to 513 MRC units nationwide. “MRC units and volunteers are a critical component of community resiliency. We look forward to seeing the effect of this funding on the future success of these units and their ability to meet the emergency and public health needs of their communities,” said Capt. Rob Tosatto, director of the OCVMRC. Jack Herrmann, Senior Adviser for Public Health Preparedness at NACCHO, added, "We are proud to offer this funding in partnership with the OVMRC. We see the Medical Reserve Corps as a valuable asset to our nation's public health system."

Nationwide, there are more than 700 MRC units and almost 150,000 volunteers — medical professionals and others. Volunteers are trained to provide support in their communities during and after emergencies. Throughout the year, MRC volunteers offer education and prevention services to improve the health of their neighborhoods and communities.

For more information about your local unit or the MRC program, call Mauro at (706) 272-2125, extension 306, or visit http://www.nghd.org or http://www.medicalreservecorps.gov.