Happy Holidays from Georgia Watch! |
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As we prepare to spend time with family and friends this holiday season, we are mindful of the challenges many Georgians faced and still face as we work together to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the beginning of the associated public health and economic crises, Georgia Watch has served as a resource and relentless advocate for consumers in our state.
We could not have done it without you. Reflecting upon this year’s accomplishments, we are grateful for your support of our mission. We are proud of our work to protect consumers from predatory lending, help people access affordable healthcare, keep utility bills low and promote access to civil justice.
We pledge to remain a powerful voice ensuring equity and justice for all Georgia consumers. On behalf of the Georgia Watch team, we wish you peace and joy as you celebrate the holiday season. We look forward to our continued partnership with you in 2022!
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Liz Coyle
Executive Director
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With your support, Georgia Watch advanced equitable policies that support thriving communities for all Georgians, including:
Advocacy
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Celebrated the Surprise Billing Consumer Protection Act going into effect, protecting an estimated 2.5 million Georgia residents from unexpected out-of-network medical bills, and along with Georgians for a Healthy Future released the consumer guide, "What You Need to Know About Georgia's Surprise Billing Law".
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Launched the Community Benefit and Economic Stability – Georgia Project, working to address the impact of medical debt in Southwest Georgia, especially among communities of color, through systemic changes rooted in community engagement. Read more about the Dish the Debt Campaign
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Continued to lead the work of Community Voices for Health, Georgia, in collaboration with state and national partners, to train Community Health Workers in public policy advocacy and civic engagement to address the health needs of their communities.
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Produced "Helping Georgians Manage Garnishment Actions," advocating for state-level policy changes that will reform Georgia's garnishment laws, protecting consumers from bankruptcy and promoting economic stability.
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Stood up for Georgia’s energy burdened utility customers at numerous hearings into the debacle at nuclear Plant Vogtle.
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Invited by Senators Raphael Warnock and Thom Tillis, Liz Coyle testified before the U.S. Senate on policies to protect consumers from financial fraud and scams in the pandemic recovery economy.
- Signed onto more than 20 letters to demonstrate unity on consumer protection issues with organizations such as the Consumer Federation of America, the National Consumer Law Center, Georgians for a Healthy Future, Families USA, the Center for Justice and Democracy, Community Catalyst, and Morehouse School of Medicine.
Direct Assistance and Education
- Directly assisted more than 100 consumers who contacted us for advice on dealing with utility bills, predatory lending, medical billing, garnishment, and other quality of life challenges.
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Distributed essential resources and information to Georgians amidst the COVID-19 pandemic to help them rebuild and recover from the crisis.
- Reached more than 270 consumers and advocates through educational workshops, presentations, and webinars.
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Held the inaugural Civic Advocacy, Leadership, and Engagement Trainings for Community Health Workers with our Community Voices for Health, Georgia partners.
- And much more!
We are proud of what we have achieved together in 2021 and are eager to see what we can accomplish in the next year. Ensuring equity and justice for all Georgians will remain our top priority. Thank you for your steadfast support and continued engagement!
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Sarah Phillips joins Georgia Watch as
Policy Research Associate
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Sarah Phillips has joined Georgia Watch as the Policy Research Associate. Her background in legislative relations, policy research and analysis, and advocacy training help her work toward leveling the playing field for Georgians in the organization's key impact areas--civil justice, consumer energy, healthcare access, and financial protection.
Sarah's passion for fairness and equity was sparked by the opportunity civil rights leader Dr. Bernard Lafayette provided when he granted her a scholarship to study at the Selma Center for Nonviolence, Truth, and Reconciliation to become a certified trainer in Kingian Nonviolence. This experience directed her toward Georgia State University where she graduated with honors with degrees in Political Science and Public Policy. To deepen her education in public policy and policy research, she pursed a Master of Public Administration at the GSU Andrew Young School of Policy Studies with a concentration in Policy Analysis and Program Evaluation.
In addition, she worked at the Georgia State Capitol conducting policy research for new legislation and analyzing each bill's impact, developing reports on pending legislation, tracking legislative priorities, and working with members of the media. With a love of policy research and a passion for educating Georgians about how they can protect their quality of life and their wallets, Sarah believes she has found her professional home at Georgia Watch.
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Georgia Watch
55 Marietta Street NW
Atlanta, GA 30303
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