Gwinnett Daily Post

DULUTH -- In August, the United Way of Gwinnett Women's Leadership Council hosted the Legacy Awards to honor four Gwinnett women for all of their work they did in the community and the event raised $34,000. On Monday, the council will distribute the proceeds from the awards ceremony to local Gwinnett agencies during a luncheon at the 1818 Club.

"It feels good (to raise this money)," said Demetrius Jordan, Regional Director of the United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta. "Every year we work really hard to raise more and more money and in this economy, it could have been worse, but we are grateful for what we raised."

A total of six awards will be handed out to several agencies, each receiving either a $10,000 or a $5,000 grant. The agencies will be announced to the public at the luncheon. Each organization will use the money to suit its cause.

"The grants will be used in a number of different ways," Jordan said. "Some agencies will use it for emergency assistance and aid for low and middle income families in need of financial aid or housing. Others will focus particularly on folks facing foreclosure by working with families that are working towards financial stability."

Last year, United Way Women's Leadership Council was able to distribute $39,000 of Legacy Award Grants to the Impact! Group, the Salvation Army, Norcross Cooperative Ministry, Center for Pan Asian Community Services, Gwinnett Community Clinic and Lawrenceville Cooperative Ministry.