Following the tremendous damage caused by Hurricane Helene throughout Georgia and the necessity to prioritize resources for frontline emergency workers, the Georgia Chamber of Commerce announced the cancellation of the 2024 Rural Prosperity Summit in Tifton.

The two-day event was scheduled to take place October 2 and 3 at the UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center. That space that will now serve as temporary housing for Georgia Power linemen working to restore power to communities across South Georgia.

In place of the in-person event, the Georgia Chamber will hold a virtual briefing from elected officials and business leaders, to provide more information on statewide recovery efforts. The virtual briefing will be held on Wednesday, October 2. More detailed information will be published shortly.

Rural Prosperity Summit content and speakers will be the subject of a series of virtual briefings and podcasts later in the month.

Registrations for the 2024 Rural Prosperity can be refunded or donated on behalf of the registrant to support the Red Cross’ Hurricane Helene relief efforts in Georgia. Selections must be made using the Google Form available here. If no response is received by October 31, registrations will automatically be donated to the Red Cross. Further donations in support of the Red Cross Hurricane Helene recovery efforts can be made here.

Chris Clark, CCE, President and CEO of the Georgia Chamber said:

“The recovery efforts after Hurricane Helene are our number one priority. Shifting the Rural Prosperity Summit to a digital format allows us to support one of the most vital recovery efforts—getting power and other utilities back on in homes, businesses, hospitals, and community gathering spaces. The Georgia Chamber thanks the crews of linemen from Georgia Power, the Georgia Electric Membership Corporation, MEAG, and other utility companies across the state, as well as emergency first responders for keeping Georgians safe, especially during this dangerous time.”

Resources for Businesses

Please continue to follow the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency on social media, and visit the official GEMA Hurricane Helene webpage here. 

Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John F. King has a list of resources available to help Georgians in the aftermath of Hurricane, including tips on to avoid predatory scammers. More information is available on the Insurance Commissioner’s website here.

Farmers can contact their local US Department of Agriculture service center for information on damage recovery. Service center contact information is available on the USDA website by clicking here.
 
The Small Business Administration has disaster assistance programs for businesses, homeowners, renters, and non-profit organizations. Click here to learn more and see if you qualify.