The SCORE Association, a resource partner of the US Small Business Administration, announced the chartering of a new chapter to serve middle Georgia today. A not for profit organization with nearly 11,000 volunteer members located in over 300 chapters around the US, SCORE provides free mentoring and other free or low cost services to individuals who are starting or growing small businesses. For more than fifty years, SCORE has worked with entrepreneurs to establish and grow small businesses. In the latest fiscal year, SCORE volunteers helped to create over 57,000 small businesses nationwide. In Georgia, SCORE clients added more than 1,500 new jobs.

According to Dr. Ulrica Jones, chair of the new Middle Georgia Chapter, the association has long wanted to expand its presence in middle Georgia to increase services to the communities it serves. During 2015, working with the Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce, the Robins Regional Chamber of Commerce and NewTown Macon, SCORE did that. The first series of five workshops involved a training program called the “Entrepreneur Academy,” hosted at the Macon Terminal Station this past summer. Additional workshops are being scheduled. Free small business mentoring by SCORE volunteers is offered in Macon and Warner Robins at the Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce and the Robins Regional Chamber of Commerce. To sign-up for free mentoring, clients should visit the chapter’s website at www.score.middlegeorgia.org.

The new chapter will receive its charter from Eric Thompson, SCORE Southeast Regional Vice President and Andrew Beamon, SCORE national director of field services at a reception held at the Macon=Mercer Hilton Garden Inn on December 7. As a part of a statewide meeting, representatives from SCORE chapters and branches from around Georgia and the southeast, including members of the new Middle Georgia Chapter and local supporters will be in attendance. The local SCORE chapter has eighteen members and is actively recruiting additional volunteers. For information or to volunteer visit www.score.org/volunteer.