ATLANTA – State Representative CaMia Hopson (D-Albany) recently received the Civil Servant of the Year award for the 2020 Rising in Community Excellence (RICE) Awards on Saturday, December 19, 2020. Rep. Hopson was selected by the public to receive the award, and she was announced as one of the award recipients during a virtual ceremony, which can be viewed here.
“Words cannot express my gratitude for this honor,” said Rep. Hopson. “Proverbs 3:27 says, ‘Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act.’ When we have the ability and the opportunity to help others, we must do so. I’m truly humbled and appreciative of this award, but I didn’t do it alone. I want to thank my Georgia House colleagues, family and friends who jumped in to help me provide personal protective equipment for my beloved City of Albany during such a devastating time. I also want to express my gratitude to everyone who voted for me – you all made this award possible. Additionally, I commend the phenomenal nominees with whom I shared in this recognition: U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams, DeKalb County Sheriff Melanie Maddox and Fulton County Commissioner Natalie Hall.”
Rep. Hopson was nominated for her work to provide personal protective equipment (PPE) in House District 153. During the onset of COVID-19, the Albany, Ga. community became a “hot spot” for cases across the state. In addition to hospitals reaching capacity and a growing number of deaths and widespread cases throughout the area, Albany was also faced with the threat of the Dougherty County School System no longer being able to provide meals to the 16,000 children in the district. Rep. Hopson personally purchased masks to assist with providing PPE to the school system. Once Rep. Hopson’s House colleagues learned of her efforts, they helped raise an additional $12,000 to help her provide PPE to the school system so that they could provide meals for students, as well as enough PPE to give to local nursing homes, city residents and daycares.
The Rising in Community Excellence Awards is a celebration of individuals who work to improve lives throughout Georgia. The 2020 RICE Awards seek to recognize individuals who demonstrate keen awareness about community needs and step into the fray, lending a hand and making things better. Nominees are selected by a panel of industry professionals, community leaders and everyday citizens. Each category is about a community leader who has used their position to develop or implement programs that have changed the face of our communities and helped people in innumerable ways.
For more information on the 2020 RICE Awards, please click here.
Representative CaMia Hopson represents the citizens of District 153, which includes portions of Dougherty County. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 2018 and currently serves on the Defense & Veterans Affairs, Special Rules and State Planning & Community Affairs committees.
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