August 12, 2005 – Mayor Shirley Franklin will attend services at Mt. Ephraim Baptist Church and Ebenezer Baptist Church this Sunday, August 14, to encourage Atlantans to contribute to the City’s Care & Conserve fund. Care & Conserve, a program of the City’s Department of Watershed Management, provides one-time assistance to qualifying residents who are having trouble paying their water/sewer bills. Additionally, it offers money for plumbing repairs and retrofits, which help eliminate leaks and conserve water. Care & Conserve is operated by Southeast Energy Assistance, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping low-income families improve their homes and cut energy usage through conservation measures. Last year, more than 500 Atlantans were assisted through Care & Conserve.

The Mayor attended services at various Atlanta area religious institutions during Care & Conserve Sundays in May and June, raising almost $12,000 for the program, which is funded through grants and donations. Mayor Franklin said, “I am deeply encouraged by the response of the Atlanta community to come to the aid of their neighbors by contributing to the Care and Conserve program.” The Mayor is emphasizing the importance of giving back to the community as she addresses the congregations, a tenet that is central to all religious faiths.

Mayor Franklin will attend the 7:30 a.m. service at Mt. Ephraim (Dr. R.L. White, pastor) located at 1202 West Marietta Street, Atlanta GA 30318. The Mayor will attend the 11 a.m. service in the Horizon Sanctuary of the historic Ebenezer Baptist church (Dr. Joseph L. Roberts, pastor) located at 407 Auburn Avenue, NE, Atlanta GA 30312.