All-America City Finalist

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All-America City Finalist

Recognizing the Power of Community in the City That Soars

The City of Statesboro is proud to be selected as a 2025 All-America City Award Finalist, a national honor presented by the National Civic League. Out of hundreds of communities across the country, Statesboro is the only city in Georgia to earn this distinction, standing alongside major metropolitan areas like Seattle, Austin, and Denver.

This award celebrates cities that engage residents to create equitable, inclusive, and sustainable solutions to local challenges. The 2025 theme — “Strengthening Environmental Sustainability through Inclusive Community Engagement” — is a powerful reflection of the work happening in Statesboro today.

From disaster preparedness to environmental conservation to youth-led change, we are building a city where everyone has a role, and every voice matters.

Representing Statesboro: Our Three Featured Projects

As part of the national competition, we will present three initiatives that showcase how our residents, city leaders, educators, nonprofits, and youth are working together to shape a better future.

Bulloch VOAD

Disaster Resilience Rooted in Local Leadership

In recent years, Statesboro has faced a growing number of hurricanes and severe storms — sometimes two to three times annually. Many vulnerable households in rural and low-income areas were left with little support during and after these disasters.

In response, Bulloch VOAD was established as a community-led disaster response coalition. Composed of churches, nonprofits, local government agencies, and volunteers, Bulloch VOAD provides coordinated emergency preparedness, response, and long-term recovery services.

Project Highlights:

Trained 46 volunteers through UMCOR’s Early Response Team program
Developed a real-time Google-based community crisis map used during Tropical Storm Debby, accessed over 180,000 times in three days
Created a disaster response trailer stocked with essential supplies for immediate deployment
Established an emergency shelter at Pittman Park Church
Raised $60,000+ to assist families through the Bulloch Strong Fund

This model is now being studied as a best practice for rural disaster resilience in Georgia and beyond.

Bulloch VOAD

Environmental Sustainability for All

As Statesboro’s population has grown, so have concerns about urban development, waste, and the loss of green spaces. The Greener Boro initiative and Keep Statesboro-Bulloch Beautiful (KSBB) program address these issues through hands-on environmental education, action, and policy advocacy.

Together, these initiatives empower residents to lead sustainability efforts in their neighborhoods and across the city.

Project Highlights:

Statesboro Community Garden: Provides affordable plots for low-income families and schools, with education on composting and backyard agriculture
RecycleFest and GreenFest: Annual events for recycling electronics, hazardous materials, and promoting eco-friendly practices
Tree Canopy Expansion: Partnered with the Tree Board to plant hundreds of trees, especially in neighborhoods with heat vulnerability
Fix-It Fridays: Free monthly events where residents bring broken household items — from lamps to bicycles — and learn to repair them with the help of local volunteers. These events promote sustainability by reducing waste, encouraging reuse, and building repair skills across generations.
Don’t Litter Lotts Waterway Cleanup: An ongoing initiative focused on Little Lotts Creek, which flows through the heart of downtown. Community volunteers have organized regular cleanups and installed a trash boom in the creek to capture litter before it enters larger waterways — protecting our local ecosystem and promoting civic pride.
RecycleFest + GreenFest: Signature events to recycle electronics, learn about conservation, and celebrate environmental leadership

These programs turn everyday actions into lasting impact — making sustainability part of the culture in Statesboro.

Bulloch VOAD

Future is YOUth

With approximately 58.4% of Statesboro’s population between the ages of 15 and 29, the city recognized the need to give young people a voice in shaping community policies and opportunities (U.S. Census Bureau, 2023). Through initiatives like the Statesboro Youth Commission and Village Builders, young residents are not only participating in civic life — they’re leading it.

The Statesboro Youth Commission, established by Mayor Jonathan McCollar, provides students with direct access to local government and civic leadership. Village Builders, a partner initiative, brings services and support directly to underserved neighborhoods through mobile resource fairs.

Project Highlights:

500+ families served by mobile events offering job training, healthcare screenings, school supplies, and meals
Youth-Led Community Conversations: Teens help identify local challenges and advise city officials on solutions
Mock City Council Events: Students learn policy and leadership by simulating real council meetings
Recognized with Georgia Municipal Association’s Visionary City Award for the Village Builders initiative for inclusive youth civic engagement

This program is a national model for how small cities can build civic leadership from the ground up.

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