Rep. Garland E. Pierce

12/13/2022

Happy Holidays! Let's plan to smile more because we never know who might need it!

09/22/2022

FOCUS Broadband Awarded USDA ReConnect Grant to Bring High-Speed Internet to Thousands in Robeson County and Scotland County

Robeson County and Scotland County, NC – FOCUS Broadband announced today that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded the cooperative a $24.6 million dollar grant which will allow the Shallotte-based company to expand high-speed internet access to over 4,800 addresses in rural Robeson and Scotland counties. The network will be able to connect more than 13,000 people, nearly 200 businesses, 166 farms, and 18 public schools to high-speed internet in the two counties.

“The events of the last two years have shone a light on the need of all Americans to have access to affordable and reliable high-speed internet,” said USDA Rural Development North Carolina State Director, Reginald Speight. “This multi-million-dollar investment from the Biden-Harris Administration to FOCUS Broadband is allowing rural residents of our state to have the ability to take care of their family’s needs and educate their children, in their homes, and not have to go and seek out a wi-fi hot spot. A family choosing to live in the rural parts of our state should not preclude them from affordable services. This is a big win for rural North Carolina and FOCUS Broadband!”
The $26.4 million dollars in ReConnect grant funds awarded by the USDA will be used to bring fiber optic, high-speed internet to rural, underserved communities between Rowland, Raemon, and Maxton and areas along Singletary Church Road in Robeson County as well as rural areas near Laurinburg, Wagram, and Deercroft in Scotland County. Additionally, this project will serve parts of the Lumbee state-designated tribal area and socially vulnerable communities in Scotland and Robeson counties. The new network will enable the delivery of high-speed internet of up to 1 Gigabit per second as well as telephone and home security and automation services.
“FOCUS Broadband is incredibly grateful to once again be a recipient of ReConnect funding from the USDA,” said Keith Holden, FOCUS Broadband CEO. “This grant will make a tremendous impact for residents and businesses in Robeson and Scotland counties that desperately need access to reliable, high-speed internet. We would like to thank the USDA, Congressman Bishop, the Lumbee Tribe, Robeson County Manager Kellie Blue and Scotland County Manager Kevin Patterson, county commissioners from both Robeson and Scotland counties, and all the residents, business owners, and community leaders who supported this application. Their support was vital in helping us win this grant funding.”

FOCUS Broadband has been serving rural North Carolinians for more than 65 years and has a great track record of using grant funds to provide high-speed internet to rural areas. Since 2019, FOCUS Broadband has secured more than $100 million from four federal grants through the USDA’s ReConnect Broadband and Community Connect Programs and 16 state grants through the NCDIT’s Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology (GREAT) grant program. With these grants, FOCUS Broadband is building a fiber optic network capable of providing multi-gigabit broadband internet to more than 30,000 homes and businesses in Brunswick, Columbus, Duplin, Robeson, Pender, Hoke, Scotland, Bladen, Chowan, and Perquimans counties. FOCUS Broadband will be contributing over $25 million in matching funds to complete these projects.

FOCUS Broadband began serving customers in Robeson County late last year through two state-funded GREAT grants won by the company in 2020. Construction is ongoing and is expected to be completed in 2023, but service is already available for many in the areas of Proctorville, Orrum, and Fairmont. In December, FOCUS Broadband also received a $2.9 million USDA Community Connect Grant which will allow the company to bring fiber optic internet to the communities of Howellsville, Tolarsville, and areas outside of St. Pauls. In August, the company won an additional $4 million GREAT grant for Robeson County that will allow it to expand high-speed internet service to more than 1,800 addresses near the communities of Parkton and Lumber Bridge.
With a project of this size, there is a great deal of preliminary work that must be done before actual construction can begin. FOCUS Broadband anticipates the construction of the new fiber optic network to begin in 2023 after all necessary program paperwork and environmental studies have been completed. For more information about FOCUS Broadband’s progress on the ReConnect Grant, visit www.fasterrobeson.com or www.fasterscotland.com, or call 888-367-2862.

About FOCUS Broadband
FOCUS Broadband is a member-owned cooperative providing a multitude of communications services, including telephone, business services, wireless, broadband internet, cable television, and home security, in Brunswick County, North Carolina. FOCUS Broadband provides services in additional areas through its wholly owned subsidiary, ATMC, LLC. FOCUS Broadband is the largest communications cooperative in North Carolina and one of the largest in the country. For more information on products and services from FOCUS Broadband, visit www.focusbroadband.com

Representative Pierce is quoted as saying "More good news for the citizens of Scotland County. This is a game changer! I am thankful for this grant because I know it will make a difference in the lives of so many people in rural areas."

FOCUS Broadband, a member-owned cooperative in Shallotte, NC provides phone, long distance, business systems, wireless, Security by FOCUS Broadband, Broadband and Cable TV service in Brunswick Cty, NC

09/01/2022

PRESS RELEASE

Raleigh, September 1, 2022


NCDIT Approves GREAT Grants for Hoke, Scotland Counties

Governor Cooper announced another round of Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology (GREAT) grants. This funding will help ensure that more residents in Hoke and Scotland Counties have access to affordable, high-speed internet. Internet service providers must be participants in the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). That program allows eligible households to receive a $30 per month discount on high-speed internet.

Residents should check GetInternet.gov to see if they qualify for the $30 per month discount. Many people still remain who could benefit from this program and save hundreds of dollars a year.

The local grants approved are:

● Hoke County: ATMC

● Scotland County: Spectrum Southeast LLC


“I know how badly our community needs this funding,” Rep. Garland Pierce said. “Rural communities in the Sandhills deserve access to affordable, high-speed internet as much as the rest of the state. These grants will help connect small businesses and residents to affordable internet, improving their businesses and their lives.”


More information about the grants can be found here.

08/05/2022

Newsletter Information

AmeriCorps Grants and Volunteer Opportunities
VolunteerNC announced this week that North Carolina had received $11.5 million in funding from AmeriCorps to support nearly 700 AmeriCorps members to serve with 21 organizations across the state.
AmeriCorps is a federally funded national service program. Service opportunities in North Carolina include mentoring children, providing health services, restoring the environment, increasing economic opportunities, helping communities recover from disaster, fighting the opioid epidemic, connecting veterans with jobs, recruiting and managing volunteers, and more. Last year more than 4,000 AmeriCorps members served in North Carolina.
Many AmeriCorps programs in North Carolina actively recruit members to serve during the 2022-2023 service year. Service activities and qualifications are determined by the specific program. AmeriCorps service opportunities are available statewide, and members can serve in a full-time or part-time capacity. Benefits often include a living allowance, health care, various professional development opportunities and a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award upon completion of service.
To find out more about AmeriCorps opportunities, including a sign-up for grant opportunities, please visit the VolunteerNC website.

Governor’s School Supply Drive Kicks Off to Support Students, Teachers, and Public Schools Across State
This week Governor Roy Cooper announced the beginning of the Governor’s School Supply Drive and encouraged people to donate school supplies for public school students and teachers across the state. On average, teachers in North Carolina spend over $500 of their own money on supplies for their classrooms each year.
The Governor’s School Supply Drive will run from August 1 to August 31, 2022. As in past years, the State Employees' Credit Union (SECU) and Communities In Schools of North Carolina are partnering to collect and deliver the school supplies.
Requested supplies include:
• Paper – all types, including copy paper
• Pens and pencils
• Crayons and markers
• Dry erase markers
• USB flash drives
• Spiral notebooks
• Sanitizing wipes
• Tissues
Donation bins will be available in all State Employees’ Credit Union locations statewide. North Carolina residents can participate by dropping off supplies at a SECU location or by organizing a drive at their own workplace.

Federal Small Business Assistance Opportunities
Former Greenville, North Carolina Mayor Allen Thomas is now the Southeast Regional Administrator for the U.S. Small Business Administration and recently toured North Carolina publicizing opportunities for federal assistance for small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Thomas’ advice for new and aspiring business owners?
“Reach out to the SBA to launch their business, or to the SBTDC for free tools on how to get their underpinning beneath them for a launch. Understand how to get access to capital. We have resources to help them on the way.”
The North Carolina SBTDC is a business advisory resource for growing and developing businesses. Visit their website here for resources and information.
The U.S. Small Business Administration is also a great resource. Visit their website here for more information.
In Local Visit, SBA Regional Administrator Touts Agency's Programs
WilmingtonBiz
$200 million in small business loans heading to NC targeting disadvantaged communities

08/05/2022

Representative Pierce participated in National Night Out on Main Street in Laurinburg, NC. National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make neighborhoods safer, more caring places to live.

06/21/2022

Rural Communities Awarded American Rescue Plan Transformation Grants to Boost Local Economies
Commerce Department fund provides resources for rural economic development

Raleigh
Jun 16, 2022
Governor Roy Cooper announced today that 30 local governments in rural areas across the state have been awarded grants from the Rural Transformation Grant Fund, a new source of support for rural economic development projects in North Carolina funded by the federal American Rescue Plan. A total of $20.1 million will be issued in this first round of grantmaking from the Fund, which helps local governments overcome challenges that limit their economic competitiveness. The North Carolina Department of Commerce and its Rural Economic Development Division administer the $48 million grant fund.
“North Carolina’s rural communities are our heart and soul, and we are committed to helping them grow and become more competitive,” said Governor Roy Cooper. “Today’s awards will provide both the funds and the expertise to help transform and expand North Carolina’s rural economies, create good jobs, and strong communities.”
The new grant fund, the centerpiece of a broader Rural Engagement and Investment Program from the North Carolina Department of Commerce, addresses a wide variety of needs, from revitalizing downtown districts, building the capacity of local government staffs, revitalizing neighborhoods, fostering small business recovery, and generally supporting economic growth initiatives.
The Rural Transformation Grant Fund awarded grants in three categories today:
The Downtown Revitalization category supports downtown development initiatives that help grow and leverage a community’s commercial core into an asset for economic growth and prosperity.
The Resilient Neighborhoods category offers grants focused on community development and quality of life improvements, such as eliminating food deserts, creating healthy living initiatives, and increasing access to affordable housing options, among other initiatives.
The Community Enhancements for Economic Growth category provides grants to local governments to smooth the way for economic development opportunities, such as the acquisition of land and buildings, the preparation of business sites, and the removal of structural and physical barriers that may be limiting development.
Earlier, on May 24, a fourth category of the program known as Rural Community Capacity Building (RC2) announced an initial cohort of nineteen communities across the state that would participate in an educational initiative to bolster the professional development and planning capacity of local government staffs.
“Economic development success requires extensive preparation and planning,” said North Carolina Commerce Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders. “I’m excited to see how this first round of grants will help many rural communities in North Carolina reach the next level of prosperity.”
Local governments awarded project grants from the Rural Transformation Grant Fund include:

Downtown Revitalization Category
City of Lumberton $900,000

Community Enhancements Category
City of Raeford $846,000

“Today’s awards allow us to share more widely the best practices we know work well for rural economic development programs,” said Kenny Flowers, the Commerce Department’s Assistant Secretary for Rural Economic Development. “I look forward to working with these communities and others to come later, as we work to transform the economy in rural North Carolina.”
The application window for the second round of funding will open in early September of 2022. More information about the Rural Transformation Grant Fund is available at nccommerce.com/transform. A map displaying the locations of today’s awards is available here.

06/15/2022

District Information
The North Carolina Housing Finance Agency has awarded funds from the Housing Trust Fund's Urgent Repair Program (URP) to make emergency repairs for:
Hoke County will receive $132,000 to repair 15 homes
Partners In Ministry will receive $132,000 to repair 11 homes in Scotland County.

The URP operates statewide through local government, regional organizations, community action agencies, and other nonprofit sponsors. Funding is provided to these groups to allocate loans up to $12,000 per household to very-low-income homeowners for emergency repairs to correct safety hazards, or to make accessibility modifications to homes for elderly citizens, veterans, or people with disabilities.

06/03/2022

PRESS RELEASE

Representative Garland Rep. Garland E. Pierce
(919) 733-5803
[email protected]

SandHoke Early College Student Serves as a House Page

Raleigh, June 2, 2022 - Representative Pierce is pictured with House Page Keshawn McNair a 12th grader of SandHoke Early College. Keshawn served as a Page the week of May 31, 2022, in the North Carolina General Assembly.

This program offers young men and women the opportunity to learn about and participate in our state's legislative process. It is a four-day-long experience that allows high school students to observe how our laws are made.

05/18/2022

Duke Energy’s Hometown Revitalization Grant program, will assist local communities and small businesses across the state to continue to recover from the pandemic.
This is a $500,000 grant opportunity and 20 communities will be selected to receive $25,000 each through a partnership with a local 501(c)(3)-administering nonprofit. The administering nonprofit will establish a small business support microgrant program to deploy the funding to their local small business community. Nonprofits that received a Hometown Revitalization Grant in 2021 are not eligible to apply in 2022.
Applications are due May 31 and funding decisions will be announced in August.

05/10/2022

INFORMATION FOR THE DISTRICT

Duke Energy’s Hometown Revitalization Grant program, will assist local communities and small businesses across the state to continue to recover from the pandemic.
This is a $500,000 grant opportunity and 20 communities will be selected to receive $25,000 each through a partnership with a local 501(c)(3)-administering nonprofit. The administering nonprofit will establish a small business support microgrant program to deploy the funding to their local small business community. Nonprofits that received a Hometown Revitalization Grant in 2021 are not eligible to apply in 2022.
Applications are due May 31 and funding decisions will be announced in August.

05/06/2022

NC Homeowner Assistance Fund

NC Homeowner Assistance Fund Offers Housing Stability for North Carolina Homeowners Financially Impacted by the Coronavirus Pandemic

North Carolina was awarded $273 million through the 2021 American Rescue Plan to support homeowners facing housing instability resulting from the coronavirus pandemic. The NC Homeowner Assistance Fund, or NCHAF, is using these funds to assist eligible North Carolinians to help prevent and/or ease mortgage delinquencies, defaults, foreclosures, and displacement of homeowners experiencing financial hardship due to the pandemic. There is no cost to apply for NCHAF.

PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY
Answer the questions below to see if you might be eligible:
Do you own a primary residence in North Carolina?
Have you experienced a pandemic-related financial hardship?
Do you need financial assistance with a housing expense related to your primary residence?
Does your income fall below $79,900? If it is higher, you still may qualify under certain circumstances—check here.

QUALIFIED EXPENSES
For qualified homeowners, the fund offers:
Housing payment assistance for primary residence in North Carolina (for example, single-family home, townhome, condo or mobile home).
Assistance for mortgage reinstatement to catch up on late payments (first and second mortgages) or other housing-related costs due to a period of forbearance, delinquency or default.
Assistance covering other housing-related costs such as homeowner’s insurance, flood insurance, mortgage insurance, homeowner’s association dues/fees or delinquent property taxes to prevent foreclosure.

Assistance is available up to $40,000 per eligible household, as long as funding is available, and will be made directly to the mortgage servicer or other eligible third party. NCHAF is being supported, in whole or in part, by federal award number HAF0019 awarded to the State of North Carolina by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

APPLY TODAY
Apply online, by phone, or schedule an appointment at our Morrisville location. To get started, visit www.NCHomeownerAssistance.gov or call our NCHAF Call Center at (855) MY-NCHAF (855-696-2423) Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST.

Established through the American Rescue Plan of 2021, the NC Homeowner Assistance Fund was created for homeowners in North Carolina to help prevent mortgage delinquencies, defaults, displacements and foreclosures due to COVID-19.

03/24/2022

COME JOIN OUR SMALL BUSINESS WORKSHOP
WE HAVE TWO LOCATIONS
Save the date: March 29, 2022
A Small Business Workshop will be held in:
Scotland County-9:30 am – 11:30 am at Richmond Community College, 600 McLean Street, Laurinburg, NC 28352.
Hoke County-2:00 pm – 4:00 pm) at the Bobby Wright Agriculture Center, 645 E Palmer Street, Raeford, NC 28376.
This workshop is hosted by State Representative Garland Pierce and NC Dept of Commerce Division of Workforce Solutions

This workshop will have representatives for:
Veterans Services
Re-entry Specialist
Department of Health and Human Services
Small Business and Technology Development Center
Rapid Response and
Work Opportunity Tax Credit
Sandhills Community College/Richmond Community College (SBA)
NCWorks Career Center


Please wear a mask. Attendees will need to always wear a mask at the workshop. We want to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
To register please call either (Raeford/Hoke County Chamber of Commerce) Will Wright 910-875-6113, (Scotland County Chamber of Commerce) Chris English 910-276-7420, or (Hoke/Scotland County) Representative Garland Pierce 919-733-5803.
You are invited to a Zoom meeting for the Small Business Workshop hosted by State Representative Garland Pierce and the NC Department of Commerce Division of Workforce Solutions.

This Zoom meeting is only offered for Scotland County Workshop
Zoom meeting invitation
When: Mar 29, 2022 09:30 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcrd-2srT0tGtcpvAJM-HhH3mvjMzeu_uTt

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.