LaGrange Housing Authority wins national award for newsletter

Published 12:00 am Saturday, November 28, 2015

Contributed report

Staff of the LaGrange Housing Authority and West Georgia STAR pose in an undated handout photo. Standing, from left, Program Manager Shatevia Culpepper, Transportation Coordiantor Maya Dowell and Director of Operations Chad Cooper. Seated is paraprofessional Shonteria Harrison.

http://lagrangenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/37/2015/11/web1_newsletter.jpgStaff of the LaGrange Housing Authority and West Georgia STAR pose in an undated handout photo. Standing, from left, Program Manager Shatevia Culpepper, Transportation Coordiantor Maya Dowell and Director of Operations Chad Cooper. Seated is paraprofessional Shonteria Harrison.

Submitted

LaGRANGE — A local housing agency has been recognized by a national organization for its work keeping residents informed.

National Association of Housing and Redevelopment officials selected the monthly newsletter produced by West Georgia STAR for LaGrange Housing Authority residents as their newsletter of the year for medium-sized public housing authorities.

A regional award was given by the Georgia Association of Housing and Redevelopment Authorities. This qualified LHA for the national award, which was awarded by NAHRO’s Southeastern Regional Council in October.

The newsletter is published monthly by West Georgia Star, the nonprofit division of the LaGrange Housing Authority. West Georgia Star is dedicated to providing meaningful support and programs for residents of LaGrange Housing Authority and the surrounding community. Through the newsletter, LHA and West Georgia STAR communicate monthly activities held at the Housing Authority. These include programs designed to improve the self-sufficiency of residents as well as reminders intended to ensure all residents remain well informed.

Shortly after his tenure with West Georgia Star began, Director of Operations Chad Cooper saw the need for a more interactive newsletter geared to housing authority residents. The newsletter has gone from two pages printed in black and white to a four-page color brochure.

“The improvements in our newsletter have helped us to improve resident participation in programs,” Cooper said.

From a press release submitted by the LaGrange Housing Authority.