CORE (Community Organized Relief Effort), the emergency response nonprofit organization co-founded by Sean Penn and Ann Lee, today signed a $3 million agreement with Fulton County and Fulton County Board of Health to expand their partnered COVID-19 relief effort through the remainder of 2020. Announced at a press conference this morning, CORE’s relief effort will be grounded in providing streamlined testing, contact tracing and supported wraparound services through the remainder of 2020. This partnership will help Fulton County achieve its goal of 1 million tests within the County by the end of 2020.

This holistic approach is inclusive of:

• STREAMLINED TESTING: CORE’s Atlanta testing partner Curogram is committing to delivering test results within a 48-72 hour maximum time frame. There will be one fixed testing site  located in Alpharetta at the Fulton County North Point Parkway Testing Center, in addition to six mobile units that will serve communities throughout Fulton County. 
• CONTRACT TRACING: Government-supported contact tracing with first contact occurring within 72 hours of positive test results.
• WRAP-AROUND SERVICES: Government-supported wrap-around services for vulnerable communities, inclusive of supported safe quarantine, food and hygiene kits, supported financial aid for those with positive cases within their household, and educational resources on best practices after receiving positive results. 

This morning, CORE Co-Founders Sean Penn and CEO Ann Lee joined Fulton County Chairman Robb Pitts, Fulton County Manager Dick Anderson and Fulton County Board of Health District Director Dr. Lynn Paxton at a press conference to announce the expanded partnership. 

“Fulton County commissioners, BOH and AFCEMA have shown great commitment to initiate a comprehensive mitigation, from testing and notification to quarantine and tracing. We at CORE are proud to partner with this Fulton County team, implementing a holistic system based on the guidance of public health experts and signs of progress from communities like the Navajo Nation. It is our hope that Fulton County will serve as a model for the rest of the nation - and quickly, since we have no time to spare before more lives are lost,” said CORE Co-Founder Sean Penn

“Testing matters, and our partnership with CORE is critical to reaching our testing goals by the end of 2020,” said Robb Pitts, Chairman of the Fulton County Board of Commissioners. “CORE has proven to be an exceptional partner, helping us tremendously expand testing while building trust in at-risk communities.”

“From the first time we met CORE, we knew there was a tremendous synergy and commitment to testing as an approach to fight the pandemic and protect our community health,” said Fulton County Manager Dick Anderson. “That synergy has evolved into staffing six mobile test sites as well as our largest site on North Point Parkway, which administers more than a thousand tests daily.”


On April 30, CORE began operating free COVID-19 testing sites in Atlanta to provide safe and exposure-free testing, with a focus on serving vulnerable high-risk communities, including low-income groups, communities of color, first responders and health workers. CORE is providing testing to anyone who wants to be tested, including symptomatic and asymptomatic people of all ages. Oral diagnostic test results return within 3-5 business days. There is no documentation requirement. 
  
Learn more about COVID-19 testing in Fulton County at www.fultoncountyga.gov/covid19testing