
The Georgia Retail Association is dedicated to making Georgia one of the best places in the United States to do business. As long as there are threats to your business, the Georgia Retail Association will make sure the voice of the retail industry in Georgia is heard loud and clear. Click HERE for the GRA Member Application.

The Georgia Department of Revenue has released an informational Bulletin intended to provide guidance to the public and to Department personnel on what to expect regarding the upcoming Sales Tax Holiday. The three day tax holiday is in effect from August 9 through August 10, 2013.

GRAORCA is a statewide crime-fighting partnership. This alliance allows retailers and law enforcement to communicate about criminal activity impacting businesses on a real-time basis while preventing other partners from being victimized.

The 2013 GRA Legislative Wrap-Up includes a discussion of Georgia Port Expansion, E-Fairness, Immunizations, Juvenile Justice, Sales Tax Holiday, Ethics Reform, Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) Cards, Natural Gas Vehicle Incentives, Bad Debt Recovery, Gift Cards and Gas Can Liability Legislation.

Georgia's Alliance for Main Street Fairness is a coalition dedicated to ensuring sales tax laws treat all businesses equally. An online sales tax loophole currently puts local businesses at risk, and we are working to level the playing field. Click here for information on how to join the coalition.
LOWE’S DONATES $250,000 TO AMERICAN RED CROSS
FOR WILDFIRE AND FLOODING RELIEF EFFORTS
Lowe’s Heroes to continue to provide critically needed support to local communities
MOORESVILLE, N.C. – Lowe’s is answering the call to help wildfire and flooding victims by donating $250,000 to American Red Cross Disaster Relief. Since the first threats of danger from wildfires and the flooding damage from Tropical Storm Debby in Florida, Lowe’s Heroes have been on the ground assisting local communities affected by the disasters.
In addition to the $250,000 donation, Lowe’s also is launching a social media campaign to aid wildfire victims. For every Facebook Like and Twitter Retweet received on the Lowe’s disaster-specific posts, a pair of work gloves, up to a total value of $50,000, will be donated to the American Red Cross to distribute to residents and emergency officials in the path of the Colorado fires.
“The fires in the Western part of the country and the severe flooding in Florida have affected the residents, including many of our employees, in communities surrounding our stores,” said Joan Higginbotham, Lowe’s director of community relations. “At Lowe's, we are committed to assisting our neighbors in times of disaster. By partnering with organizations like the American Red Cross, we can ensure help is there for those who need it the most.”
Donations to the Disaster Relief program enable the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance to victims of disasters. In the days and weeks to come, Lowe’s will continue to work with the Red Cross to aid in the recovery of individuals and families affected by the wildfires and floods.
“Support that comes to the Red Cross from Lowe’s allows us to respond immediately when a wildfire, flood or other disaster devastates a community,” said Neal Litvack, chief development officer at the American Red Cross. “We’re so grateful to Lowe’s and other members of our Annual Disaster Giving Program whose contributions, along with those of the American public, enable the Red Cross to open shelters, feed and comfort families and help them take critical steps toward recovery.”
Since partnering with the Red Cross in 1999, Lowe’s and its customers have contributed more than $23 million for disaster relief. Individuals can join forces with Lowe’s to support the work of the Red Cross and help provide assistance. Donate at Lowe’s American Red Cross Online Donation Site, text REDCROSS to 90999 or call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
ABOUT LOWE'S:
Lowe’s supports the communities it serves through programs that focus on K-12 public education and community improvement projects. The company’s signature education grant program, Lowe’s Toolbox for Education®, has donated nearly $5 million in grants to K-12 public schools every year since its inception in 2006. Lowe’s Heroes employee volunteers support local community projects and our national nonprofit partners such as Habitat for Humanity and the American Red Cross. In 2011, Lowe’s and the Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation together contributed more than $32 million to support communities in the United States, Canada and Mexico. To learn more, visit Lowes.com/SocialResponsibility.
ABOUT AMERICAN RED CROSS:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies more than 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.
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