2007 Walter Barnard Hill Distinguished Public Service Fellow

Deborah W. Purvis -video-

Deborah W. Purvis, family and consumer science extension agent, has served Colquitt County for 30 years. She has developed, tested and implemented many innovative programs in nutrition, food safety, financial education, housing and other areas that impact well-being of children and families. These programs have become national models for serving the needs of low-income families.

“Mrs. Purvis understands the impact poverty has on nutrition, lifestyle, mental wellness, and in turn how those problems can affect a whole community,” wrote Cynthia Hernandez, director of the Ellenton Clinic. The programs that Purvis and her team offer Colquitt County aim to address issues related to poverty.

After recognizing the special needs of the county’s growing Latino population, Purvis worked collaboratively with other community organizations to meet those needs. For example, Voz de la Familia (Voice of the Family) — funded by a grant from U.S.D.A.’s Children, Youth and Families At-Risk Program — provides bi-lingual education in nutrition, food safety, child development, parenting, home maintenance and many other topics. She worked with the Ellenton Clinic to offer healthcare programs for farm workers and their families at farm work camps. She has fostered participation by all parts of the community in local issues by providing training through “Leadership Plenty,” a curriculum developed by the Pew Partnership for Civic Change to equip citizens to become involved in civic affairs. The program was the first multi-cultural grassroots adult leadership development program in rural Georgia, according to Louise Hill, a community leadership development specialist at UGA.

Purvis also developed home ownership workshops for Hispanic families, established a parent training program at a Head Start center, and has worked with the local school system to enhance the learning environment for economically and socially at-risk students. Through grants she has secured, many of those children have had the opportunity to participate in after-school and summer 4-H programs.

Purvis started a Teenage Mother Parenting and Nutrition Class at the local high school. The class has been expanded to include a program that offers job readiness training and a paid internship experience.

She has had a key role in development of the UGA Archway Partnership Project, which is a pilot program that gives a community access to a broad range of expertise at the university. She has served on the Archway Executive Committee, participated in needs assessments for the county, and organized simulations to raise awareness of the effects of poverty on individuals and the community.

Purvis has won top awards for her work, including the 2002 Walter B. Hill Award for Distinguished Achievement in Public Service and Outreach, the 2004 D.W. Brooks Award for Excellence in Public Service Extension, and the 2004 Educator of the Year Award from the National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences.