By Ben Brasch, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

FULTON COUNTY — Fulton County leaders on Friday signed a $3 million agreement with Oscar-winning actor Sean Penn’s emergency relief organization to help the county combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

The deal brings Community Organized Relief Effort, known as CORE, into a formal partnership with the county to provide community outreach and contact tracing services through the end of the year. The agreement was signed during a press conference at CORE’s offices in Alpharetta.

Since March, CORE has tested more than 100,000 people in Fulton County for the coronavirus. At the time of the announcement, the virus had killed more than 460 county residents. Georgia ranked fifth nationally in total COVID-19 cases, with Fulton County leading the state at more than 21,600 cases.

CORE was founded in 2010 following a devastating earthquake in Haiti and has since worked in disaster response efforts across the country.

Officials said the partnership will expand testing and response efforts countywide, with a focus on communities that have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.

Dr. Lynn Paxton, director of the Fulton County Board of Health, said the county’s coronavirus response would not be possible without CORE’s involvement.

“The county’s response would not be possible without CORE,” Paxton said. “They specialize in reaching people where they are, particularly in communities that have been disproportionately impacted.”

Paxton added that COVID-19 has exposed longstanding racial and economic disparities, noting that Black communities have been hit especially hard by the virus.

Sean Penn said CORE’s work in Fulton County reflects the organization’s commitment to supporting local leadership and addressing inequities intensified by the pandemic.

“We’ve been successful because of the leadership at the state and local level,” Penn said. “This is about working together.”

The $3 million agreement allows CORE to continue operating mobile testing units and expanding outreach efforts throughout the county, with an emphasis on underserved neighborhoods.

CORE co-founder Ann Lee said the funding ensures the organization can sustain its operations and scale its response.

“We want to do better and better,” Lee said. “This allows us to continue the work.”

Fulton County Commission Chairman Robb Pitts said the partnership is a critical investment in public health and community trust, adding that there is no cavalry coming to solve the crisis.

“We’re not expecting anyone else to come save us,” Pitts said. “We’re doing this ourselves.”