Category: Securing Atlanta’s Future

Since 1984, YWCA Greater Atlanta has honored extraordinary women whose lives and work embody its enduring mission: to eliminate racism, empower women, and promote peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all. The Academy of Women Achievers is a living tapestry of leading women dedicated to making a meaningful impact in the Atlanta area and helping […]

In 2018, GEEARS: Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students and the Metro Atlanta Chamber conducted a study to better understand the prevalence, nature, and impact of child care challenges. The results revealed that such challenges had a devastating impact on families’ ability to participate in the workforce and their economic well-being. This hardship for […]

By Damian Ramsey College wasn’t part of my original plan. Maybe I didn’t believe it was meant for someone like me. But people and programs changed that. They helped me see what was possible and guided me forward. One of those programs was the Bruce Wells Scholars Upward Bound Program at Clark University. Part of […]

By the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute and GEEARS: Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students The budget reconciliation bill, which recently passed the U.S. House, would completely restructure the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), transferring costs to the state and likely resulting in significant cuts to food assistance for families. The House’s proposal also […]

When the future story of Atlanta’s Westside is told, it will include women who lead, build, organize, and advocate for equity. As John Ahmann, President and CEO of the Westside Future Fund, has stated, “Despite all the work that is being done on the Westside to rebuild the community and provide supportive services to people […]

In 2025, Georgians need more help than ever accessing high-quality child care and other services for their children, ages birth through five. After all, the pandemic-era relief funds that sustained child care programs and made them more affordable for families expired in September. And in our most recent state legislative session, only $5.4 million in […]

The Rollins Center for Language & Literacy is partnering with the University of California and California State University’s leading literacy researchers, led by Dr. Maryanne Wolf and Dr. Laura Rhinehart, to provide expanded coursework for educators focused on serving children with dyslexia. The Rollins Center will be making this content available through their free online […]

By Tenicia Winston Designing education without student input is like planting a garden without knowing what kind of soil, sunlight, or care the plants need. Every student—like every plant—has unique conditions under which they thrive. And more often than not, they already know what helps them grow best. Yet too often, students are left out […]

If you ask Georgia parents of young children to rate their anxieties these days, most will put finances at the top of their lengthy lists. Specifically, they’re plagued by the high price of child care and its impact on their employment opportunities, their family budgets, and our state’s economy.  When Georgia’s legislative session ended in […]

As we celebrate Women’s History Month, there is no better time to reflect on the incredible work under way at YWCA Greater Atlanta under the leadership of President and CEO Danita V. Knight. With a mission focused on eliminating racism and empowering women, girls, and their families, YWCA Greater Atlanta is transforming lives and paving the […]

GEEARS: Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students is pleased to partner with the Georgia Chamber of Commerce on a new initiative that promotes family-friendly practices in workplaces and honors the Georgia employers who embrace them. The Best Place for Working Parents® Georgia is a designation achieved through an easy online self-assessment. Employers who make […]

“There are so many opportunities to lighten the load on young families, but I’m asking you to prioritize investing in TANF and consider enacting a state tax credit to help families make ends meet. I dream of a community where parents can be fully present with their families, not split in two as many of […]

By Yolanda Marroquin Far too many children in Georgia struggle with reading, with only 30% of fourth graders reading at or above grade level. The Georgia Early Literacy Act (House Bill 538), enacted in 2023, seeks to change that by aligning reading instruction in schools with the science of reading—a research-backed approach that strengthens foundational […]

By Jessica Woltjen, Senior Policy Manager for Early Education, GEEARS The eighth annual Strolling Thunder is happening on February 6th at the Georgia capitol! At this powerful day of advocacy for family-friendly policies, GEEARS: Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students convenes families from all over Georgia, helps them hone their messages, then provides them […]

YWCA Greater Atlanta has long been a cornerstone of support for women, girls and their families in our community since its founding at Spelman College in 1902. By taking a “whole woman approach”, we acknowledge that women’s lives are multi-dimensional, and that true empowerment requires addressing their physical well-being, mental health, financial security, access to […]

As we prepare for Georgia’s 2025 Legislative Session, GEEARS: Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students is working on the policy agenda we’ll use in our advocacy. A trend is clear: Life these days is extremely expensive, and families of all income levels are struggling to afford even basic necessities. For the parents of young […]

The Atlanta Speech School, through its Rollins Center for Language & Literacy (Rollins Center) and free professional development platform Cox Campus, is at the forefront of a national solution to illiteracy. To date, the Cox Campus has delivered more than 140 million dollars’ worth of literacy courses at no cost to schools or districts nationwide.  […]

By Dr. Rebecca Parshall In metro Atlanta, a transformative effort called The Atlanta Vision Project is setting out to provide vision screenings, eye exams, and glasses to every elementary school-aged student in need, at no cost to students or their families. Aimed at addressing the challenge of accessing vision care, this initiative has clear objectives: […]

By GEEARS On November 22nd, GEEARS: Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students hosted our annual luncheon. It was a dazzling day in which 200 fellow supporters of early childhood gathered at Zoo Atlanta (with an excellent view of the elephants!) to celebrate our organization’s work on behalf of Georgia families and educators. We honored […]

By David Jernigan, President & CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta  In the fast-moving world of youth development, moments of true reflection often come when you least expect them. This year’s Youth of the Year (YOY) Celebration for Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta (BGCMA) was one of those moments. As […]