Category: Securing Atlanta’s Future

By Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta (BGCMA) What is the Blue Door? The Blue Door symbolizes the great futures that lie behind every Boys & Girls Club threshold.  At Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta (BGCMA), it is behind our Blue Doors where we ignite the unlimited potential of kids and teens […]

YWCA of Greater Atlanta expresses deep concern, disappointment and outrage regarding the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade. While we knew this outcome was a strong possibility, the formal ruling affirms the direction, not only of the Supreme Court, but of our country at this moment in history.  YWCA of Greater Atlanta is committed […]

By GEEARS Last week, parents and caregivers celebrated as the COVID-19 vaccine was authorized for children under age five. This was a huge and happy step for millions of families.  It’s been a long, long wait for vaccine access for Georgia’s youngest children, during which working caregivers had to continue contending with child care disruptions, […]

By Rollins Center for Language & Literacy of the Atlanta Speech School Grady Memorial Hospital has redefined the standard of care for babies through a groundbreaking initiative developed and tested at Grady over the past five years called Talk With Me Baby. Devotion to the idea of “language nutrition” is at the core of Grady’s […]

By: Damian Ramsey  Since fall of 2019, 1 million fewer students nationwide have enrolled in college. Uncertain times, brought on by the pandemic, have compelled prospective students (especially low-income students, first-generation students, and students of color) to ponder the opportunity costs of postsecondary education (2-year, 4-year, or technical programs), and have forced college access professionals […]

By GEEARS  When the infant formula shortage recently hit a crisis point, reports from around the state were chilling.   “We definitely are in a mess in Emanuel County,” an Early Head Start director said. “And it isn’t just one or two types of formula. It is every formula that has a shortage. Our Walmart told […]

By: John Hancock, President & CEO, JA of Georgia As the economy and world have shifted, so have the skills and experiences that are necessary to build a solid foundation. The next generation of leaders will be entering a workforce that is progressively more reliant on a strong collective of soft skills – things like […]

By Jerel Causey | Managing Director, Accenture | Board Member, Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta  I grew up in small country towns in eastern North Carolina without many of the comforts I now try not to take for granted while living in the big city of Atlanta. My parents were the first in […]

By GEEARS  On April 12th, GEEARS: Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students hosted a luncheon called Leadership Matters. It was a festive gathering in a sun-drenched banquet hall at the Loudermilk Conference Center. We honored Rep. Katie Dempsey for her visionary legislation on behalf of Georgia’s children and celebrated retiring GEEARS partners, Pam Tatum, […]

By The Rollins Center for Language & Literacy Every child is born ready to learn.  As adults, it’s up to us to realize literacy and justice for all. Simple, everyday opportunities can be used to help build stronger and more capable children. Every child is born with unlimited potential, and every adult can play an […]

By Rebecca Parshall, PhD Childcare challenges. Illiteracy. Innumeracy. Low and inequitable rates of postsecondary attainment. Gaps between workforce supply and demand. Metro Atlanta’s challenges are not unique from the rest of our country, and they’ve only been exacerbated by the pandemic. When we stack them side by side, the disparities and challenges can feel overwhelming. […]

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens announced the City of Atlanta will invest $5 million toward early education services in his State of the City address this morning.  As part of his announcement, he also urged the school system to match this commitment and challenged the private sector to raise $10 million to match the public sector’s […]

By Shara Garwood Sanders, J.D., Champions Club for GIRLS Chair, Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta Rebel Girls can change the world in oh so many ways. They start by being who they are despite what others say. And after that is said and done, they question what’s unfair. They have big ideas, fight […]

In neighborhoods throughout the United States including Georgia, children cannot drink from a faucet or make mudpies outside without a risk of lead poisoning. In some homes across Georgia, children are exposed to dust from chipping, peeling and flaking lead-based paint that results in elevated blood lead levels.   According to the Georgia Department of Public […]

The COVID-19 pandemic and the latest omicron wave have exacerbated many of the longstanding challenges facing the early care and education profession, as child care programs and families alike have wrestled with staffing shortages and temporary closures. But the pandemic has also led many to better appreciate the irreplaceable work conducted each day by Georgia’s […]

By Ryan Lee-James, PhD, Director of the Rollins Center for Language & Literacy and Laura Bollman, Director of Operations, the Rollins Center. Since the advent of the written word, which created the need for reading, literacy has been wielded as a tool of power and one of oppression.  Who is taught to read – and […]

By Damian Ramsey Laila Williams is a senior at Towers High School in DeKalb County. She is the editor of the school newspaper, the secretary of the student council, and a participant in multiple organizations including the Technology Student Association, Future Business Leaders of America, Young Ladies of Purpose, and College AIM. Laila boasts an […]

By Sharmen Gowens YWCA of Greater Atlanta celebrates 120 years this year. Since 1902, we have been a force for change for women and girls in the metropolitan Atlanta community. Founded on the campus of Spelman College, ours is a history of mobilizing resources to identify community problems, advocate for solutions and create more equitable […]

By David Jernigan, President & CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta  The pandemic phenomenon known as “The Great Resignation” has set the job market on fire. As voluntary turnover continues to spread across the nation, companies struggle to fill vacancies amid competition and retain understaffed talent amid burnouts.  According to the U.S. Bureau […]

By Rebecca Parshall As we conclude yet another semester of school amidst this pandemic, Learn4Life reflected on this year’s bright spots and challenges across metro Atlanta through our annual State of Education report and event. While we believe these resources are helpful in summarizing our region’s educational data and charting a path forward, some of […]