Category: Securing Atlanta’s Future

Earlier this fall, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP), and the Children’s Hospital Association declared a national emergency in children’s mental health. As evidence, they cited a CDC report, which found that between March and October 2020, emergency department visits for mental health emergencies rose by 24% for […]

The City of Atlanta’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, known as OEDI, is on a mission to leverage the combined power of government, private and non-profit partners, and communities to dismantle systemic inequities and barriers to opportunity. The newly codified executive office is harnessing the power of aligning strong leadership with collaborative action to […]

By Damian Ramsey Since the onset of the pandemic, there has been a nationwide drop in the number of students completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and enrolling in postsecondary institutions. Postsecondary enrollment is fundamental to the establishment of a skilled and educated workforce, and a thriving local economy. To gain a […]

Annual Fundraising Gala Raises $930,000+ for Youth Development Organization “I am proud to be a Mexican immigrant, someone who is a persistent, determined, and hardworking human being. In life, I was given the opportunity to grow in a safe space: my home: But later, when I saw the painful reality of my country, I felt […]

Lead poisoning isn’t just a problem in Flint, Michigan, and toxic lead levels aren’t just found in drinking water. Over the last year, GEEARS: Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students has been working with community leaders on the Westside of Atlanta, where lead slag found in a grandmother’s garden soil has prompted the Environmental […]

In July 2021 GEEARS commissioned a statewide survey of 400 Georgia parents with children ages 0-4 that focused on a range of topics including child care arrangements and satisfaction levels, general attitudes toward, perceptions of, and preferences for child care, and financial and employment impacts in relation to child care during these unprecedented times.  Greater […]

There is a workforce crisis. It is a national issue and also one in Georgia. This issue started before the pandemic and has become more amplified over the past 18 months. It has become increasingly difficult to recruit people to careers in early childhood education. Before and during the pandemic, educators report that the primary […]

The opportunity gap in the City of Atlanta starts early. There are more than 30,000 children in Atlanta who are between the ages of birth to five, and their families face housing, health care, and child care costs that are increasingly out of reach. These challenges make it harder for parents to provide the support […]

By David Jernigan, President/CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta Every educator knows a Courtney. The shy kid who blossoms into her greatness through the outpouring of love from community. I met my Courtney while serving as founding principal of KIPP WAYS (West Atlanta Young Scholars) Academy, where we truly embraced the “it takes […]

YWCA of Greater Atlanta Continuing to lead Conversations about Race One might wonder why YWCA of Greater Atlanta wishes to become the leading site for Conversations about Race, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. The guiding principles of YWCA beckon us to engage in activities that seek to eliminate racism and empower women and promote peace, justice, […]

By Damian Ramsey Imagine winning the lottery and refusing to redeem your ticket. You would leave potentially life-changing sums of money on the table. In a sense, that is what happens when high school graduates do not complete their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Each year, thousands of students fail to complete the […]

Brittany Collins, Director, PAACT You have likely heard or used the phrase, “let’s make a pact.” You may have said it to your kids, a friend, or your neighbor. A pact is a promise, a commitment to something that is important to you. In Atlanta, PAACT is the promise of something big… PAACT: Promise All […]

Right now, your friends, your neighbors, and maybe members of your own families are facing decisions about going back to work, changing jobs or even leaving the workforce altogether as they struggle with child care challenges. Studies have shown that this issue is impacting women’s participation in the workforce at an alarming pace. Child care […]

By Dr. Darrell Hall, Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta Alumnus, Rockdale County Board Member  I stepped into my first Boys & Girls Club at the age of 6.  My mother needed a safe and affordable place for me to go after school while she worked to take care of me and my younger […]

Blythe Keeler Robinson, President and CEO, Sheltering Arms It has been a year and a few months since the pandemic hit, and families with little to no resources, including here in Atlanta and the state of Georgia, are still trying to recover. Some of the most vulnerable Sheltering Arms families continue to rely on us […]

By Rebecca Parshall Do you remember your 8th grade math class? Was learning math easy for you, or did you struggle? Did that class prepare you for high school math? How did your parents and teachers make you feel about math? For too many adults, both the middle school years and math class evoke painful […]

Americans, especially Black Americans will come together this week for the annual festivities recognizing Juneteenth.   For anyone who may not know by now, Juneteenth is an annual holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States and has been celebrated by African-Americans since the late 1800s. On June 19, 1865, enslaved African-Americans in […]

By Simon H. Bloom, Esq. | Board Chair, Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta It all started with a spark of passion. It was 1998. Brand new to Atlanta, brand new to the practice of law, and brand new to “adulthood,” I found myself seated at a table with Atlanta business leaders in Centennial Park.  […]

Last week, families with infants and toddlers from every state met with their members of Congress to encourage them to prioritize the needs of young children for the national Strolling Thunder, led by ZERO TO THREE.   Kristen Johnson, a working mother of two young children from Duluth, represented the state of Georgia. She is a […]

By Rebecca Parshall, Senior Program Officer, Learn4Life A bold, new commitment to literacy for all its children is underway in Marietta. The goal of Literacy and Justice for All is to eradicate illiteracy by investing in the science of reading from birth through 3rd grade. Literacy and Justice for All partners are working to ensure […]