Strengthening Kids and Families in the Northeast Georgia Mountains

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The 13 Georgia Family Connection county Collaboratives of Region 2, located in the northeast Georgia mountains, recently published their quarterly newsletter featuring highlights from Collaborative accomplishments. Here’s just some of the work they’ve been up to.

Shop With a Judge—or a Cop
With the help of community partners, businesses, and individuals Lumpkin County Family Connection was able to help bring Christmas to over 200 children in December. The Collaborative also partnered with Shop With A Judge and Shop With a Cop. All the kids who shopped with the judges and Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Office employees were provided with a $200 Walmart Gift Card for clothing and toys.

Teens NOT Drinking
Tiffany Davis, coordinator of the Be The Key underage drinking prevention campaign, has set a goal to reach all adults in Dawson County with the message that the norm among underage youth in Dawson County is that they are not drinking alcohol. Their message: Over 80% of Dawson County teens are alcohol free!

Dawson Family Night
Georgia Family Connection partnered with the School System to offer an Agency Resource Fair in conjunction with breakout sessions for parents with children of all ages. Sessions included topics from homework help, health insurance renewal, Social Media & Dating Safety, Getting Into College, and an engaging “Fighting for Family” discussion. The night was complete with musical performances by school-age youth, a family-themed art exhibit, free dinner and childcare, along with door prizes.

Stewards of Children Initiative
Habersham Family Connection partnered with Prevent Child Abuse Habersham in November to offer a free two-day blitz of Stewards of Children’s “Darkness to Light” child sexual abuse prevention training to the community.

Honing Lifelong Skills
During the 2014-15 school year, Union County Family Connection staff conducted two Niyelo groups—one for the fourth and fifth grade class at Woody Gap, and one at the Towns/Union Alternative Education Program. Niyelo is an outdoor therapeutic program that focuses on team building and setting individual goals.

When group first began at Woody Gap, the students informed the facilitators that they, “just didn’t like each other.” The facilitators needed to overcome this dislike to establish a group that could successfully work together to accomplish goals and build trusting relationships. By the end of the group, the students were working together and honing skills that would serve them throughout their lives. Here’s the link to a video compilation of some of their activities: AEP Niyelo 2015

Check out Region 2’s quarterly newsletter for more highlights.

Then learn about the 25 things you need to know about Region 2. Since 1997 Region 2 has leveraged more than $30 million to improve the quality of life for children and families.