Crawford County Family Connection Demonstrates the Power of Strong Partnerships

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Crawford County Family Connection is constantly working toward identifying and utilizing new ways to reach students and the community—sharing data-driven factors that power school success and lead to improved well-being of children and families.

Educational advancement is a priority, leading Family Connection to focus heavily on high school graduation rate and third-grade reading proficiency. According to the latest Georgia KIDS COUNT data, the number of third-grade students achieving Proficient Learner or above on the Milestones ELA assessment is 42.9% in Crawford, compared to 38.7% in Georgia. The number of students who graduate from high school on time is 86.6% in Crawford, compared to 84.4% in Georgia.

Crawford is one of 10 counties in Georgia Family Connection Partnership’s (GaFCP) Community Partnership for Supporting Youth cohort, formed in 2021 to focus on reducing the number of students disconnected from school and employment opportunities.

“Our students in eighth through 12th grade who are not on track for academic promotion and graduation are tracked and monitored to receive all services, resources, and programs that provide the assistance they need to get them back on track,” said Crawford County Family Connection Executive Director Tawanna Harris-Woodson, Ed.D.

Crawford County Family Connection has implemented a new initiative called Reading Activates Dreams (RAD), which is led by the media specialist at the primary and elementary schools, aims to encourage and motivate students to read. Family Connection also partners with Kiwanis Club to build at-home libraries through the Ferst Readers program for HeadStart and pre-K students.

“Results from our school system’s District Annual Report strongly indicate that we’re on the right track,” said Harris-Woodson. “However, we know there are situations and circumstances that can become overwhelming challenges for our families. While we’ve seen improvements related to graduation rate and reading proficiency, there’s always room for improvement.”

Crawford County Family Connection has strong partnerships with:

  • Morehouse School of Medicine;
  • Crawford County Board of Education;
  • The Council on Alcohol and Drugs;
  • CareSource;
  • Community Health Works;
  • City of Roberta;
  • Roberta-Crawford Chamber of Commerce;
  • Crawford County Manager;
  • Office of Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02);
  • The Georgia Post;
  • Crawford County Health Department;
  • Crawford County Public Health; and
  • Crawford Development Authority.

“Being part of a statewide network is a welcoming and exciting experience, and our partnerships build relationships that extend beyond the conference room table with family like bonds that last a lifetime,” said Harris-Woodson. “I’m able to give back to the community where I was raised—providing not only a network of valuable resources, but also a collaborative coalition that strives to make the lives of our families more resilient and comfortable.”

Crawford County Family Connection was recently named 2024 Organization of the Year by Roberta-Crawford Chamber of Commerce in recognition of their outstanding community service.

Roberta-Crawford County Chamber of Commerce Director Patti Temple said Crawford County Family Connection aims to make lives better for everyone—from young children to the elderly.

“They’re constantly looking for ways to make lives better for everyone,” said Temple. “They work very hard, and they don’t expect anything in return. If you have an issue, they’ll figure out a way to assist you. They draw in organizations across our community and make it all work, because everyone has their part to play—and that’s how we succeed.”

According to Debera Ayers, program manager for the Morehouse School of Medicine Health Promotion Resource Center, Crawford County Family Connection is trusted in the community for demonstrating practical work with a clear focus on community needs, encouraging the development of strong relationships, and showing a commitment to collaboration with partners.

“Crawford County Family Connection demonstrates a consistent meeting schedule, clear communication channels, and active participation in planning and decision-making,” said Ayers. “Their plan is well-defined, making it easy to understand their purpose and how they will achieve it. Family Connection clearly shows how they’re improving community well-being, addressing specific needs, and leading to tangible changes among target populations.”

Harris-Woodson noted that, in rural counties like Crawford, strong partnerships lead to the creation of vital collective strategies and projects that likely would not have existed otherwise.

“Building this network affords the opportunity to create new initiatives,” she said. “It moves us from ‘have not’ to having, from ‘cannot’ to can, from ‘did not’ to doing. Together, we get things done.”

Contact:
Krystin Dean
GaFCP Communications Specialist
706-897-4711
krystin@gafcp.org

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