A word from our CEO, Randy Hicks, about year-end giving
Georgia Center for Opportunity’s mission is to remove barriers to social and economic opportunity. Consider making a year-end gift to help GCO continue to fight for solutions to childhood poverty, family breakdown, failing schools, welfare dependency and unemployment. We value your partnership in this important work.
At GCO, we are committed to do what is necessary to improve the lives of individuals and families. In Georgia, only three out of ten poor children make it to the middle class by middle age. And even for those children, the threats of family breakdown, poor quality schools, and fewer jobs mean that today’s children are just as likely to move down the income scale as they are up. You can read more about the challenges and costs to society here.
According to social scientists Isabel Sawhill and Ron Haskins, American children can do three things that will almost eliminate the threat of falling into poverty:
- Graduate from high school
- Get a full time job
- Be married and at least 21-years-old before having children
Ninety-eight percent of those who did those three things are not in poverty today.
We have a three-step process for developing solutions and making them a reality. First, GCO brings experts together to dive into some of today’s biggest challenges and recommend both policy and community-based solutions. Second, GCO educates the public and advocates at all levels of policymaking. And third, GCO helps effective nonprofits get even better and build additional capacity to affect change. Read more about our approach here.
Currently, we have several initiatives underway in Prisoner Reentry, Breakthrough Communities, and College and Career Pathways that you can read about here, as well as on other posts on our blog. In 2014, GCO will launch panels on stronger families, community-based healthcare solutions, and other exciting work.
Will you invest in our work at this time?
The success we have had – and the success we will have – is tied to your investment in our work. A significant portion of our budget – and therefore our impact – is determined by gifts that are received during December. A gift of any size – $25, $100, $250, $1,000 – will make a difference. As always, please know that we are thankful for you and your generosity.
