by Georgia Center for Opportunity | Mar 3, 2016
The Healthy Families Initiative kicked off earlier this year with the purpose of providing tools to couples and individuals in order to encourage healthy relationships.
Over the past few months, as part of the Healthy Families Initiative, well-known relationship experts trained and certified 19 passionate, community leaders within the Norcross and Peachtree Corners areas in five premium relationship curriculums.
This program is very important to me and my family, because prior to our moving to Georgia 10 years ago, my husband and I would constantly enroll in similar classes and read materials devoted to strengthening our relationship as a married couple, and as parents. We wanted to make sure we equipped ourselves with the tools and resources for a strong marriage and family.
You see, with our move the dynamics of our family changed dramatically. My husband and I had two biological children (ages 8 and 13) and obtained guardianship of two teenage children (ages 13 and 16). As a blended family situated in a new environment, we needed to find support for our new family structure.
I began to research, and I came across Georgia Family Council, today known as Georgia Center for Opportunity. This organization provided healthy relationship skills classes for couples and individuals on marriage and family. With great enthusiasm, my husband and I attended one of their classes, became certified trainers, utilized the information for our family, and were able to facilitate classes in our local community. With the help of these classes, our family is now thriving, and we were able to give back to our community – closing the gap to relationship success for some and breaking unhealthy cycles for others. A win-win for our family and our community.
My husband and I have made it a priority to equip our marriage and family with relationship education resources. We continue to enroll in classes and read materials that strengthen and promote healthy family formation. We have experienced and seen the impact it has on our family and our community.
I encourage you to take this opportunity and make it a “win-win” for you, your family, and your community by reserving your seat in one of the healthy relationship education classes offered through the Healthy Families Initiative.
The classes are free and meals are provided at each class meeting.
Individuals and families have the opportunity to sign up for the following classes:
How to Avoid Falling for a Jerk or Jerkette
Boot Camp for New Dads
PREP
Strengthening Families Program (10-14)
24/7
For more information on the classes offered visit www.hfigeorgia.org or call us at (877) 814-0535.
by Georgia Center for Opportunity | Feb 22, 2016
As a military brat sacrifice was my middle name. My siblings and I spent many family events, recitals, school plays, family dinners and holidays without my dad. We became exceptionally good at packing up our lives every couple of years and starting over in a new place, including a new school. This often meant in the middle of the school year too.
In each duty station we faced new challenges such as making new friends, finding someone to eat lunch with in the school cafeteria, and most of all worrying if we would be ahead or behind in our studies as part of a new class.
My parents would spend hours discussing our education with new teachers in order to figure out what learning track or reading group we needed to be added to.
Today, Georgia legislators are considering a bill that would ease the burden on military families as they are often required to move to multiple areas and schools.
Sen. Hunter Hill has introduced Senate Bill 395, the “Junior G.I.” bill, to allow the children of veterans, active duty military, national guardsman, and reservists to attend the school of their parents’ choice – using the money the state is already spending on their education in their current public school.
Students would not have to attend public school in order to be eligible, allowing those just moving to military bases around the state of Georgia to also participate in the scholarship program.
As a now military wife and mom, I see the benefits a program would have had on my education over the years, but also the positive impact that this could have for my child.
The military does not just enlist the service member, but the whole family – including the children. Let’s show our support for our service members and their families by contacting state legislators in support of the Junior G.I. scholarship program.
by Georgia Center for Opportunity | Feb 8, 2016
I may be dating myself, but there used to be a radio show that I enjoyed entitled “Calling all Cars.” The title of the show was based on a saying used in the show that was merely an order given to all available units that there was something wrong – like a crime in progress – and help was needed immediately. There were two reasons that I liked that show. First, the episodes were based on real-life stories. Secondly, and most importantly, I liked the idea of having a mantra or a call to action that brought people together to help others.
Today there are a lot of families who need help because they are struggling – to form, to remain healthy, or stay together. And the causes for the struggles families face are many – lack of education, unstable employment, communication problems, or misplaced government assistance. Georgia Center of Opportunity is currently working with community partners through the Healthy Families Initiative to remove many of these barriers with the goal of helping all Georgians enjoy a healthy family life.
The Healthy Families Initiative kicked off this month in the Norcross and Peachtree Corners communities as a means to combat the issues in life that keep families from forming and thriving. Through the initiative, we are providing tools to individuals, couples, and partner organizations that will allow them champion and experience healthy relationships and strong marriages.
The collaboration of the community is extremely vital to this program. The community can engage in fostering the growth of this program in a number of ways, including by offering prayer for this initiative, as well as prayer for those teaching and participating in the classes. When this program is successful, the entire community will reap the rewards of more children being born to their married parents, growing up in homes characterized by healthy relationships, and living lives free of poverty and deprivation.
We’re asking for prayer teams to become our partners in prayer for one month. If we can have a church every month praying for those in the Norcross and Peachtree Corners area, think of how many families that can be helped! We really need your prayers, and can provide a detailed prayer list. If you or your organization would like to find out more, please email me at joyce.whitted@georgiaopportunity.org or call @ 770-242-0001 x707. We really need your help!
by Georgia Center for Opportunity | Jan 8, 2016
The new year has begun, which means writing resolutions, reorganizing the closets, forced time in the gym and change. For many Georgia parents, the new year brings hope for the passage of Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) and expansion of meaningful education choice.
It’s that hope that is bringing together more than 2,000 parents, students, educators and community leaders for the school choice rally at the Georgia State Capital on January 27th. The rally will take place at Liberty Plaza, next to the Georgia Capitol Building, to show support for allowing parents to decide how best to educate their children and to celebrate the options some families currently enjoy. The celebration is part of National School Choice Week’s nationwide spotlight on choice and empowering parents with the best education options to fit their children’s needs.
The program will begin at noon and feature student speakers, the National School Choice Week Dance, and a state proclamation declaring School Choice Week in Georgia.
In 2015 there were more than 11,000 events in support of choice throughout the United States, this year more than 13,000 schools, of all types, are participating in national celebrations around the country.
Join fellow Georgians later this month at the state’s capitol and show your support with the school choice dance. We want to see your moves!
Click here to watch dance video
Click here to watch dance video
by Georgia Center for Opportunity | Dec 15, 2015
With the Christmas season upon us, we find ourselves spending more time with family and reminiscing about holiday traditions we started as children. Today there is sufficient evidence to show these traditions play a positive role in families and will have a lasting influence.
Whether the traditions are for the holidays or carried out all year long, traditions provide security, strengthen family relationships, and teach children family values.
In the late 90s when researchers first looked at the importance of traditions, they found that families believed traditions improved the strength of their family. Families recognize the importance of spending quality time with the people they love and how this time fosters family stability.
When families have traditions, they create an environment which enables all family members to feel secure. Traditions give children something to look forward to. It is important for parents to begin traditions that will continue through their child’s early years. Parents provide family unity when they understand and emphasize the importance of family traditions.
When families join together to celebrate milestones, holidays and allow for traditions not only are memories being created, but the emotional health of the family is being improved. When families continue traditions, children have been found to have better emotional health. In a New York Times article, Dr. Steven J. Wolin, a psychiatrist at George Washington University, found that individuals who grew up in a family with traditions, were “more likely to be resilient as an adult.”
Family traditions are more than just joining together once a year at the holidays. They can be carried out all year long, and help families to prosper.
If your family does not have traditions, I encourage you to look for opportunities that can be turned into traditions. It could be having dinner as a family, reading to your child before bed, or visiting your favorite store on a special day every year as my family does. Whatever traditions you choose, know that you are giving your family the most precious gift, your time.
On behalf of everyone here at GCO, I want to wish you and your family a Merry Christmas.
