NEWS & OPINIONS
Q&A with BETTER WORK partner Oatey
Discover the Impact: Oatey’s Collaboration with BETTER WORK Gwinnett. Explore how Oatey’s top-notch plumbing solutions align with community betterment. Learn how BETTER WORK is a driving force in achieving mutual goals through an insightful Q&A session.
Q&A with Amber Gorman on BETTER WORK Columbus’ Small Changes = Big Results class
Key Points We recently sat down with Amber Gorman, program specialist for BETTER WORK Columbus, to discuss a new GCO-led class being offered in the area called Small Changes = Big Results. In this interview, Amber shares what makes the class unique and how it’s...
Why Seattle’s Murder Rate Has Surged Against National Decline
A new report shows Seattle’s murder rate increased 13% in 2022, defying the national murder decline. See how state and city policy choices are playing a role.
Imagine a Georgia family miracle
Discover the Utah Family Miracle and its impact on economic success and happiness, as sociologist Brad Wilcox proposes a Family Impact Perspective to strengthen marriages and improve family well-being in Georgia.
We need more lawmakers like Georgia Rep. Mesha Mainor
Representative Mesha Mainor stood up for the education of kids in her community and paid a political price in the process.
Empowering Job Seekers: The Gwinnett Housing Corporation Event
Discover the highlights of the recent event organized by the Gwinnett Housing Corporation, where the BETTER WORK Program attracted over 60 participants seeking employment assistance. Learn about the collaboration between various organizations and their impact on the Lawrenceville and Norcross communities.
Back to School: 6 Ways Communities Can Help Parents and Kids Succeed
Research consistently demonstrates that children with engaged parents tend to have higher academic performance, better attendance rates, improved behavior, and increased motivation to learn. When our kids are successful and able to show up as their best selves, our entire communities benefit from future generations.
Charter schools outshine the traditional public school model, Stanford University report finds
Between the years 2014 and 2019, charter school students were more advanced in math and reading than their public school counterparts. In terms of performance, 83% of charter school students had stronger reading skills than their counterparts in public school.
Unlocking Opportunities: Empowering Women at Whitworth Correctional Facility for Successful Re-entry
Key Point Those reentering society need a plan for gaining stable employment after serving time. Local businesses will hire and support those reentering society. There are tools, resources, and support available to former inmates. At the beginning of the summer,...
5 Summertime Tips to Support Children’s Development
Key Points Summers are for more family time and enjoyment! Studies show parental involvement is key to children's health and development. Raising Highly Capable Kids (RHCK) has tools to help parents. School breaks, warm weather, longer daylight hours—these are a...
Add South Carolina and Indiana to the list of states enacting nearly universal educational opportunity
Key states are adopting education legislation while Georgia continues to fall behind and leaves students and parents out of the conversation.
Are Work Requirements Good or Bad?
The discussion around work requirements is important because it challenges us to ask, “What is the purpose of our safety net system?”
MEDIA MENTIONS
Rod Arquette Show: Intolerant Bigots Have Taken Over U.S. Universities
Joshua Crawford, Director of Criminal Justice Initiatives at the Georgia Center for Opportunity, discusses in his Wall Street Journal piece how COVID-19 has been used as an excuse for the surge in crime, shifting focus away from underlying policy issues that have...
The Alan Nathan Show
Josh Crawford, Director of Criminal Justice Initiatives at the Georgia Center for Opportunity, was featured on The Alan Nathan Show, the longest-running Centrist show in the United States with over 25 years in national radio syndication. The show's mantra is centered...
‘We didn’t have any kind of chaos’: Louisville gang prevention program turns attention to juveniles
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Looking at a picture of her son Tyree, Sherita Smith remembers the birthday present he got her in September 2021. "It always takes me back to a couple weeks before it happened," Smith said. "My birthday was on the first and he said, 'Mama, your...
Covid Becomes an Excuse for Crime: The focus on comparing 2019 and 2022 rates obscures how bad policy has worsened violence.
Digging Deeper into FBI's Crime Statistics: The Role of Public Safety Policies In a recent opinion editorial featured in The Wall Street Journal, by our own Josh Crawford, he highlights an important aspect of the FBI's Crime in the Nation Statistics: while the...
Local organizations host first meeting for community collaborative effort, ‘The Columbus Empowerment Network’
Representatives from Cure Violence Columbus and the Georgia Center For Opportunity are bringing what they call The Columbus Empowerment Network to the city.
PRESS RELEASE: New report seeks to ease spike in Columbus crime, restore community safety
Violent crime is on the rise in Columbus, Georgia. What are the reasons, and can anything be done to stop it?
Georgia announces new program to attend colleges
A new Georgia program to grant academic eligibility for direct admission to Georgia’s 22 technical colleges is a "win for Georgia," a leading business group said. On Thursday, Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, and state leaders announced GEORGIA MATCH, which they touted...
The Ripple Effect of Local Philanthropy
Reflecting on her two-month tenure, Ms. T remarked, "Things are going great. I'm beyond pleased with the job. It's hard to believe it's approaching two months; it feels longer." The center emphasizes that continuous backing, via one-time or recurring donations,...