by Georgia Center for Opportunity | Aug 8, 2016
A new report released by The Institute for Family Studies finds that 69 percent of 18-45 year olds in Peachtree Corners and Norcross think single parents can raise children just as well as two parents. Furthermore, 63 percent approve of divorce when married people realize they no longer love each other.
Permissive attitudes towards divorce and unrealistic expectations for single parents, however, do not make for human flourishing. The report cites sociologist Sara McLanahan and economist Isabel Sawhill, who write, “Most scholars now agree that children raised by two biological parents in a stable marriage do better than children in other family forms.” Additionally, economist Raj Chetty found that the foremost indicator of upward mobility among poor children is the percentage of children with single parents.
Still, the study does present positive findings. 71 percent of surveyed residents agree that it is important to wait until marriage to have kids. Overall, marriage continues to enjoy high interest in the area: 47 percent of 18-45 year old residents in Norcross and Peachtree Corners are married, and another 46 percent would like to be married.
Our Healthy Families Initiative (HFI) hopes for more clear thinking on family formation. We want to equip fathers and mothers in Peachtree Corners and Norcross, so they can give what children need: a permanent, stable, and loving home environment. To this end, HFI offers workshops to local residents regarding fatherhood, dating, and relationship building within marriage. Registration for workshops is open for local residents, married and unmarried.
by Georgia Center for Opportunity | Apr 27, 2016
Healthy families are the bedrock of a healthy, prosperous society. They are the place where children develop the values, skills, and habits that largely determine the kind of adults they will become.
Georgia Center for Opportunity’s Healthy Families Initiative (HFI) launch on Thursday, April 7th was a great success. The goal of the event was to bring together community leaders, certified trainers, pastors, businesses, and GCO supporters for a day of focusing on families and to provide them with news about this new initiative and the work being done in Norcross and Peachtree Corners.
Joyce Whitted, HFI Program Manager, shared detailed information about the five focus areas of the initiative, including:
1. Launching a PR campaign saturating the community with positive messaging about family.
2. Providing relationship education and enrichment courses.
3. Working with local churches and other religious organization to provide mentoring to adolescents and young couples
4. Improving vocational education and apprenticeship opportunities in the area
5. Working with leaders to ensure state laws encourage family formation
Community partners like the A.Worley Boys & Girls Club, Norcross Human Services Center, Robert D. Fowler YMCA, Single Parent Alliance Resource Center, and Community Based Mentoring were in attendance to lend their support for the program. Guest speakers Bishop Garland Hunt of The Father’s House, Greg Griffin, a Christian counselor, and Shay Marlowe, Goodwill Career Services and a HFI Certified Trainer in 24/7 Dad all echoed the importance of healthy families and how it impacts everyone in Georgia.
Beverly Washington, a resident of Norcross, stated that her greatest take-a-ways were “Networking and seeing so many passionate individuals focused on helping our community.”
The certified trainers who have been on the ground helping to educate individuals and families on healthy relationship skills were also on-hand to give personal accounts of their interactions with participants in the programs being offered through the HFI Initiative.
The event was a success because those in attendance expressed their passion to be part of the positive focus on healthy families and, ultimately, to see the negative trends plaguing families in Georgia reversed.
For more information about how to get involved with the Healthy Families Initiative visit www.hfigeorgia@opportunity.org or call 877-814-0535.
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 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 | 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.
by Georgia Center for Opportunity | Dec 11, 2015
Earlier this month, GCO hosted a lunch and learn with Dr. Brad Wilcox, one of the nation’s leading sociologists. Dr. Wilcox has devoted his work to understanding family formation and the effect it has on our social structure and economy. His new report, “Strong families, prosperous states: Do healthy families affect the wealth of states?” takes a deep dive into the shifts in marriage and family structures – highlighting the factors which influence the national and states’ economic performance.
Georgia is in the bottom ten states for children living with married parents and at the bottom for college educated individuals. These statistics have a defining negative effect on the state’s economy and correlate with a higher number of Georgians on welfare programs and in the state’s penitentiary system.
At GCO, we understand that strong and healthy marriages have been proven to be better for all family members and lead to increased economic stability. That is why we are working to strengthen families and marriages, through relationship training so that individuals have skills they need to have healthy relationships and a public campaign to increase the value our culture places on marriage.
As Randy Hicks, President of GCO, states “When we’re successful, fewer Georgians will be living in a condition of dependence, a higher percentage will be enjoying earned success and the fruits of their labor, more children will be ready for college and a career, and more families will have the economic and relational resources to thrive.”
For more information about our Family and Community Initiative, visit: https://foropportunity.org/initiatives/family-community/
