Connections
First Book – West Georgia
First Book provides new books to children in need, addressing one of the most important factors affecting literacy – access to books. An innovative leader in social enterprise, First Book has distributed more than 60 million free and low cost books to disadvantaged children and the programs that serve them. As a local chapter of this international non-profit, First Book – West Georgia has grant over $ 7,000 in new book to programs that work with children from low-income families, including Communities in Schools, CASA, CLCP, Maidee Smith Early Learning Center, Summer Play, and The Literacy Alliance. For more information about First Book – West Georgia, please visit www.firstbook.org/westgeorgia.
Georgia Fatherhood Program
In 1997 the State of Georgia established the Fatherhood Initiative. The goal of this program is to help children by helping their parents who cannot (or will not) support them. In collaboration with the Technical College System of Georgia, Special Services Division, and Human Resources, Department of Labor, and Child Support Enforcement began the Georgia Fatherhood Program to enhance the recovery of child support from non-custodial parents by offering education and skills training to them.
Our program goals are to encourage non-custodial parents who are unemployed or under-employed to find jobs or obtain better jobs, make their child support payments, and take a more active role in raising their children. The program delivers systematic education, training and life management skills classes. The Georgia Fatherhood Program makes it possible for low-income parents to attend college, learn a marketable skill and go to work. It not only enhances the self-esteem of the parent by teaching skills; but, more importantly, it contributes to the financial and emotional well being of the child. Call Grover C. Sims, Jr., Georgia Fatherhood Coordinator, at 706-845-4323 ext. 4588 with any questions you may have about the program. You are invited to make an appointment to attend an orientation and complete the application to join the Georgia Fatherhood Program. You may also visit the Georgia Fatherhood Website at Georgia Fatherhood.