Editorial

From the Desk of Gaye Morris Smith
Executive Director

Welcome to Connected. This issue features 2003 year-end highlights of the work of several Family Connection county collaboratives and Family Connection Partnership to improve results for children and families in communities across Georgia. We'll include more county collaborative successes in upcoming issues.

On Feb. 24, Governor "Sonny" Perdue proclaimed the day as "Family Connection Day" in Georgia—a day to recognize the recent successes of county collaboratives. Nearly 400 people from across the state converged in Atlanta to celebrate the event. State legislators, community and business leaders, and representatives from education and health and human services reaffirmed the need to continue to engage in local, regional and statewide partnerships to promote student achievement in Georgia. This issue features an article on the event.

Meanwhile, we recently released Georgia 2004 KIDS COUNT, an annual statewide report that tracks the status of children and families across five areas: healthy children, school readiness, school success, strong families, and self-sufficient families. Inside you'll find an article featuring the key messages from the new Georgia KIDS COUNT data. Visit http://www.gafcp.org/kidscount to view the complete report and a variety of local, regional and state data.

While efforts have been made to invest in proven programs, the progress that Georgia has made in outcomes for children and families remains threatened by budget cuts, a stagnant economy, and challenges posed by the sheer number of families living at or near poverty.

Despite these challenges, Family Connection Partnership will continue to support local community collaboratives in their work while acting as a resource for state and national partners in linking local and state priorities. By continuing our collaborative efforts, we can look forward to a brighter future for our communities.