FC Collaborative News

A Year in Review: Family Connection Collaboratives Celebrate 2002 Successes

Editor's Note: Family Connection collaboratives across the state have achieved many successes throughout the year in improving results for Georgia's children, families and communities. Although it is nearly impossible to list every success, below are just a few of the highlights from counties.

Baker

• Provided school supplies to children in the Baker County School System through a Back to School Bash. The event was sponsored by Public Health, Phoebe Foundation, Coca-Cola, Frito Lay, Tom's, and many community volunteers.
  
  
• Raised women's awareness about programs available to them through Public Health during a Cancer Screening Women's Health Fair Program.
  
  
• Received notification of a $12,000 grant from the Annie E. Casey Foundation to provide free income tax refund services in January to residents earning $30,000 or less.

Baldwin

• Expanded operation of Grandma's House, a Family Resource Center, from two to five days a week and from four hours to 15 hours per week; added two part-time employees to staff the center, which averages 28 kids per day, to assist with homework, reading and social skills; students from Georgia College and State University, School of Health Sciences, provide weekly lessons on health issues, and community volunteers provide school supplies, snacks, arts and crafts materials, and books; increased parental involvement by providing a meal each week to families that attend the center and encouraging parents to work with their children on improving their academic and social performance; partnering with the Baldwin County Board of Education on a 21st Century grant to further increase the center's hours of operation to include evenings and weekends to increase family involvement in the center's programs.
  
  
• Sponsored second annual Family Fest at the Baldwin County Recreation Department, with recreational activities, games, arts and crafts, swimming, and fireworks.

Barrow

• Formed Youth Council in partnership with the Barrow County Health Department to provide youth opportunities for leadership and community involvement; students "mapped" the county's supports for youth and prioritized projects and activities; Youth Council hosted the county's first Youth Conference, with nearly 100 middle and high school students attending.
  
  
• Partnered with the Barrow County Department of Family and Children Services, the Tree House, and the City of Winder to address the need for a children's shelter.
  
  
• Partnered to form Sexual Abuse Task Force to explore prevention and intervention possibilities; Task Force cross-trained law enforcement, child protective services, and the school system; Task Force, with Barrow Community Hospital as fiscal agent, was awarded $15,000 to provide crisis support services.
  
  
• Partnered with Barrow County Children's Advocacy Center, Barrow County Health Department, Barrow County Department of Family and Children Services, Barrow County Schools, and Barrow Community Hospital and received grant for $180,000 from the Georgia Council on Child Abuse to implement the Healthy Families Program.
  
  
• Partnered with the Golden Triangle Advisory Board/Winder-Barrow Certified Literate Community Coalition to implement high school completion programs supported by a three-year $450,000 Georgia School-to-Work grant.
  
  
• Partnered with Asian Community Services and the Winder-Barrow Boys & Girls Club to receive a $32,000 grant from the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta to provide recreational and educational services to Hmong youth; funds support a summer program serving 50 children daily.
  
  
• Restructured governance system to ensure diversity in decision-making; ensuring community representation in decision-making by requiring "Consumer Parent" and Consumer Teen" seats on the Barrow County Steering Committee.
  
  
• The Evaluation Committee is creating tools to measure the impact of a formalized Family Connection collaborative on improving results for children and families in the County.

Bartow

• Increased Adult Literacy enrollment and GED testing.
  
  
• The rate of adults, ages 25 and older, without a high school or GED diploma decreased from 41 percent in 1990 to 28 percent in 2000.
  
  
• Enhanced trust-building and educational opportunities with the Latino community.
  
  
• Increased collaborative-building through Certified Literate Community Program participation application process.
  
  
• Improved school attendance and grades through after-school and summer programs, while reducing juvenile justice involvement and recidivism.
  
  
• Re-established Teen Pregnancy Prevention Task Force after Teen Forum.
  
  
• Strengthened and enhanced collaborative partnerships through Family Connection Children At Risk Targeted Case Management implementation efforts.
  
  
• Increased collaborative membership and public relations.

Bleckley

• Held several community events: a Celebration Luncheon with more than 60 members attending; a breakfast for the faith community with 12 churches represented; and a Community Forum/Resource Fair with more than 30 exhibitors and 100 community members attending.
  
  
• Distributed 226 Resource Directories in the community.
  
  
• Received a grant from the Children and Youth Coordinating Council for case management of middle school students for mentoring and parenting programs; received additional funds from the United Way, South Central Health District, and Bleckley Memorial Hospital to assist with case management for high-school teens in a tobacco education program, Youth Leadership Team, and other programs.
  
  
• Graduated 16 youth from Youth Leadership Training.
  
  
• Provided services through Heart of Georgia Healthy Start to 22 families each quarter.
  
  
• Awarded GEDs to 25 students, with an average of 61 students enrolled each quarter.
  
  
• The City of Cochran broke ground for new Adult Education Center.
  
  
• Willing Hands, a ministry outreach center, assisted 284 children and families from the School Supply Closet.
  
  
• Two hundred forty 5th-grade students participated in an 18-week DARE program.
  
  
• Community Mental Health conducted two crisis intervention sessions and 90 individual sessions.
  
  
• The Family Services Coordinator, through a case management program at the high school, made 176 contacts, resulting in 32 referrals to other service providers.

Brantley

• Graduated Charter Class of Youth Leadership Brantley.
  
  
• Graduated Charter Class of Junior Police Academy.
  
  
• Selected (by state partnership of the Department of Family and Children Services and Family Connection Partnership) among nine counties to implement Community Partnerships for Protecting Children.
  
  
• Offered One-At-A-Time Mentoring
  
  
• Received foundation funding for Teen SAVE (Students Assisting in Valued Endeavors); research report shows that initiative of high school students mentoring middle school students will provide a continuum mentoring/leadership skill development where the "mentee" becomes the mentor; focus is on abstinence of alcohol, tobacco, drugs and sexual activity.

Bryan

• Partnered with Effingham Family Connection and Board of Commissioners to develop BEHIP (Bryan Effingham Healthy Intervention Program); awarded two-year $190,000 grant for two years through Georgia Health Policy Center.
  
  
• Implemented the Cheetah Paws Walking Program in elementary schools through funding of $20,550 from Memorial Health University.
  
  
• Joined efforts with Glynn County Commission for Children to expand current First Steps program to include Bryan, Liberty and Long counties; program granted $30,000 from the Children Trust Fund.
  
  
• Developed a tri-county team known as The Coastal Leadership Team to increase funding for home modifications and inclusion programs through Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities; Bryan, Effingham and Liberty counties were awarded $26,960.
  
  
• Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition was awarded $13,250 by the Coastal Health District-Tobacco Use Prevention Program to increase community awareness of the dangers related to second-hand smoke, develop a media campaign to prevent smoking, and implement tobacco prevention education materials for sixth- and seventh-grade students.
  
  
• Children and Youth Coordinating Council provided funds to support the efforts of local law enforcement in the Education and Enforcement of Underage Drinking Laws for a total of $ 17, 901.
  
  
• Bryan County Board of Commissioners allocated $72,500 of Alcohol and Substance Abuse Prevention funds to support the development and expansion of a countywide Youth Mentoring Program for Bryan County youth.

Butts

• Developed and implemented an Attendance Task Force and Task Force Panel Reviews in cooperation with Butts County Schools and Butts County Juvenile Court.
  
  
• Awarded a grant from Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities to implement activities promoting family support.
  
  
• Developed, printed and distributed a local resource directory for families; preparing to post it on the county DFCS Web site.
  
  
• Improved evaluation to create reports useful to the collaborative and partners.

Candler

• Youth Leadership Council created Need to Talk Hotline Video.
  
  
• Created PowerPoint presentation for Annual Report to community, along with a community Resource Directory and a Family Connection brochure.
  
  
• Implemented Targeted Case Management.
  
  
• Received funding from United Way, Promoting Safe and Stable Families Grant; selected as one of two sites in Georgia to receive Children, Youth and Families At-Risk money to implement after-school program for boys in fourth through sixth grades.
  
• Youth Leadership Council held first Youth Substance Abuse Prevention Softball Tournament with more than 250 people attending.
  
  
• Continued to offer parenting classes to an average of 20 individuals each month, including Parenteen classes and Hispanic Parenting classes.
  
  
• Hosted a Business After Hours to educate the community on Family Connection, Prevent Child Abuse Candler, and the plight of abused and neglected children.
  
  
• Held a mini-camp for at-risk children; Youth Leadership Council members served as camp counselors.
  
  
• Assisted with the implementation of the CASA program in Candler County.

Catoosa

• Chartered Prevent Child Abuse Catoosa council to spearhead education and awareness efforts.
  
  
• Record number of participants at annual Kid's Day; free immunizations, registration for Pre-K, kindergarten, and Head Start, fingerprinting of children, car seats and booster seats.
  
  
• Implemented TCM for children at-risk.
  
  
• Opened a Teen Center as project of the Youth Leadership Summit leadership development.
  
  
• Designated as a pilot site for Community Partnership for Protection of Children; hired social worker, developed a Resident Steering Committee, started Club Hero, a substance abuse prevention for middle school youth.
  
  
• Hosted a Resource Fair for new agency workers (DFCS, health dept., Mental Health, etc.), new school counselors and advocates; linked families to needed resources.
  
  
• Coordinated training required by DHR for licensed child care providers.
  

Clay

• Produced a monthly newsletter with space for Clay County Student Writings, with incentives awarded to first-, second- and third-place writers in fourth through eighth grades.
  
  
• Partnered with the Board of Education and the public library to sponsor the first Ed Fest, a celebration of school and community; all activities required parent participation; more than 250 people attended.

Clinch

• Received a grant from the Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities to add a family focus workshop in January.

Coffee

• Selected among four counties for funding for the South Georgia EXCEL (Early Learning Opportunities Act) Grant.
  
  
• Received grant from the Children and Youth Coordinating Council Abstinence Education to assist with pregnancy prevention.
  
  
• Implemented the Girl Power Program, targeting high-risk girls, ages 9 - 15, through funding received through the Southeast Health Unit and Targeted Case Management.

Colquitt

• Created an infrastructure of informed leaders to participate in local decision-making and facilitation of program development and enhancement for families.
  
  
• Partnered with Colquitt County Extension Service and Success by Six to implement a Teenage Mothers Parenting and Nutrition class at Colquitt County High School.
  
  
• Partnered with Colquitt County Extension Service, Communities In Schools and local business and received an economic development grant from University of Georgia to pilot a job readiness program for teen mothers who had completed TAMS class.
  
  
• Consolidated school system volunteer programs with Communities In Schools to provide 14,434 volunteer hours in Colquitt County schools.
  
  
• Partnered with Communities In Schools to serve 1,006 Colquitt County students with mentors, job shadowing, after-school program, and/or student incentive programs.
  
  
• Partnered with Department of Labor, Workforce Investment Board, and various agencies to develop and implement a One Stop Career Center providing families easier access to job placement and family support services.
  
  
• Partnered with Communities In Schools and Success by Six to develop a Parents Workshop Series on early childhood development, school success, and teen sexuality.
  
  
• Partnered with Communities In Schools and City of Moultrie to provide Family Leadership classes to parents on stress and anger management, domestic violence, discipline and communication.

Cook

• Secured more than $218,000 in grants to support/expand local programs and services.
  
  
• Opened a full-time health clinic at Cook High School through a grant from the Georgia Philanthropic Collaborative for a Healthy Georgia.
  
  
• Partnered with the Adel/Cook Chamber of Commerce to sponsor the first Youth Leadership Cook Program, serving 20 middle school students.
  
  
• Provided funding/support for three after-school tutoring programs and one summer reading program; 215 students in grades K-12 were served.
  
  
• Partnered with Cook County Board of Education to support the Student Transition And Recovery (STAR) Program for students at risk of suspension/expulsion and for students exhibiting problems with truancy/delinquency; served 211 students in grades five through nine; disciplinary referrals decreased by over 30 percent, absenteeism decreased by 37 percent, and grade-point averages increased by 4.3 percent.
  
  
• Co-sponsored events, including a summer basketball camp for children, two health and prevention fairs for students, five Saturday Prevention Workshops, a domestic violence awareness breakfast, and Honor Roll Awards for outstanding students.

Dawson

• Developed a PowerPoint presentation and designed a new brochure that explains the Family Connection process.
  
  
• Established a United Way chapter in Dawson County.
  
  
• Strengthened our Youth Development Program.

Emanuel

• Youth Leadership Development Program
  
  
• Family counseling
  
  
• Tobacco Use Prevention Project
  
  
• School-based Health Services
  
  
• Family Support
  
  
• Cross-agency training
  
  
• Conflict Resolution Program
  
  
• Family Literacy Safari

Glynn

• In conjunction with The FACES Partnership, identified as one of the top 25 sites in the country providing exemplary early childhood programs that provide family support to prevent child abuse.
  
  
• Established Success By Six, an early childhood program sponsored through United Way of America and Bank of America.

Gordon

• Planned for a Truancy Treatment Team for Gordon County
  
  
• Planned for a child advocacy center
  
  
• Established a VENT program for home visitation and provision of services that fills gap between eligibility criteria of Healthy Families first-time mothers and quick linkage for high-risk factors potentially leading to child abuse; shares same advisory boards as Healthy Families.
  
  
• School Health Program in conjunction with Gordon County Health Department received the Glaxo-Smith Kline 2002 Child Health Recognition Award at the Georgia Public Health Association Annual Meeting.
  
  
• Spotlighted Gordon County Schools and school Nursing, Advocate, and Child Care center as "best practices" during Bus Stop Tour sponsored by the Georgia Chamber.
  
  
• Restructured Community Information Line.
  
  
• Developed Individual Development Accounts, an asset-based development strategy, matching the savings of low- and moderate-income families on a 4:1 or 3:1 basis.

Grady

• Expanded First Steps Program, in partnership with the Children and Youth Coordinating Council, Grady County Child Abuse Council, Grady General Hospital, and Children's Trust Fund.
  
  
• One Stop Career Center established at the Department of Labor Office in Cairo; developed a common referral to include all participating partners.
  
  
• Formalized the organization of a regional board for Rural Development Center, with an emphasis on implementing a Certified Literate Community Program for all counties in Region 10 and developing a coordinated youth strategy for each county; regional assessment to be conducted by the University of Georgia and underwritten by School to Work.
  
  
• Six partners were awarded a $10,000 cooperative grant for breast and cervical cancer awareness, education and screening: Children and Youth Coordinating Council, Grady County Health Department, Roddenbery Memorial Library, Gordon Heights Baptist Church, First Steps Program, and American Cancer Society-Grady County Unit.
  
  
• Held Spotlight on Youth 2002, providing information to parents about resources for children; sponsors were Cairo Messenger, Grady County Schools, Grady Tractor Company, Capital City Bank, Cairo Kiwanis Club and Cairo Rotary Club.

Haralson

• Family Support Program served 328 families, with 248 referred for home visitation.
  
  
• The Department of Juvenile Justice offered the Take Charge Program for 14 teens aged 14 - 16.
  
  
• Offered services through eight programs at The One-Stop Career Resource Center.
  
  
• The Certified Literate Community Program Board received grants from Wal-Mart and Carroll EMC.
  
  
• Opened an emergency shelter for youth.
  
  
• The New Connections to Work program provided services to 111 clients, helping prepare them to obtain/maintain employment.
  

Hart

• Received the 2002 Sunshine Award for Community Involvement from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for a summer food service program; lunches were served at 13 sites to more than 422 children each day during the summer; implemented a book mobile program that visited each site, with more than 1,895 books read; funded by local businesses, Dollar General and Wal-Mart; a local church served as the central kitchen; Quality Food Store offered free refrigeration space.
  
  
• Outreach program featured on the Child Nutrition Division Web site at www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/summer
  

Lee

• Doubled collaborative membership in five months.
  
  
• Received a Mental Health grant to fund summer camp program.
  
  
• Reinvested nearly $30,000 in the community through FOCUS Funds.

Macon

• Helped build self-sufficient families by providing youth with workforce skills, leadership development, and job training.
  
  
• Served 105 youth through a grant from the City of Macon's Office of Workforce Development by providing paid work experience, community service opportunities, occupational classroom training, leadership development opportunities, and substance abuse treatment; evaluation showed that youth have increased understanding of work ethics, workforce skills, and leadership skills; collaborative partners included Cherokee Heights United Methodist Church, Goodwill Industries, River Edge Behavioral Health Center, and Volunteer Macon.
  
  
• Held two Parent University sessions, attended by more than 300 parents.
  
  
• Received a grant from the Georgia Children's Trust Fund to implement the MELD for Young Dads program, focusing on increasing fathers' involvement in families and enhancing existing child abuse prevention programs; collaborative partners include: Macon-Bibb County Health Department, Children's 1st, Bibb County Healthy Families, Volunteer Macon, and Bibb County Juvenile Court.

Marion

• Hosted first Elected Officials Breakfast, providing an opportunity to share the vision and goal of the collaborative and Family Connection Partnership with the elected officials.

Meriwether

• The Perinatal Baby Van Provided transportation to pregnant women and mothers with young children.
  
  
• Received an Office of Rural Health grant to provide obstetric and gynecological services; as a result, Baptist Meriwether Hospital recruited an OB/GYN Physician.
  
  
• School Based Nursing services taught 133 classes, saw more than 4,000 sick and injured children, had more than 1,500 parent contacts, conducted more than 350 vision and hearing screenings, and referred more than 100 children to other community services.
  
  
• Launched the Faith In Action program to respond to the need for services for home bound and senior adults; several hundred people have been served.
  Mitchell
• Received $39,000 in funding from MHDDAD regional board for substance abuse prevention work through local middle school and high school youth councils.
  
  
• Received an Early Learning Opportunities Act grant.
  
  
• Hosted two youth leadership training events for middle and high-school students, with youth from nearly 20 counties participating.

Morgan

• Hosted a Father-Child Day Celebration with more than 100 fathers and their children.
  
  
• Partnered with the Rutledge Volunteer Fire Department for a youth summer camp for children, ages 5 - 17; more than 80 children participated; speakers made presentations on tobacco, nutrition and fitness.
  
  
• Formed a Family Literacy Action Team to begin working with families of preschoolers to encourage reading to children everyday.
  
  
• Partnered with the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Greensboro to host the Mentor Christmas Breakfast for Morgan County school volunteers.
  

Pickens

• Developed formal governance structure with a Board of Directors; incorporated and obtained 501(c)3 status.
  
  
• Partnered with local nonprofit to open and operate a Community Shelter.
  
  
• Fully implemented Targeted Case Management and placed TWO Family Advocates in local elementary schools.
  
  
• Contracted for Youth Coordinator to oversee and manage Mentoring Program and establish a Youth Council.
  
  
• Partnered with local and regional non-profits to maintain Transitional Living Program.
  
  
• Supported local youth participation in Region 1 Youth Summits.
  

Pulaski

• Distributed Agenda Notebooks, with the Family Connection logo, Pulaski County vision statement and goals, to middle and high school students; included school code of conduct, calendar, and pages for daily assignments, character education messages and abstinence tips.
  
  
• Collaborated with Lynwood Baptist Church on an abstinence program.
  
  
• Collaborated with the Arts Council and Housing Department for Grass Roots Arts Day.
  
  
• Neighborhood Resource Center collaborated with Pulaski County Commissioner and Middle Georgia Regional Development Center to write a grant for a new building with classrooms for Head Start, office space for Pulaski County Service Center and Family Connection.
  
  
• Collaborated with Chamber of Commerce, Middle Georgia Technical College, First Baptist Church, Department of Family and Children Services, and County Extension Services for a Parent University, with classes planned for January and February.
  
  
• Collaborated with the school system for a 21st Century Learning Center Grant.

Taliaferro

• Hired a truancy officer for students attending the Taliaferro County School; attendance has increased from 89 percent for the last nine weeks of the 2001-2002 school year to 93 percent for the first nine weeks of the 2002-2003 school year.
  
  
• Worked with the CSRA RDC and the Board of Commissioners on a block grant for the construction of a Head Start Building in Taliaferro County; awarded a $500,000 grant for the building; Family Connection activities also will be held in the building.
  
  
• Collaborated with the Greene County Extension office to hire a part-time 4-H program assistant for youth.
  
  
• Collaborated with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Georgia to establish a mission in Taliaferro called "Touching Taliaferro with Love."
  
  
• Began "Born to Read" initiative, where two books are sent to each newborn in the county.
  
  
• Began a Boy Scouts organization.

Tattnall

• Reduced teen pregnancy rates (in 15- to 17-year-old girls) from 75 per 1,000 in 1998 to 47 per 1,000 in 1999.
  
  
• Funded an Abstinence Education Coordinator through a CYCC grant.
  
  
• Offered after-school enrichment in two communities, Reidsville and Collins; more than 50 percent of students have raised their grade-point average in math and language arts.
  
  
• Published a resource directory in English and Spanish and distributed it to 9,200 families.

Thomas

• Designed and implemented a Needs Assessment mailed to 5,000 residents.
  
  
• Participated in focus groups to discuss needs of families and children in their community.
  
  
• Initiated a monthly Service Provider's Council Meeting that gives service providers and concerned citizens the opportunity to come together to network, solve problems, and build friendships.
  
  
• Partnered with Thomas County Commissioners, DFCS, and Thomas-Grady Service Center to implement a "5311" transportation grant through the Department of Transportation.
  
  
• Involved with Region 10 Regional Partners Network to impact Southwest Georgia community development.

Toombs

• Expanded MHDDAD grant into Toombs Middle School with Life Skills after-school program.
  
  
• Women In Need Of God's Shelter received grant to build shelter in City of Vidalia.
  
  
• Implemented First Steps at Meadows Regional Medical Center.
  
  
• Expanded Peer Information Network into schools.
  
  
• 'Justeens' Clinic at Health Department received expansion grant.
  
  
• Expanded serves as Sunshine House Child Advocacy Agency.
  
  
• Assisted Southeastern Technical College in receiving grant for workforce training.
  
  
• Assisted DFCS in upgrading interviewing area for abuse victims.
  
  
• Expanded collaborative membership to be more representative of community.
  
  
• Formed Tobacco Coalition with grant from Health District.

Troup

• Received third-year funding from the Callaway Foundation for the continuation of the Troup Comprehensive Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program.
  
  
• Reduced teen pregnancy rates, with calendar year 2002 reflecting the lowest rate on record.
  
  
• Impressive results from The TFCA Circle of Care, focusing on the reduction of secondary pregnancies, pre- and post-natal care, childcare, and education completion for teen mothers.
  
  
• A Promoting Safe and Stable Families grant awarded to ensure the Circle of Care will continue to deliver positive results in the community.
  
  
• Partnered with Georgia DCA to co-sponsor Family Expo 2002, with more than 70 exhibitors and 2,000 attendees.
  
  
• Partnered with the Boys and Girls Club of West Georgia to sponsor National Kids Day; children received a free school supplies.
  
  
• Partnered with District 4 Health Services to launch an anti-tobacco initiative.

Turner

• Received three-year funding for abstinence education from a SPRANS grant through Communities in Schools.
  
  
• Big Brothers/Big Sisters implemented a Buddies in Schools mentoring program that matches at risk students with caring adults in the community; funding from 21st Century Learning Centers and SPRANS will expand the program throughout the school system by staffing a part-time match coordinator.
  
  
• Partnered with local government to implement a public transportation system in the county.
  
• Improved students' math grades (32 percent) and language arts grades (52 percent); Ninety-two percent of participating students were promoted to the next grade level.
  

Upson

• Partnered with school system to address dropout rate; launched a public awareness campaign; hired Attendance Caseworkers; reduced the sixth- through twelfth-grade dropout rate by 30 percent compared with the previous school term and the ninth- through twelfth-grade dropout rate by 36 percent compared with the previous year.
  
  
• Continued services at a community computer lab housed at the Thomaston-Upson Civic Center, Project COMPUTE, funded with TANF funds.
  
  
• Received funding to begin a Teen Resource Program; hired a program director for Life Skills classes and after-school tutoring, self-esteem building activities in career exploration, art, nutrition and fitness, and community service projects.

Walton

• Resolution approved by Board of Commissioners and signed by Chair designating as "the authority in Walton County, Georgia, which has the responsibility to build partnerships among organizations/individuals that advance the quality of life for families in Walton County and to communicate to the community the value and potential of the combined services of the partners."
  
  
• Established countywide Youth Advisory Board.
  
  
• Expanded One on One Mentoring Program from 12 children to more than 125 youth, with financial sponsorship by Board of Commissioners.
  
  
• Offered Prime for Life, a research-based drug and alcohol prevention program financed by County Drug Abuse Treatment & Education Fund.
  
  
• Family Advocacy Program offered initially through grant and DFCS cash match funding now financed through Family Connection grant and County Drug Abuse Treatment & Education Fund.
  
  
• Achieved five-year goal that 78 percent of students would graduate on time.
  
  
• Reduced teen pregnancies among 15- to 17-year-olds from 73.9 per 1,000 in 1990 to 51.9 per 1,000 in 1999.
  
  
• Held annual teen Style Show to celebrate positive choices by our youth; included participation from health department, Walton County Schools, Social Circle Schools, Georgia Walton Academy, Alcove, American Legion Post 233, Sheriff's Office, churches, and businesses.
  
  
• Established Boys & Girls Clubs of Walton County.
  
  
• Received grants from Georgia Department of Education for Local Reading Improvement, Family Literacy and Tutorial Assistance at three schools.

Ware

• Collaborated with the Ware County Health Department, Ware County Board of Education, and the dental office of Manus and Smith for The Children's Initiative to implement a school oral health program; 1,353 students in grades K-5 received dental education.
  
  
• The Waycross Weed and Seed Program, funded by the U.S. Department of Justice, in collaboration with the Children's Initiative, developed a safe haven for children at Memorial Park, which included the installation of a computer lab and playground equipment.
  
  
• Collaborated with Satilla Advocacy Services to open a Child Advocacy Center.
  
  
• Collaborated with Ware County Health Department for the Ware County Covering Kids and Families Initiative.
  
  
• Collaborated with Concerted Services, Inc. to receive the Early Head Start Grant and the Child Care Resource and Referral Agency Grant.
  
  
• Held a fall festival and annual Fun Day for Kids.
  
  
• Expanded School Nursing Services to include faculty and students maintaining a healthy learning environment.
  

Warren

• Co-sponsored beginner's computer class, summer reading program, and music camp with Quality of Life Association.
  
  
• Purchased $1,200 in books and reading materials for the Warren County Middle School Reading Club.
  
  
• Enterprise Community Healthy Start Consortium approved $5,000 for Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program.
  
  
• Teen Pregnancy Prevention Task Force held the first in a series of classes for local teens; also sponsored a Parent/Teen Banquet with more than 100 teenagers, parents, educators, and community leaders.
  
  
• Selected as a pilot site for the Federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Rural Tax Campaign with free tax preparation.
  
  
• Partnered with the Quality of Life Association to host a Youth Crusade.
  Wilkes
  
  
• Formed Girl and Boy Scout troops to serve five after-school neighborhood sites.
  
  
• Collaborated with school system, Chamber of Commerce, and WIA to establish local mentoring program, ORBIT, for in-school and out-of-school at-risk youth, ages 14-21.
  
  
• Developed, through community and state collaborative investment, a Family Resource Center for educational programming and activities to promote children and family development, adult literacy, neighborhood capacity building, and economic self-sufficiency.
  
  
• Identified by the Department of Labor for a One Stop Employment Center.
  
  
• Through Wilkes County JUMPSTART, parents of children, 0 - 4, have been taught to become their "child's first teacher," and significant numbers of targeted children have entered Head Start and Pre-K ready to learn.
  
  
• Implemented Children First program providing universal screening at birth, early intervention with high risk families to screen for developmental delays in children, and referral for all teenage mothers to appropriate resources; reduced numbers of repeat births to teens by almost 10 percent.
  
  
• Published a community resource guide to help citizens locate resources and services for family, financial, health and human services problems.