WIT Neighborhood Leader Loreal Vinson Profiled on AthensPatch.com
Check out this awesome profile of WIT Neighborhood Leader Loreal Vinson on AthensPatch.com
The 'secret' to success for children growing up in poverty has been in plain sight for years, operating in more-affluent communities: supporting children from the womb through college, doing whatever it takes to overcome any barrier to a child's successful development.
-Harlem Children's Zone
Check out this awesome profile of WIT Neighborhood Leader Loreal Vinson on AthensPatch.com
HandsOn Northeast Georgia is looking for one AmericaCorps VISTA member to serve the Athens, Georgia, community. This VISTA member will work with the Whatever It Takes initiative to develop a “K-12 Liaison Advocate” program for Neighborhood Leaders. This program will provide those neighborhood leaders with the training, resources, and skills needed to advocate for families/parents with students in the Clarke County School District K-12 system and to build capacity within the neighborhood for families and parents to advocate for themselves.
If you are interested in this position, please submit a resume and cover letter to Dawn Aiello at DAiello@communityconnection211.org. Please submit the name and contact information for at least two references with your resume. Within your cover letter, please address why you are interested in this work, why you feel you are a qualified candidate, and evidence of your perseverance in past and current community involvements. The deadline for applications is Thursday, December 15th at 5pm. For those asked to move forward in the selection process, interviews will be held on December 19, 2011.
For Immediate Release:
CONTACT: Ryan Lewis | Whatever It Takes
706-372-6762 • ryan.lewis@witathens.org
December 5, 2011 (Athens) – Whatever It Takes, an initiative of the non-profit Family Connection-Communities In Schools of Athens, announces the public release of the Athens Community Plan for Children to be held at Athens Community Career Academy (in the H.T. Edwards Complex, 440 Dearing Extension Building #1) on Monday, December 12th at 2:30pm. The result of a year long planning process, the Athens Community Plan for Children compiles highlights of the 77 solutions for childhood success created by a collaboration of over 500 Athens experts including over 70 institutional partners from both the public and private sectors.
In September 2010, the Whatever It Takes initiative was awarded a Promise Neighborhoods Planning Grant by the United States Department of Education in order to develop a cradle to career continuum of solutions to ensure that all children in Athens are healthy, safe, engaged in the community and on course to graduate from a post-secondary education.
“We will change the culture in every neighborhood throughout Athens such that excellence in educational achievement is highly valued, celebrated, and expected.” said Family Connection-Communities In Schools Executive Director Tim Johnson.
By concentrating efforts in a single neighborhood and subsequently expanding outward, Whatever It Takes will achieve a domino effect bringing the ‘cradle to career’ continuum to the entirety of Athens-Clarke County. Starting the Whatever It Takes initiative in the Alps Road Elementary School attendance zone will allow WIT to reach the tipping point of 65% neighborhood involvement that is necessary to create a genuine culture of success. This concentration of resources creates a compounding effect, changing the odds for all children rather than helping just a few to beat the odds.
The Whatever It Takes planning process included a robust Community Assessment, including resource mapping, focus groups, key informant interviews, a door-to-door neighborhood survey, monthly Community Conversation public input events, Neighborhood Leader Living Room Conversations, and more. Strategic Action Teams made up of area experts – including parents, students, doctors, teachers, business owners, the faith community, academia, the creative community and others – focused on health and wellness, early care and learning, K-12 education, post-secondary and career success, data and evaluation, safety and community stability and neighborhood engagement as they formulated 77 solutions for childhood success.
In addition to the presentation of the Athens Community Plan for Children, the event will also showcase Clarke County School District students and the Whatever It Takes Neighborhood Leaders as well as remarks from Athens-Clarke County Mayor Nancy Denson and Clarke County School Superintendent Dr. Phil Lanoue among others.
Printed copies of the Athens Community Plan for Children will be available to attendees and will be distributed throughout Athens-Clarke County. Copies will also be available directly from Whatever It Takes upon request. A digital version of the Athens Community Plan for Children will be available for download from witathens.org and onlineathens.com after the event.
The Athens-Clarke County Family Connection-Communities In Schools Partnership is the official planning and coordinating body for services for children and families in our community. Whatever It Takes is an all hands on deck collaboration that braids people power, existing programs and services, and financial resources to ensure that by 1 p.m. on Wednesday July 1st, 2020 every child in Athens-Clarke County will be on course to graduate from a post-secondary education. WIT seeks to achieve this goal by emphasizing early intervention, recognizing that parents are a child’s first and most important teachers, focusing resources in a limited geographic area, identifying and training neighborhood leaders, setting high expectations for all children, creating a culture of success, and using data to direct to policy. To learn more about Whatever It Takes, visit www.witathens.org
Interviews available upon request. To learn more about Whatever It Takes, please visit our web site at www.witathens.org, or find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/witathens.
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Whatever It Takes is currently seeking donations of two twin or full beds (mattress, frame, box spring) for students at Clarke Middle School who do not have beds at home. If you or someone you know can help please contact:
Lauren Medina, MPA
Family Connection-Communities In Schools of Athens, Inc.
Communities In Schools Site Coordinator-Clarke Middle School
(706) 340-7614-cell
(706)543-6547 x 23355
lmedina@cisga.org
BLOG: http://cisatclarkemiddleschool.wordpress.com/
Over the course of 2011, Whatever It Takes Strategic Action Teams made up of over five hundred people from the community and over seventy institutional partners have worked tens of thousands of hours to put together a plan that creates a seamless longitudinal network of support for kids from preconception to post-secondary graduation. This work has developed into seventy seven evidence based solutions addressing the needs and leveraging the strengths unique to our community. Frankly we’re incredibly proud that our town has produced such an amazing plan.
Please join us on Monday, December 12th at 2:30pm at the Athens Community Career Academy (440 Dearing Extension, Building #1 Athens) for the public rollout of the Athens Community Plan For Children. Copies of the plan will be available to attendees and will also be distributed throughout Athens and available for viewing online after the event.
Together we will ensure that ALL children in Athens-Clarke County are healthy, safe, engaged in the community and on course to graduate from a post-secondary education!
Join the Whatever It takes Community Action Team tonight (11/17/11) at 6pm in the Athens Community Career Academy (440 Dearing Extension, Building #1, Athens) to learn more about the Athens Community Plan for Children and how you can help ensure that ALL children in Athens-Clarke County are healthy, safe, engaged in the community and on course to graduate from a post-secondary education!
On Saturday, December 3rd, 2011, the 40 Watt Club in Athens, Georgia will host the seventh Athens Face/off! A local tradition since 2007, Face/off has become an institution that has brought together musicians from across genres, age groups, and social circles.
The premise is this: the names of dozens of Athens musicians are thrown into a hat, drawn in threes, and then notified of the results. Each of these trios–twenty-five groups in all, often comprised of strangers–will then have one month to prepare a ten minute set of music. Original material, cover songs, performance art–anything goes. Twenty-five bands each playing their first and last shows, all in one night!
This year’s Athens Face/off is a benefit for Whatever It Takes!
Athens Face/Off Founder & Organizer Jeff Tobias
Clarke Central High School is in need of volunteer tutors to help students achieve academic success. Tutors are most needed in the subjects of Math, Physics and Chemistry but tutors are also needed for Literature and Social Sciences.
Hours for tutoring would be during the following: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday from 3:55-5:55pm.
Contact Communities In Schools Site Coordinator Leo Cotlar for more information at: leo.cotlar@witathens.org
Thanks!
Alps Road Elementary
205 Alps Road * Athens GA 30606
706-548-2261 X32240, kellym@clarke.k12.ga.us
For the past 8 years Alps Road Elementary School has provided Holiday assistance to its families in need. We do something unique – we take the parents shopping so they can buy their own gifts for their own children. The joy they experience in being able to select what they know their child will love is worth all the effort. Last year, thanks to a number of very special people, we were able to help over 100 families purchase toys, clothes and food for over 300 children.
This year, people continue to hurt because of the economic downturn. We have already received requests from almost 90 Alps families, though it is only November. We have heard stories of parents having to choose between paying for a trip to the doctor and putting food on the table. Many seem to be on the brink of homelessness. The vast majority are single parents, many of whom have a job but can’t get enough hours to make ends meet. All are living paycheck to paycheck and have nothing extra for holiday expenses.
We need your help. No donation is too small. If you would like to write a check, please make it out to: Alps Road Elementary PTA and then on the memo line write “FRC/Holiday Assistance”. All donations received are tax-deductible. We will issue you a receipt for your records, which we will send to you along with “Thank You” notes from the families.
If you can’t help us financially this year but would like to help in another way, we always need volunteers to help families with the shopping at
Wal-Mart on our shopping day (Dec 13th).
Thank you from all of us at Alps for whatever you can do.
Gratefully,
Mary Kelly, Alps Road Family Engagement Specialist
Loreal Vinson, Communities in Schools, Americorp/VISTA, WIT
Whatever it Takes Neighborhood Leaders at the Park on West Broad hosted their first Halloween Trunk Or Treat and Haunted House that served over 60 children on Oct. 31, 2011. Parents from the neighborhood and surrounding neighborhoods who brought their children were extremely excited about the event and are looking forward to other activities to come.
Special thanks to Whatever It Takes Neighborhood Leaders, Tameka Williams, Latasha Gentry, Mark Brown, Julia Greene and Loreal Vinson for candy donations. Additionally, gratitude is extended to the volunteers who made this event a blast: the UGA WIT Student Group who helped with decorations and set up as well as Homer Pope, Mark Brown, Jordan Vinson, Manual Williams who were our Haunted House characters.
The Whatever It Takes Neighborhood Leader program identifies parents who exhibit natural leadership characteristics and provides personal and professional development and training. With their specialized training, WIT Neighborhood Leaders work to better their community through various initiatives based on the unique needs of their respective neighborhoods.
As a part of this work, The Park on West Broad Street apartment complex has offered the WIT Neighborhood Leaders the use of their Community Center. Neighborhood Leaders will be starting nutrition classes this week and will also be providing space and resources for students to study and do homework.
In order to accommodate these activities the WIT Neighborhood Leaders are seeking donations of tables and chairs. If you or anyone you know can help provide the needed furniture please contact Loreal Vinson at (706) 351-2152 or Tameka Williams at (706) 351-1463.
Thank you and please feel free to pass this on to anyone who might be able to help!
We are very excited to announce that there will be three events held in Athens next month in conjunction with the release of R.E.M., Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage, 1982-2011.
As has been the case in years past, proceeds from each of the events will benefit some of the band’s favorite local non-profit organizations: Community Connection of Northeast Georgia & Family Connection / Communities in Schools of Athens / Whatever It Takes.
Here’s how the events will unfold:
Night #1: Welcome to the Reconstruction – Athens Bands Play the Songs of R.E.M.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Doors at 6:00 p.m.
GEORGIA THEATRE
215 North Lumpkin Street, Athens, GA 30601
Ages 18 & up (under 18 can be admitted if accompanied by a parent)
$15
Featuring (in alphabetical order): The Corduroy Road, David Barbe and the Quick Hooks, Futurebirds, Grogus, Jack Logan and Coventry Climax, John Keane and NathanSheppard, Kevn Kinney, Lera Lynn, Nanny Island, Romper Stompers (feat. Todd Nance of Widespread Panic, William Tonks & Jon Mills of Barbara Cue, and Daniel Hutchens of Bloodkin), 706, and Thayer Sarrano.
Advance tickets available at georgiatheatre.com athensmusic.net
Night #2: Back Where We Belong – R.E.M., Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage, 1982 – 2011 CD Pre-Release Party
Monday, November 14, 2011
Doors at 7:00 p.m.
40 Watt Club
285 West Washington Street, Athens, GA 30601
All ages
$15
The final CD pre-release party with silent and live auctions, exclusive video footage, raffle, and limited edition merchandise for sale. Auction items include a donated Rickenbacker guitar signed by all four members of R.E.M., framed signed guitar picks, an 8”x10” open edition signed archival pigment ink print of R.E.M. in Walter’s Bar-B-Que from 1984 donated by photographer Laura Levine, R.E.M. set pieces from past tours, archived t-shirts, and more.
Advance tickets available at athensmusic.net
Night #2 – 2nd Event: Toast of Chronic Town – Athens Finest Eateries Bring Their Best
Monday, November 14, 2011
5:00-7:00 p.m.
Ciné
234 West Hancock Avenue, Athens, GA 30601
All ages
$75 (ticket price includes admission to Toast of Chronic Town & both other release party events)
Sampling of food from more than 15 of Athens’ finest eateries, including Weaver D’s, The Grit, Five & Ten, Dondero’s, The National, The Four Coursemen, Ted’s Most Best, La Dolce Vita, The Last Resort, Loco’s, Marti’s at Midday, Mama’s Boy, Heirloom Cafe, Big City Bread, The Taco Stand, Taqueria Del Sol, Farm 255, Jittery Joe’s, DePalma’s and others. During the event, special screenings of R.E.M. live concert footage on an archived 35mm print and a special 90-minute R.E.M. video retrospective will be shown in each theatre.
Limited number of tickets available; number of tickets limited to 4 per order.
Advance tickets available at athensmusic.net
Please note: R.E.M. will neither perform nor be in attendance at any of the events.
HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS
For out-of-town fans coming to the events, the Hotel Indigo (500 College Avenue) has special $119 room rates for Sunday, November 13 and Monday, November 14. To reserve a room, call 706-546-0430 or 877-834-3613, e-mail EmilyKarst@indigoathens.com, or make an online reservation at indigoathens.com with the code REM.
History of R.E.M. Listening Parties and Contact Info
A benefit preview listening party for each R.E.M. album of all-new material has been held in the band’s hometown since the release of 1992’s Automatic for the People. This will be the last preview listening party. For more information about the release party, contact Jeff Montgomery at 706-380-8269 or jeff@athensmusic.net.
About the Beneficiaries
Community Connection of NEGA is the umbrella agency that oversees three crucial services in Northeast Georgia. They connect individuals in the 14 county area to resources via the 2-1-1 Information and Referral Helpline, which provides more than 30,000 referrals to the individuals in need of services each year; they connect thousands of interested citizens to volunteer opportunities in our community via our Hands On Northeast Georgia program; and they connect organizations to resources (including each other) via the Non-Profit Development Alliance, which helps non-profit organizations receive the training, support and assistance they need while ‘incubating’ new programs to fill gaps in services. For more information, visit communityconnection or call 211 or 706-353-1313.
Family Connection / Communities In Schools of Athens / Whatever It Takes brings the community together to toward a simple goal: that all children will succeed in school and in life. Family Connection / Communities In Schools of Athens is a partnership of 90 organizations working with families to research, plan, implement, and evaluate strategic approaches to improve results for all children and families. It is the official planning and coordinating body for services for children and families in the community and is nationally recognized for its work. Whatever It Takes seeks to ensure that every child in Athens-Clarke County will graduate from a post-secondary education. For more information, visit witathens.org or call 706-369-9732.
A report released last week by The White House titled “Creating Pathways To Opportunity” showcases the Obama Administration’s efforts to fight intergenerational poverty including the work of the Promise Neighborhoods Initiative. The Whatever It Takes Neighborhood Leadership Program is highlighted on page 33.
The Whatever It Takes Board of Directors will be meeting on October 27th from 4:30 to 6pm at the Family Connection-Communities In Schools of Athens office, 440 Dearing Extension #1.
Communities In Schools Site Coordinator Lauren Medina working with students at the Clarke Middle School After School Program
The Senate Education Committee Chairman and Ranking Republican introduced an Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) reauthorization proposal today that, among other things, includes a competitive grant program for nonprofits working with schools to fund site coordinators.
The proposal is included as part of the Promise Neighborhoods and Promise Schools program. This funding is for local schools and nonprofits to work together to create solutions to help at-risk students succeed in school.
This legislation would be attached to the Promise Neighborhoods program (like the one currently in Athens, GA—to see more about this effort hosted by Family Connection-Communities In Schools of Athens, Inc. please go to www.witathens.org).
“The Promise Neighborhoods program will fund national competitive grants to create cradle-to-career “continuums of care” for children in low-income neighborhoods. The Promise Neighborhoods program will help community-based organizations and local institutions coordinate a wide range of services provided to children from birth through college entrance. The services must include elements that are essential to healthy development and, eventually, college and career readiness, including training for expectant parents, high-quality early care and education, and wrap-around services for children throughout their school years. The proposal allows for grants that are either led by schools or by community-based organizations, but strong partnerships between these entities and with other organizations in the community are required.”
What is proposed is that schools would need to identify or hire full-time site coordinators to develop the collaborations and work with students who are most at risk of dropping out of school. The site coordinator model is backed by research that proves it to be effective at improving academic achievement and reducing drop out rates.
Site coordinators are able to work closely with the school management teams and identify those students most at risk of dropping out. They then identify and facilitate the delivery of the needed services for those students and the community.
Please contact your Senators and urge them to support funding for site coordinators in schools. You can do this by following the link found here.
To read what recommendations Communities In Schools has proposed to the Senate please click on the link below.
Communities_In_Schools_Recommendation_for_Authorization_of_ESEA
Family Connection-Communities In Schools of Athens and its Whatever It Takes initiative is included for the first time this year among the charities to whom state employees (including UGA employees) can donate through payroll deduction! Just $10/month equals $120/year, $100/month = $1200/year, etc.
You sign up through the Campaign for Charities (UGA) and State Charitable Contributions Program (others).
VERY IMPORTANT: UGA’s printed and on-line list left us out (we’re working on it), but you can donate!
For UGA and other state employees, just enter our six-digit code and say how much you want taken out of your paycheck each month starting in January. (You can stop at any time.)
OUR NUMBER FOR THE PLEDGE FORM IS 194077
Just write that on the appropriate line in your paper form, or through signing up on-line.
Please donate, and please spread the word to anyone you know who works for UGA, Public Health, DFCS, DoL, Advantage, Gainesville College, DJJ, Athens Technical College, DCA, DFCS & other DHS entities, Athens Day Reporting Center, Athens Probation Office, and all other state agencies.
All a part of doing Whatever It Takes!
For Immediate Release:
CONTACT: Anna Keller | Poverty is Real
770.324.7335
annaskeller@gmail.com
October 12, 2011 (Athens) – Poverty is Real, a non-profit group based in Decatur, GA announces their second concert series – presented by Flagpole – to be held at 40 Watt Club on Tuesday, December 6. All proceeds from the event will benefit Whatever It Takes, an Athens-based non-profit organization working to break the cycle of poverty locally through education.
The show line-up includes Futurebirds, Patterson Hood, Woodfangs, Claire Campbell (of Hope for Agoldensummer) and My Cousin, The Emperor.
“This will be Poverty is Real’s second benefit concert, following a wildly successful inaugural series in Decatur [Georgia] in June,” said President and Founder Mike Killeen. “We’re thrilled to be working with Whatever It Takes, and are proud to support their mission of promoting education in Athens to help end poverty at a local level.”
In addition to the performances, a CD – comprised of songs donated by many of the event’s performers as well as additional local artists will be available for purchase. The event will also feature Poverty is Real T-shirt sales. All money raised from the event will go to Whatever It Takes.
“One of the core principles of the Whatever It Takes initiative is collaboration with other organizations to maximize the effect we all have on our community,” said Ryan Lewis, Communications Director of Whatever It Takes. “Partnering with Poverty Is Real and the participating musicians and local businesses gives us an opportunity to showcase the creativity that makes Athens such a special town while providing people with an easy and fun way to help all children in Athens succeed in life.”
Poverty is Real’s mission is to identify cities throughout the nation and, at each location, join forces with an established organization already combating issues such as poverty, abuse, and homelessness at a local level. They then reach out to local musicians in each city to create a benefit concert series, and all funds raised at the show are infused directly back into the community through a donation to the partner organization.
Poverty is Real’s initial concert series was held in Decatur, Georgia, in June of 2011, and the group raised $6,500 for Decatur Cooperative Ministry, a non-profit that works to alleviate homelessness in the Atlanta area.
In addition to Flagpole, generous support for this Poverty is Real event comes from Barnes Law Group, Red Eye Gravy Records and 40 Watt Club.
Whatever It Takes is an all hands on deck collaboration that braids people power, existing programs and services, and financial resources to ensure that by 1 p.m. on Wednesday July 1st, 2020 every child in Athens-Clarke County will be on course to graduate from a post-secondary education. They seek to achieve this goal by emphasizing early intervention, recognizing that parents are a child’s first and most important teachers, focusing resources in a limited geographic area, identifying and training neighborhood leaders, setting high expectations for all children, creating a culture of success, and using data to direct to policy. To learn more about Whatever It Takes, visit www. witathens.org
Poverty is Real is a non-profit organization that leverages great music to combat poverty in local communities. We take our fundraising concerts on tour, celebrating music and supporting organizations that fight poverty and homelessness. More than 46 million Americans live in poverty, but Poverty is Real believes that if we work together there’s something we can do to help.
Interviews available upon request. To learn more about Poverty is Real, please visit our web site at povertyisreal.us, or find us on Facebook.
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Food2Kids is collecting donations of pop-top Ravioli cans during the month of October. Donations can be dropped off in Food Bank barrels located in every school in the Clarke County School District.
From the Athens-Banner Herald and OnlineAthens.com:
“The Athens-Clarke Literacy Council will be spending a $1,000 grant soon on bus passes to help cover transportation costs for adults to get to the classes they need to improve their lives.
The ACLC promotes adult literacy by providing basic education for adult readers, those learning English as a second language and GED preparation classes in Clarke County. The council will use the grant money, provided by the Gwinnett Braves, to buy 830 Athens Transit System bus passes to be used over a six-month period, said Mandy Seigler, ACLC executive director.”
Read the rest of the article HERE.
We are constantly on the lookout for individuals willing to provide extra support in any subject area. The major area of need right now is math. The requirements to tutor are:
• to be available to meet with a student for at least 1-3 hours a week (this time commitment can be broken up to more frequent and short time spans).
• to complete a background check through the Clarke County School District (which is provided to you once you indicate an interest in serving as a tutor)
• to complete a brief orientation to Communities In Schools and submit bi-weekly time sheets of volunteer hours completed
If you are interested in becoming a tutor please email Lauren Medina at lauren.medina@witathens.org or give her a call at CMS at 706-543-6547 extension 23355.
Over the course of 2011, approximately five hundred people from the Athens community and over seventy institutional partners have worked tens of thousands of hours to put together a plan that creates a seamless longitudinal network of support for kids from preconception to post-secondary graduation. This work has developed into seventy seven evidence based solutions addressing the needs and leveraging the strengths unique to our community.
Frankly we’re incredibly proud that our town has produced such an amazing plan. Taken together these solutions represent one of the most strategic and aggressive efforts ever undertaken to ensure the success of every child in a community.
We need your expertise and assistance in creating a county wide consensus that a post-secondary education (vocational, technical, military, four-year university) is a necessity for today’s youth and in spreading the word about specific solutions to maximize their effectiveness. We have a real opportunity to make a significant difference in the lives of thousands of children and subsequently our community as a whole. We need your help to realize this potential.
New Strategic Action Team meeting dates are currently being set and can be found on the Whatever It Takes Google Calendar at WITAthens.org.
To get involved in a Strategic Action Team or find out more about other ways you can contribute to this massive effort please call 706-369-9732 or email info@WITAthens.org
Whatever It Takes-at-large Monthly Meeting: Friday, October 14, from 9:30–11 am in the Athens Community Career Academy Cafeteria, 440 Dearing Extension Building #1
WIT Safety and Community Stability Strategic Action Team meeting: Tuesday, Oct. 18 from 2-3:30 pm at the new WIT office in the H.T. Edwards Complex, 441 Dearing Extension.
WIT Early Care and Learning Strategic Action Team meeting: Friday, Oct. 21 from 12 Noon-1:30 pm at the Office of Early Learning Room 125. Please plan to bring a Brown Bag lunch.
Additional meetings will be added to the calendar regularly so please visit WITAthens.org often for updates.
UGA will, on behalf of Athens Housing Authority and the developer with whom they’ve contracted to re-develop the Jack R. Wells neighborhood, have two community meetings “for the public to learn about the project and to contribute ideas for the new mixed-income community.”
On Thursday, October 13, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. will be “discussion and idea generation.”
On Saturday, October 15, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. will be “Charrette final presentation, including ideas generated during Thursday session.”
Both meetings will be at Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church (corner of Old West Broad and Hawthorne).
More information is available at www.newpauldoe.com or 706-425-5401.
Location: Lay Park
Address: 297 Hoyt St., Athens, GA 30601
Times: 3-6 p.m.
Free admission
Give back and volunteer! The Athens-Clarke County Department of Leisure Services, in partnership with the Athens Community Council on Aging and Hands on Northeast Georgia, will host a Community Volunteer Fair on Thursday, September 29, from 3-6 pm, at Lay Park located 297 Hoyt St. in Athens. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn more about ways to help out in the community. Representatives from more than 30 local agencies will be in attendance to provide information about a diverse selection of volunteer needs for a variety of ages. Free popcorn will be served. No registration is required.
The after school program at Clarke Middle School is in need of a few dedicated volunteers to come help out in active classes, create classes for students in the program, or to help out with homework during the after school program.
The program runs M-F from 3:45-5:45. Shifts can be any one of those days or several of those days and can be broken down by class shift (3:45-4:45 or 4:45-5:45). If you are interested in helping out or need some volunteer hours for a college course, please email or call Lauren Medina at: lauren.medina@witathens.org; 706-543-6547 extension 23355 to discuss the possibility of volunteering with this wonderful program.
This volunteer opportunity is perfect for individuals, small groups, and larger groups of dedicated volunteers.
On Monday, September 12th FC/CIS of Athens/Whatever It Takes received a $675 mini-grant from Junior League of Athens in an event at The Melting Point. The money will cover the cost of planning and implementing the inaugural Teen Maze that will be held during the Spring semester at Clarke Central High School. The first edition of the Teen Maze will be focused on Post-Secondary education. Students and familes from Clarke Middle School and Clarke Central High School will participate. The grant application was written by Communities In Schools Site Coordinators Lauren Medina and Leo Cotlar.
For more information on the Teen Maze and other WIT/Communities In Schools events please check witathens.org regularly.
Other organizations that received Junior League of Athens mini-grants include:
-Athens Land Trust
-United Way-Wee Read
-Aids Athens
-Nuci’s Space
-Acc-Sane Inc.
-The Cottage
-Athens Nurses Clinic
-Clarke County Mentor Program/Marketplace
-Jeanette Rankin Foundation/Bargainza
-Food Bank of NE GA/Food2Kids
The resource room at Clarke Middle School is in need of donations of warm school uniform items. We are looking for donations of pants for boys and girls as well as donations of sweaters (preferably in blue and white-but any sweater will meet the dress code).
Girls Pants Sizes (khaki, navy or black): 9/10 youth–Size 12 in Juniors
Boys Pants Sizes (khaki, navy or black): 10 youth–Size 38 in men’s
Sizes for Shirts range from a Size Youth Medium-Size XXL adult.
We will take any gently used or new clothing. Please email or call Lauren Medina at: lauren.medina@witathens.org; 706-543-6547 extension 23355.
The Communities In Schools Site Coordinator at Clarke Middle School is looking for donations of underwear sizes Xsmall-XL (all sizes are needed) for male and female students. These items will be given to students as needed and their families as needed. PLEASE NOTE: We will only accept new items for this donation. For more information or to donate please email Lauren Medina at lauren.medina@witathens.org or call her at 706-543-6547 extension 23355.
Clarke Middle School’s Family Resource Room is in need of several large, sturdy, plastic containers with lids that can be used to store the clothing items we have been collecting for school uniforms and the winter coats we are receiving which will be given out during the cooler months. For more information or to donate please email Lauren Medina at lauren.medina@witathens.org or call her at 706-543-6547 extension 23355.
Communities In Schools of Athens has a new website with information about their work and how you can get involved!
You can find the site HERE.
The mission of Communities In Schools is to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Dawn Aiello
Community Connection
706.353.1313, x231
daiello@communityconnection211.org
www.communityconnection211.org
HandsOn Northeast Georgia is looking for one AmericaCorps VISTA member to serve the Athens, Georgia, community. This VISTA member will work with the Whatever It Takes initiative to develop a “K-12 Liaison Advocate” program for Neighborhood Leaders. This program will provide those neighborhood leaders with the training, resources, and skills needed to advocate for families/parents with students in the Clarke County School District K-12 system and to build capacity within the neighborhood for families and parents to advocate for themselves.
AmericaCorps VISTA members must be over the age of 18. The VISTA members will serve between November 2011 and November 2012, working 8:30am-5:00pm, Monday through Friday and any additional hours are necessary to complete their projects. VISTA members will earn a stipend of approximately $10,000 in that time. Child care and health benefits are available. If the term of service is completed, VISTA members are eligible to receive a $5,350 education award or a $1,500 cash stipend. VISTA members may also be eligible for loan deferment. You may not hold another job during a term of service. If you are interested in this position, please submit a resume and cover letter to Dawn Aiello at DAiello@communityconnection211.org. Please submit the name and contact information for at least two references with your resume. Within your cover letter, please address why you are interested in this work, why you feel you are a qualified candidate, and evidence of your perseverance in past and current community involvements. The deadline for applications is Friday, August 26, 2011, at 5pm.
Communities In Schools and the Lexington Road Walmart store in Athens have teamed up to collect school supplies for Athens area children in need. During the month of August shoppers will find donation boxes at the Lexington Road Walmart store along with lists of needed supplies.
Your donations are very much appreciated and will go a long way to assure that the children of Athens have the tools they need to succeed in school and life!
About Communities In Schools
Communities In Schools (CIS) is one of the nation’s leading dropout prevention organizations, and one that is proven to increase graduation rates and decrease dropout rates. CIS surrounds students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life. Through a school-based coordinator, CIS connects students and their families to critical community resources, tailored to local needs. Working in more than 3,400 schools in the most challenged communities, in 25 states and the District of Columbia, CIS focuses its activities in the most disadvantaged districts, serving nearly 1.3 million young people and their families every year. Please visit www.communitiesinschools.org to learn more about CIS.
A new round of restaurants are on board to participate in the 2011 Dine Out For Kids event on Thursday, August 18th!
• The Grit – 199 Prince Ave, Athens
• Ted’s Most Best – 254 West Washington St, Athens
• Barberitos
• DePalma’s
• Taqueria Del Sol – 334 Prince Ave, Athens
• Fox’s Pizza
Previously announced Dine Out For Kids 2011 Participants:
• Jason’s Deli – 140 Alps Road # 56, Athens
• Your Pie at Beechwood – 196 Alps Rd., Ste 3, Athens
• Last Resort Grill – 184 West Clayton St., Athens
• Willy’s Mexicana Grill – 196 Alps Rd., Athens
A portion of the proceeds from the event will allow Communities In Schools to continue to provide after-school, youth leadership, literacy, parent education and other pertinent programs in communities served.
Please join us in participating in this awesome event!
Thanks to our sponsors:
The annual Dine Out For Kids fundraising event returns to Athens on Thursday, August 18th. Visit participating restaurants (listed below) and a portion of the proceeds from your meal will allow Communities In Schools to continue to provide after-school, youth leadership, literacy, parent education and other vital programs in Athens. Please join us in participating in this worthwhile event!
Please join Magic 102.1 at Barberitos on Gaines School Road (from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm) for a Dine Out For Kids live radio broadcast on Thursday, August 18th.
Participating Restaurants:
• Jason’s Deli – 140 Alps Road # 56, Athens
• Your Pie at Beechwood – 196 Alps Rd., Ste 3, Athens
• Last Resort Grill – 184 West Clayton St., Athens
• Willy’s Mexicana Grill – 196 Alps Rd., Athens
• The Grit – 199 Prince Ave, Athens
• Ted’s Most Best – 254 West Washington St, Athens
• Barberitos – Downtown — 259 East Clayton St
Eastside — 1860 Barnett Shoals Road
Epps Bridge — 1880 Epps Bridge Road
Five Points — 1739 South Lumpkin St
Watkinsville — 2 South Main St
• DePalma’s – Downtown — 401 East Broad Street, Athens
East Side — 1965 Barnett Shoals, Athens
Timothy Road — 2080 Timothy Road, Athens
• Taqueria Del Sol – 334 Prince Ave, Athens
• Mama’s Boy – 197 Oak Street, Athens
Thanks to our sponsors:
Whatever It Takes is throwing a Volunteer Appreciation Celebration at Clarke Middle School on July 1st!
The hard work of WIT volunteers is essential to our goal of ensuring that all children of Athens are healthy, safe, engaged in the community and on course to graduate from a post-secondary education. Now it is time to celebrate all of the hard work so far as we gear up to write our ten year implementation plan!
Parents bring your kids! Kids bring your parents! This is a party for everyone!
See you there!
Did you know that the Whatever It Takes initiative is on Twitter? We are! Visit twitter.com/witathens and follow us for event updates, info for families in Athens, education reform news, parenting tips and more!
Whatever It Takes is throwing a Volunteer Appreciation Celebration at Clarke Middle School on July 1st!
The hard work of WIT volunteers is essential to our goal of ensuring that all children of Athens are healthy, safe, engaged in the community and on course to graduate from a post-secondary education. Now it is time to celebrate all of the hard work so far as we gear up to write our ten year implementation plan!
Parents bring your kids! Kids bring your parents! This is a party for everyone!
See you there!
“One could feel the excitement permeating the room at the Classic City Performance Learning Center on the evening of May 26. Parents and children with happy faces, greeting familiar and new friends alike, buzzed about the room, shaking hands and giving hugs while never losing the skip in their step created by the anticipation of upcoming possibilities.”
Flagpole Magazine writer Emma Hetherington attended the Whatever It Takes May 26th Community Conversation and put together a great feature which can be read online HERE.
The Athens Banner-Herald has feature wrap-up from the Whatever It Takes May 26th Community Conversation. Check out the online version HERE.
The folks over at AthensPatch.com have written a story about the May 26th Whatever It Takes Community Conversation and input session. You can read it HERE.
The Athens Banner-Herald ran a great editorial written by two life-long Clarke County School District students with their suggestions on how to do ‘Whatever It Takes’ for childhood success in Athens! You can read it HERE.
Doing Whatever It Takes to ensure that all children in Athens are healthy, safe, engaged in the community and on course to graduate from a post-secondary education is no small feat. The WIT initiative depends on collaboration on a grand scale in order to accomplish our shared vision and today we would like to give a shout out to one of our partners who has been a great help in the process. Corey Luttrell and his HR Consult Team has been an invaluable resource in establishing internal HR procedures at Whatever It Takes. Please check out the HR Consult Team on Facebook.
President of the Board of Directors of Family Connection-Communities In Schools of Athens, inc – the collaborative responsible for the Whatever It Takes initiative – penned a fantastic op-ed in the Athens Banner-Herald. You can read it HERE.
AthensPatch.com has a great article about the Whatever It Takes initiative which includes video interviews with staff and resident leaders. Check it out HERE.
Click HERE to read a great editorial in the Athens Banner-Herald urging public involvement in our upcoming public input session.
Whatever It Takes Community Conversation
5-6:30pm Thursday, May 26th at the Classic City High School (Performance Learning Center)
H.T. Edwards Campus (440 Dearing Extension #1)
Whatever It Takes staff, in partnership with Strategic Action Teams made up of over 200 volunteers, 59 community agencies/organizations, and 16 Resident Leaders, have been conducting a community assessment process since January. On Thursday, May 26th from 5-6:30 pm we will be presenting a draft of proposed solutions for all of Athens’ children to be successful and seeking public input at the Classic City High School (PLC) on the H.T. Edwards campus (440 Dearing Extension #1). Community input is critical to our implementation plan so we encourage anyone interested in the future success of children in Athens to attend and participate in the process.
Food, transportation and childcare will be available. For more information please contact Terris Thomas at 706-255-7996 or email Terris.Thomas@witathens.org
If you cannot attend, please send ideas to comments@witathens.org
Whatever It Takes is here to support current and new efforts to ensure that every child in Athens-Clarke County is healthy and safe, ready to learn every day, involved in the community and ready to pursue an education and career after high school.
The Athens Banner-Herald has a great feature on Melaney Smith’s amazing Books for Keeps project. Check it out HERE!
The Stadion Classic at UGA will be held at the University of Georgia Golf Course from May 2-8, 2011. The event will be operated by the University’s Auxiliary Services Department. The Stadion Classic at UGA will be the only event on the Nationwide Tour that is owned and operated by an institution of higher education. All net proceeds from the event will support need-based scholarships for UGA students through the Arch Foundation.
All net proceeds from the event will support need-based scholarships for UGA students through the Arch Foundation.
In order for your purchase to benefit Whatever It Takes please select Athens-Clarke County Family Connection INC from the drop down list of local non-profits at check out from the online ordering system.
Advanced Tickets may be purchased through the Regional FirstCare TICKETS Fore CHARITY Program. Sales are currently taking place through the many participating 501(c)3 non-profit organizations that are involved. For more information about the Regional FirstCare TFC program please Click Here. If you are a 501(c)3 non-profit organization please Click Here to find out how to get involved.
To purchase tickets online please click here.
Ticket Prices:
Advance Regional FirstCare TICKETS Fore CHARITY
Weekly Grounds Pass $25.00
Ten pack of Weekly Ground Passes $200.00
Tickets purchased at Gate on Tournament Days*
Weekly Grounds Pass $35.00
Daily Grounds Pass $10.00
Daily Student Pass $7.00
*Proceeds from ticket sales at the gate will go directly to UGA Need-Based Scholarships
Children 14 and under admitted free
Whatever It Takes is holding another in our series of Community Conversations to continue the dialog and solicit suggestions from Alps Road Attendance Zone families on how to create a better future for the Children of Athens.
The April Community Conversation takes place on Thursday, April 21st from 6-8pm at Mount Pleasant Baptist Church located at 1931 Old Broad Street in Athens, GA.
Food, transportation and childcare are available. Please contact Terris Thomas at 706-255-7996 or email Terris.Thomas@witathens.org for more information.
Whatever it Takes is here to support current and new efforts to ensure that every child in Athens-Clarke County is: Healthy & Safe • Ready to Learn Every Day • Involved in the Community • Ready to get an Education and Career after High School!
While we are hard at work gathering information from the Athens community for our ten year implementation plan, Whatever It Takes has started a Vimeo channel to feature videos about our work. Things are off to a great start as the Promise Neighborhood Institute featured our channel on their blog today. Check out the article by clicking HERE.
[vimeo]http://www.vimeo.com/22059939[/vimeo]
Whatever It Takes Resident Leader Tara Davenport speaks at the March WIT Community Conversation about her experiences thus far as a WIT leader and how the work continues to change her life for the better.
We Are Here To Support Current & New Efforts To Ensure Every Child In Athens-clarke County Is: Healthy & Safe • Ready To Learn Every Day • Involved In The Community • Ready To Get An Education & Career After High School
Whatever It Takes is holding another in our series of Community Conversations to continue the dialog and solicit suggestions from Alps Road Attendance Zone families on how to create a better future for the Children of Athens.
Food, transportation and childcare are available. Please contact Terris Thomas at 706-255-7996 or email Terris.Thomas@witathens.org for more information.
Whatever it Takes is here to support current and new efforts to ensure that every child in Athens-Clarke County is: Healthy & Safe • Ready to Learn Every Day • Involved in the Community • Ready to get an Education and Career after High School!
Hot on the heels of our fantastic first Community Conversations event, Whatever It Takes is holding the second Community Conversations event to continue our dialog with residents in the Alps Road attendance zone (Alps Rd Elementary, Clarke Middle School & Clarke Central High School).
Please join us if you are a parent of a child in the Alps Road zone and spread the word if you know anyone who should be there.
This event is being held on Wednesday, February 16th from 6-8pm at Clarke Middle School at 1235 Baxter Street. Transportation and child care are available.
Please contact Terris Thomas for more information at 706-255-7996 or Terris.Thomas@witathens.org
If you are a Facebook user you can RSVP to the event HERE. Thanks!
Whatever It Takes is participating in this Introduction to Mentoring seminar Tuesday january 25th from 6-7pm:
Interested in Becoming a Mentor?
Find out about about local programs and their needs.
What: Introduction to Mentoring
When: Tuesday, January 25 from 6-7pm
Where: Redeemer Presbyterian Church, Downtown- 165 Pulaski Street, Athens, GA 30601-2812
Why: Because all of our mentoring programs have waiting lists of students seeking mentors
Who: For anyone interested in mentoring. This event is free and open to all and is sponsored by the Community Mentoring Collaborative (a coalition of local mentoring and tutoring agencies)
For more info visit: http://communityconnection211.org/index.php?id=46
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Dawn Aiello
Community Connection
706.353.1313, x231
daiello@communityconnection211.org
www.communityconnection211.org
Local Mentoring Agencies Host Recruitment Event
Athens, Ga. — Local mentoring agencies are holding their first jointly-sponsored “Introduction to Mentoring” session during National Mentoring Month. The information session will explore the responsibilities of becoming a mentor as well as the different programs and populations volunteers can serve in Athens. The session will be held on January 25, 2010 from 6 to 7pm at Redeemer Presbyterian Church and is free and open to the public. Please RSVP through www.HandsOnNortheastGeorgia.org – on the home page, select the event titled “Mentor Training”.
“Athens has over two dozen mentor programs, each with a unique approach and specific target population,” says Delene Porter, President/CEO of Athens Area Community Foundation. “These programs also share fundamental similarities in how they build healthy mentoring relationships so it’s wonderful they are working together to recruit potential mentors” she adds. The Community Foundation hosted a breakfast for the local mentoring agencies in April 2010 to coordinate efforts and indentify best practices common to each organization. With over 40 attendees at the first meeting, the group, now calling itself the Community Mentoring Collaborative, has continued to meet and identified five priorities for its efforts- strengthening bonds between the agencies, mentoring the mentoring agencies, finding the best fit of all children and mentors, improving communication with the Clarke County School District, and improving communication with the larger community.
“Sharing mentoring recruitment efforts and providing joint mentor training programs were top priorities for the group,” says Dawn Aiello, Community Programs Director over HandsOn Northeast Georgia. As a vehicle for volunteer recruitment, HandsOn Northeast Georgia worked with mentoring agencies to catalogue their services and provide a way to connect mentors with agencies that best meet their interests and skills.
The upcoming training will be the first of many workshops to prepare volunteers for the joys and challenges of mentoring. “Being a mentor is an incredible honor, but it also carries a great deal of responsibility,” says Aiello. Each section of the Community Mentoring Collaborative’s orientation will be presented by local experts and agencies including Friends for Life, Goodwill of North Georgia, Clarke County Mentor Program, UGA Office of Intercultural Affairs, Athens Tutorial Program, and UGA’s Center for Leadership and Service. More agencies will be on hand to answer questions about their specific programs. Ben Farnsworth, Director of Downtown Ministries, volunteered the use of Redeemer Presbyterian’s fellowship hall for the event. “We know many people are curious about becoming a mentor and the fellowship hall can accommodate a crowd,” Farnsworth says. “All of the agencies benefit from working together, but more importantly, more mentors mean more kids get the support they need,” adds Porter.
The Community Mentoring Collaborative is open to all mentoring and tutoring organizations interested in sharing best practices. For more information about the Collaborative or about the January 25th orientation, visit www.HandsOnNortheastGeorgia.org.
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On 1/20/11, Whatever It Takes is holding the first of our Community Conversations series to start a dialog with residents in the Alps Road attendance zone (Alps Rd Elementary, Clarke Middle School & Clarke Central High School). The conversation kicks off at 6pm and should be concluded by 8.
Please join us if you are a parent of a child in the Alps Road zone and spread the word if you know anyone who should be there.
Your voice is needed!
See the Facebook event HERE.
Lewis Earnest, our Board President, discusses the need for investing in children.
Friday, December 10, the 40 Watt Club will host the third annual Tidings for Tykes benefit, and all proceeds will be donated to Whatever it Takes. Admission is $5 with a toy donation or $7 without a toy donation.
3rd Annual Tidings for Tykes
with Futurebirds and Ninja Gun
and a song swap featuring Hunter Morris,
Nate Nelson, Vaughan Lamb, Eddie Whelan
Friday December 10 | 10:00 PM Doors
$5 with toy donation, $7 without
Financial proceeds will be donated to Whatever It Takes,
toys will be provided to children in need.
Great music, great cause, great fun — see you there!
The Flagpole publishes a great article on the WIT longitudinal data system.
The hard work paid off. WIT received one of twenty-one federal grants to become a promise neighborhood. In an extremely competitive grant application…Athens won. Read the ABH coverage here.
Read this great editorial by the Banner-Herald
Great feature on our newest partner, Books for Keeps.
Read Will’s op-ed here.
Tiara Smith wrote a fantastic op-ed on the role of parents supporting their kids’ educational pursuits.
Take a look at Eric’s well-written op-ed in the paper. While having all children on track to graduate from a post-secondary education is an audacious goal it is very feasible given how successful we’ve been thus far. When we work together great things can happen.
The Flagpole magazine wrote a great article about Whatever It Takes. Enjoy.
The Athens Banner-Herald published an article about us. Please comment and support our cause!
At this point we are in the development stage of this initiative. We have refined our ideas, established a mission and vision, and developed partnerships. Community members, families, and non-profits are busy working together to launch the project. We need your ideas, support, and energy. All meetings are open to the public and will be announced on the website. Thanks!
PO Box 1904, Athens, GA 30603-1904 | 706-369-9732 | info@witathens.org
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