1. About Voices
for Georgia’s Children
A Nonprofit Child Policy & Advocacy
Organization
Polly McKinney
Advocacy Director
10 May 2012

2. Who We Are
Katie Pat Dante Monique Kisha Polly Jessica Julia
Development Executive Health Office Early Advocacy Communic. Just GA
Director Director Policy Manager Childhood Director Manager Coordinator
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3. Who We Are
• Established in 2003 as a statewide nonprofit child policy
and advocacy organization
• Vision: To create a Georgia where children are
safe, healthy, educated, employable, and connected to
their family and community
• Mission: To be a powerful, unifying voice for a public
agenda that ensures the well being of all of Georgia’s
children
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4. Who We Are
• An independent nonpartisan organization affiliated with
Voices for America’s Children
• The only policy and advocacy organization in Georgia
dedicated to overall child well being, not just one specific
issue (e.g. education)
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5. Who We Are
• A convener of organizations and individuals around key
child issues
• Lead several collaborative advocacy groups made up of
organizations and individuals:
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6. Stats on Georgia’s Kids
– 1 in 4 live at or below FPL
– Georgia’s high school grad rate = 67%
– 61% of low-income families have no reading
material suitable for a child
– 29% of 4th graders scored at or above
proficient (2009) on NAEP reading test
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7. Stats on Georgia’s Kids
– 60% committed to DJJ are locked up for
nonviolent offenses
– Nearly 25% aging out of foster care end up
homeless
– 38% of nonviolent children detained in
juvenile jails are locked up for technical
violations and status offenses
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8. Stats on Georgia’s Kids
– 9.1% of babies born have low birth weight
– 23.6% are not immunized
– 12% have no insurance coverage
– Georgia ranks #2 in U.S. in childhood obesity
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9. Goals for Voices
• Move the dial for kids
– Have a Presence (with a capital “P”), so that kids are
ever-present
– Maintain good information
– Maintain good and diverse relationships
– Be effective
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10. What We Do
• Created a comprehensive policy agenda for Georgia’s
children that drives our work
– Three-pronged agenda: Issues related to Early
Childhood (Birth to Age 5), Child Health and
Transitioning Youth
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11. What We Do
• Advocacy work
takes many forms:
– Community
outreach and
events
– Polling, publication
s and research
– Media
campaigning
– Direct advocacy
and lobbying
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12. Impact: Community Events
• Host a variety of “issues awareness” events for elected
officials, agency heads, organizational and individual
advocates, the media and the public
Receptions to celebrate Gov.
Deal’s Leadership Team for
Childrenand the new Georgia
Dept. of Public Health. Gov.
and First Lady attended both
events. Attendees also
included legislators, agency
heads and advocates.
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13. Impact: Community Events
Annual Children’s Day at the
Capitol with 24 partners (old and
new) to inform legislators and the
public about issues that impact
Georgia’s kids.
Annual Georgia Pre-K Week with Pete
the Cat to raise awareness of
Georgia’s Pre-K. In 2011, First
Lady, DECAL Comr. and 108
legislators read to a classroom in their
district.
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14. Impact: Publications &
Research
Early Childhood Child Health Transitioning Youth
COMPOUNDING
INTEREST
Why ZERO TO FIVE is an
investment worth making
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15. Impact: Policy & Legislation
• Lobby State Legislation
– Annual Agenda
• Lobby Federal Legislation
• Regulatory Advocacy
– Child serving agencies
• Community Outreach
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16. How You Can Help
• New website - www.georgiavoices.org - is a great
resource for information seekers. Visit our site to:
– Join our email list
– Connect with us on social media
– Respond to action alerts
– Browse our events calendar
– Search our publications and research archive
– Find contact information for your elected officials
– Track bills that impact Georgia’s children
– Donate to help sustain our advocacy efforts
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17. Online (www.georgiavoices.org)
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18. Thank You!
For more information:
Polly McKinney
pmckinney@georgiavoices.org
Or visit: www.georgiavoices.org