SUPPORT THE CELEBRATION OF EXCELLENCE
400 graduating foster care children need your help.
Please donate a gift card today. Let your generosity and hospitality be the difference in a child's life.
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The"Celebration of Excellence" is an annual statewide event that honors and recognizes youth in Georgia's foster care system who will graduate from high school, vocational school, GED programs or college. This year's event will celebrate some 400 foster care youth and will be held Wednesday, June 9, 2010, at 6:30 p.m. at Georgia State University's Rialto Center for the Arts in downtown Atlanta. Victoria Rowell will be the keynote speaker.
HOW CAN YOU HELP?
ICM is calling upon faith communities to help us support this joyous occasion by participating in the following ways:
1. Donate gift cards in increments of $25 to help students with purchasing supplies they will need for school, work and home. Please remember that children who turn 18 while in foster care are deemed to have "aged out" and transition into independent living status. Our goal is to give each of the 400 children a gift card.
2. Join the COE Volunteers Team and commit to assisting at the event on June 9.
3. Come to the celebration and give love and support to these well-deserving youth. The event is free and open to the public.
Let us help make June 9, 2010, an especially positive and memorable day. Please contact Pamela Perkins at 770-498-2141 or send an e-mail info@interfaithchildrensmovement.org to sign up as a volunteer and to find out more information about donating gift cards. |
STOP CHILD SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND TRAFFICKING: Speak Up Now!
Fight Child Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking In-Flight
Some airlines have been part of the fight to stop child sexual exploitation and trafficking by showing in-flight videos that make passengers aware of this horrendous crime and the consequences of committing this crime. Atlanta has become a primary hub for child sexual exploitation and trafficking in part due to having one of the busiest airports in the world.
You can help save one more child from sexual exploitation and trafficking. Please use the "Speak Up Now" link to contact City of Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport General Manager Ben DeCosta, and the top six major national airlines that fly into Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport and ask them to join the fight by supporting the airing of in-flight videos against child sexual exploitation and trafficking on all flights into Atlanta -- domestic and international.
Speak Up Now! Let the "SUN" rise for thousands of children in Georgia who live in the shadows as victims of child sexual exploitation.
In-flight videos from international airlines:
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Stop the Prostitution of Children in Georgia
Action Alert: Atlanta Chief of Police Town Hall Meeting
Mayor Kasim Reed has narrowed down the list of candidates for the Atlanta Chief of Police to three seasoned law enforcement professionals. He will host a town hall meeting at 6 p.m., Thursday, June 3, 2010, at the Atlanta Civic Center to introduce the three finalists to the community. The town hall meeting will be open to the public and will feature a Q & A session, where Atlanta residents, business owners and civic and community leaders will be able to ask the candidates questions. Shortly after the town hall meeting, Mayor Reed will announce his choice for the Atlanta Chief of Police, a decision which must be confirmed by the Atlanta City Council.
Prioritizing Demand
The recent release of our research reveals there are 7,200 men knowingly or unknowingly buying sex with adolescents every month in Georgia. It is the Chief of Police who will be setting the priorities for law enforcement in our city. Those priorities will be influenced by the the voice of the community. Let the Chief of Police know that arresting johns is a top priority for our community.
Take Your Advocacy Local
Campaign Director, Kaffie McCullough, will be asking a question to the finalists. Be sure to get your A Future. Not a Past. sticker when you arrive. Come out to the town hall meeting and let the future Chief of Police for Atlanta know that stopping demand is our top priority and we support the arrests of those who purchase sex from Georgia's children. If we do not stop demand we will fail to protect our children from the most heinous form of child abuse. Come and show your support for our children!!!
Thank you,
Kaffie McCullough
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Street GRACE will hold an Evening of Education, Awareness and Engagement, Friday, June 4 from 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. at 12Stone Church. The evening will be an experiential event using art, drama and music in an effort to educate and to create awareness in regard to the commercial sexual exploitation of children in the metropolitan Atlanta area. For more information on this event, please visit www.StreetGRACE.org.
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SPIRITUAL WITNESS FOR CHILDREN |
One of the most important things faith communities can do for children is to pray for them.
Every child is a child of God and deserves justice and compassion. Every child deserves our prayers.
ICM encourages every faith community to become a spiritual witness for children. Hold a worship service in your church, synagogue, mosque or temple and invite others to join in praying for the well-being of all children. |
ICM MISSION AND GOALS
The Interfaith Children's Movement (ICM) is an interfaith advocacy movement dedicated to improving the well-being of children in Georgia.
ICM was formed in 2001 as an intentional association of individuals and communities of faith from all religious traditions. We strive to be a voice for all Georgia children, but especially the poor and marginalized whose voices are often unheard.
Our goal is to end the injustices to children that we would not endure ourselves--to use the structure of faith communities to bring these injustices to public awareness; to bring faith communities to the service of children; and to use the voice of the collective faith community to inspire the legislature to make changes that are good for children.
ICM works closely with Georgia's policy-oriented child advocacy organizations, such as:
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Voices for Georgia's Children,
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The Barton Child Law and Policy Clinic at Emory University,
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Georgia Appleseed,
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JUSTGeorgia,
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Prevent Child Abuse Georgia and
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A Future.Not a Past. (child prostitution prevention).
These organizations set the agenda for our advocacy work for children, and ICM's faith community members provide a megaphone to the legislature about what needs to be done for children.
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CALLED BY MY FAITH | |
YOUTH SPOTLIGHT
MADY STOAKLEY
JOHNS CREEK BAHA'I COMMUNITY
Mady Stoakley was a youth presenter at ICM's "Coming Together for All Children" a Welcome and Rededication Celebration. As Mady prepares to give a year of service to children in San Salvador, El Salvador, she shared her thoughts on what it means to be "Called by My Faith." Read an excerpt here. |
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EVENTS, TRAINING AND SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES | |
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FAITH ALLIANCE
OF METRO ATLANTA
presents
Vedanta and Hinduism:
Key Values and Practices
Date: Wednesday, June 2
Time: 12:00 p.m.-1:30 p.m.
Location: Vedanta Center of Atlanta, 2331 Brocket Rd., Tucker 30084.
This exploration of the Vedanta Center and the values and practices of the Vedanta faith will be led by Gillian Renault, member of the Vedanta Center of Atlanta and member of the FAMA board.
Lunch will be available for $15.
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STREET GRACE
MONTHLY MEETING
1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
North Avenue Presbyterian Church, Atlanta, GA
Guest speakers will be Chris Brown with Bright Futures, Andrea Hill with Cool Girls and Margaret Harouny with Safe Families. For more information, go to www.streetgrace.org. |
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JOIN ICM @ STRENGTHENING FAMILIES IN FAITH-BASED COMMUNITIES SYMPOSIUM
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JOIN ICM @ THE ATLANTA INTERFAITH LEADERS FELLOWSHIP'S "CELEBRATION OF INTERFAITH WORK"
Date: Sunday, June 6, 2010 Time: 3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Location: Sultan's Turkish and Lebanese Restaurant, 5920 Roswell Road, Sandy Springs, GA 30328
Imam Plemon El-Amin shares information about the diverse programs of the Interfaith Community Institute.
Melody Moezzi speaks about the proposed 2011 Atlanta Faith Festival and the goals of the 100 People of Faith Atlanta Chapter.
Learn more about and have an opportunity to sign up to help various interfaith organizations.
ICM will be participating in this event. Come out and visit our table!
Dinner will be served. Cost of dinner is $20.
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SAVE THE DATE!
NEXT ICM GENERAL MEETING
THURSDAY, JULY 15 @ 6:30 PM | |
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JOIN ICM and the effort to improve the well-being of Georgia's children. Make a tax-deductible contribution today. | |
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