GOOD NEWS! SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE VOTES "DO PASS" ON CHILD PROTECTION AND PUBLIC SAFETY ACT
March 21 -- A huge step in the direction of restorative justice for Georgia's children was taken today. The Senate Judiciary Committee voted "Do Pass by Substitute" for HB 641 - The Child Protection and Public Safety Act. The next stop is the Senate Rules Committee, where the bill will await a spot on the Senate calendar for a vote by the full Senate by the 40th day of this legislative session.
Please send a round of thanks to Senator Bill Hamrick, chairman of the Senate Judiciary committee. Also, let the members of the committee know that you appreciate their support for the House version of the bill and their undivided attention to testimony from Representative Wendell Willard (sponsor of HB 641) and Kirsten Widner, policy director of the Barton Child Law and Policy Center.
The Senate Judiciary Committee members who were present at the hearing:
Bill Hamrick, Chairman 404-656-0036 or [email protected]
Bill Cowsert, Vice Chairman 404-463-1383 or [email protected]
John Crosby, Secretary 404-463-5258 or [email protected]
Charlie Bethel, Member 404-656-6436 or [email protected]
Jason Carter, Member 404-463-1376 or [email protected]
Vincent Fort, Member 404-656-5091 or [email protected]
Joshua McKoon, Member 404-463-3931 or [email protected]
Jesse Stone, Member 404-463-1314 or [email protected]
Thank you for your steadfast commitment to making Georgia a better place for all children. Your support for restorative justice has not been in vain. |
JOIN ICM AT OUR THIRD ANNUAL "COMING TOGETHER FOR ALL CHILDREN" AN ICM WELCOME AND REDEDICATION CELEBRATION (HIGHLIGHTING CELEBRATION OF EXCELLENCE)
ICM's Coming Together for All Children
The honor of your presence is requested, Thursday, April 19, 2012, 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. at ICM's third annual "Coming Together for All Children." We gather to welcome and celebrate you and the children we serve; and to renew our commitment to do what we are called to do; do what we are able to do; and do what must be done for children.
ICM's "Coming Together for All Children" will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta, located at 1911 Cliff Valley Way, NE, Atlanta, GA 30329.(Please go to www.uuca.org for directions.)
A light dinner will be served. Please RSVP by April 14 for yourself and your guests.
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This is a great opportunity for child advocacy and other child well-being organizations to provide information about the work you're doing to help children in Georgia. Please let us know that you're coming. Register today!
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2012 Celebration of Excellence - 20th Anniversary
ICM's "Coming Together for All Children" will also be the culmination of our celebration of giving for the 20th Celebration of Excellence for Georgia's Foster Care Children.
As a partner sponsor of the 20th anniversary of the Celebration of Excellence, which is scheduled for June 13, we are asking you and your faith community or organization to participate in the celebration of giving by sponsoring 20 gift cards in increments of $25 for Georgia's foster children who are graduating from high school or from a post-secondary educational institution. For ease of use and access, we are asking that the gift cards be from Target or Wal-Mart.
Please bring your donation of 20 gift cards on April 19 to the "Coming Together for All Children" celebration and be part of the Celebration of Giving recognition ceremony. |
US DEPT OF LABOR ANNOUNCES AVAILABILITY OF $75 MILLION THROUGH YOUTHBUILD GRANTS PROGRAM TO HELP YOUNG PEOPLE DEVELOP JOB SKILLS
Contact Name: Jason Kuruvilla or Dave Roberts Phone Number: (202) 693-6587 or x5945 Release Number: 12-0433-NAT
WASHINGTON - Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis announced on March 7 the availability of approximately $75 million in YouthBuild grant funds to develop programs that will help out-of-school youth complete high school or General Educational Development programs, as well as learn critical occupational skills in construction, health care, information technology and other fields.
"The YouthBuild programs that will be funded through this grant competition will help provide youth at risk of falling through the cracks with the opportunity to develop not only the jobs skills they need, but also the leadership qualities that will enable them to be valuable, productive members of their communities," said Secretary Solis.
The U.S. Department of Labor anticipates serving more than 5,200 young people through 75 grants, ranging from $700,000 to $1.1 million each, to be awarded to organizations that oversee education and employment services for disadvantaged youth in their communities.
This solicitation for grant applications is the first to incorporate new regulations for the YouthBuild program that expand required skills training beyond construction to include training in high-demand occupations such as health care and information technology, among others.
YouthBuild is a nonresidential, community-based alternative education program that provides classroom instruction and occupational skills training to at-risk individuals ages 16-24. Participants have been in the juvenile justice system, are aging out of foster care, are high school dropouts, and are otherwise at-risk of failing to reach key educational milestones and opportunities that lead to career fulfillment. Participants learn valuable skills as they build or rehabilitate housing for low-income or homeless individuals and families in their communities. Non-construction skills training programs also must include leadership development and community service elements to ensure that youth maintain a connection to their communities through service and volunteerism.
The solicitation for grant applications will be published in the March 8 edition of the Federal Register. Both the solicitation and information on how to apply for a grant are available at http://www.doleta.gov/grants/find_grants.cfm.
For more information on YouthBuild and other Labor Department youth employment programs, visit http://www.doleta.gov/youth_services. |
JOIN ICM IN BUILDING A "BRIDGE TO HARMONY"
"Religious persecution anywhere is a threat to religious freedom everywhere." Whether it is the imprisonment of pastors Sadegh-Khanjani and Yousef Nadarkhani by the Iranian government or one of the 1,322 "religious-bias" hate crimes in the United States, the victims deserve more than our shock and our silence. They deserve our commitment to build relationships of understanding, appreciation and respect across boundaries of religious institutions and spiritual practices.
Become a bridge builder and help build the "Bridge to Harmony" by sharing your stories of encouragement on ICM's facebook page of how you have reached out or how you plan to reach out in peace and friendship to persons not of your own faith tradition. | |
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, grassroots, 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.
The Interfaith Children's Movement strives to be a voice for all Georgia children, but especially the poor and marginalized whose voices are often unheard.
ICM works closely with Georgia's policy-oriented child advocacy organizations, such as:
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HELP FEED HUNGRY CHILDREN THIS SUMMER THROUGH THE SUMMER FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM (SFSP)
22% of Georgia's children live in poverty, and Atlanta ranks fifth in the nation in child poverty.
The SFSP is looking for eligible sponsors to serve nutritious meals to children throughout Georgia during the summer months. The program is administered in Georgia by Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning and is funded by the United States Department of Agriculture.
What does SFSP do? SFSP provides free meals to eligible children in low-income areas during the summer months when students are out of school.
Who Can Qualify:
- Public or private non-profit schools;
- Universities, colleges, or camps;
- City or county governments; and
- Private nonprofit organizations, including churches and other faith-based organizations considered tax exempt by the IRS. |
For more information about SFSP click here.
For training dates click here.
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MAKE A
SPECIAL
CONTRIBUTION TO ICM TODAY
Your contributions create a better Georgia for all children. Make a monthly tax-deductible gift of $25.00 or a one-time gift of $100.00. Please click HERE now to make a secure, on-line, tax-deductible contribution. Do what must be done... GIVE to ICM today. |
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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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ICM Board of Directors
Bettieanne C. Hart, Board Chair
Carolina Antonini
Dustin Baxter
Rev. Toni Belin-Ingram
Rabbi Analia Bortz
Linda Eason
Lance Lourie
Rev. Andrew Peabody
Rev. Dr. Wendell Phillips
Donald Price
Imam Mansoor Sabree
Rev. Dr. Luther E. Smith, Jr.
David Soloway
Beatrice Soublet
Kathryn Stanley | |
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