Georgia Appleseed Inc

THE MISSION OF GEORGIA APPLESEED IS TO INCREASE JUSTICE IN GEORGIA THROUGH LAW AND POLICY REFORM AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

WE ADVANCE JUSTICE ACROSS GEORGIA FOR THE STATE'S MARGINALIZED CHILDREN. OUR TWO MAIN PROGRAM INITIATIVES ARE SCHOOL JUSTICE AND HOUSING JUSTICE. THE SCHOOL JUSTICE INITIATIVE AIMS TO DISMANTLE THE SCHOOL-TO-PRISON PIPELINE BY KEEPING CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN SCHOOL WITH THE SUPPORTS THEY NEED TO SUCCEED AND REDUCING THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH WHO ENTER THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM. WITHIN THIS INITIATIVE, WE OPERATE A RANGE OF PROGRAMMING. A FEW EXAMPLES INCLUDE INCLUDING EXPANDING SCHOOL-BASED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES ACROSS GEORGIA, PROVIDING CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE WITH ATTORNEYS AND TRAINED ADVOCATES TO SECURE THE EDUCATIONAL AND BEHAVIOR SUPPORTS THEY NEED, AND CRAFTING RELEVANT LEGISLATION AND AGENCY POLICY TO MAKE SCHOOL DISCIPLINE MORE FAIR, IMPROVE SCHOOL CLIMATE, AND REDUCE RACIAL DISPARITIES IN EDUCATION OUTCOMES.OUR HOUSING JUSTICE INITIATIVE ADVOCATES FOR STATEWIDE AND LOCAL POLICY REFORMS TO CREATE AND SUSTAIN HEALTHY, STABLE HOUSING FOR LOW-INCOME CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES. CHILDREN LIVING IN UNSAFE HOUSING CONDITIONS ARE MORE LIKELY TO SUFFER FROM CHRONIC RESPIRATORY ILLNESSES AND EXPERIENCE HOUSING INSTABILITY. THESE CHILDREN OFTEN CHANGE SCHOOLS, DO MORE POORLY ON STANDARDIZED TESTS, HAVE LOWER GRADUATION RATES, AND ARE AT INCREASED RISK OF JUVENILE SYSTEM AND FOSTER CARE INVOLVEMENT.RECENT ACHIEVEMENTS FROM OUR SCHOOL AND HOUSING JUSTICE INITIATIVES INCLUDE:- NEW STATE LAWS AND POLICIES PROTECTING CHILDREN FROM DANGEROUS HOUSING CONDITIONS AND REQUIRING SCHOOLS TO PROVIDE NEEDED SUPPORT TO CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE.- ONGOING CONVENING OF STATEWIDE COALITIONS FOR HOUSING JUSTICE AND SCHOOL JUSTICE COMPRISING MORE THAN 100 MEMBERSHIP ORGANIZATIONS.- 377,000 FEWER KIDS SUSPENDED FROM SCHOOL SINCE OUR TARGETED SCHOOL JUSTICE EFFORTS STARTED IN 2010.- A REFERRAL SYSTEM CONNECTING CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE ACROSS GEORGIA WITH LEGAL SUPPORT TO HELP THEM STAY IN SCHOOL, WHICH PROTECTS AN AVERAGE OF 122 SCHOOL DAYS PER STUDENT.- TRAINING EACH YEAR FOR MORE THAN 1,100 PARENTS, TEACHERS, CASE MANAGERS, AND OTHERS ACROSS GEORGIA TO BE INFORMED AND CONFIDENT ADVOCATES FOR CHILDREN.- PUBLISHED GUIDANCE AND A RESOURCE TOOLKIT FOR SCHOOLS TO IMPLEMENT SCHOOL-BASED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROGRAMS.- DEVELOPMENT OF GEORGIA'S FIRST 10-YEAR STRATEGIC HOUSING ADVOCACY PLAN.- EXPANSION OF AN INNOVATIVE EVICTION DIVERSION PROGRAM THAT HAS PROTECTED MORE THAN 3,000 FAMILIES FROM HOMELESSNESS.- TESTIMONY BEFORE THE U.S. SENATE TO BRING NATIONWIDE ATTENTION TO GEORGIA'S UNHEALTHY, UNSAFE HOUSING CONDITIONS.