Nurture 15 At-Risk Atlanta Preschoolers for a Year

It's been a challenging start to 2011.  Economic recovery has still not reached many of the families who need the services Sheltering Arms provides, meaning our waiting lists for child care tuition scholarships continue to grow.  At the same time, fundraising remains sluggish as many of our loyal supporters have had to scale back their donations until business picks up.  Most recently, efforts to balance government budgets and cut deficits at the state and national level have put in jeopardy some of our most stable sources of support.  The Georgia PreK program was slated to be cut to a half day program, a move that would have forced good teachers to leave the profession, and would have left low-income working families with hard choices that would impact their household budgets and their children's welfare.  Sheltering Arms parents took a leadership role in speaking out to save PreK, writing letters and emails, making phone calls, attending townhall meetings with their elected officials, and speaking at legislative hearings.  In response to the overwhelming grassroot support for PreK, the full-day program was restored.  While Sheltering Arms still anticipates a loss of at least $1M in PreK funding, the current plan is much less detrimental to families and teachers.  We are grateful to our wonderful families who represented us so passionately and professionally in front of our state's leaders.

One of the ways we're working hard and creatively to restore lost funding is through events like our upcoming StoryStroll:  Walk a Mile for a Sheltering Arms Child.  From April 9 - 23, all 17 Sheltering Arms centers will host family-friendly 1-mile walks to raise funds for child care tuition scholarships.  Even babies who can't yet walk on their own will participate, and many little ones will opt to "trike" their mile rather than walk it.  Funds are raised through pledged sponsorships of our walkers, and community groups---from high school bands to local Kiwanis clubs---volunteer their time to create a festive atmosphere for each event. 

The StoryStrolls do more than just help us raise money, however.  They also help to raise awareness about the link between early childhood education and long-term health benefits. New research from Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health found young children who participated in high quality early education programs have significantly better health as adults and are more likely to graduate from high school.  High school graduates are not only healthier than those who dropout, but their children are healthier, too.

The StoryStrolls also help families get involved in the early prevention of childhood obesity.  Sheltering Arms works with children during the crucial early years of development, and with young parents as they learn how to support and raise a family.  The StoryStrolls get children and parents excited about physical fitness at a time when it can become a lifelong habit.  Partnerships with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, the Morehouse School of Medicine, and Head Start’s “I Am Moving, I Am Learning” are helping Sheltering Arms teach families about healthy living. 

We welcome all our Global Giving supporters in the Atlanta area to join one of our StoryStroll events.  Just check out the schedule of events and local contact information at the link provided.  Nothing like the outdoors on a beautiful spring day with adorable toddlers as your walking companions!

Thank you so much for your continued support of the precious children and strong families served by Sheltering Arms.

Links:

• Sheltering Arms StoryStroll 2011

• Sheltering Arms Hugs & Hearts Newsletter (PDF)