The Official Portal for the State of Georgia

Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue

Homes & Services

There are many residential facilities around the state. However, each facility has its own unique program. Listed below are different opportunities for involvement that are generally available at the homes. For specific programs, you should contact the individual agency. A comprehensive list of residential facilities can be found online at: http://www.referralcentral.info.

What can an individual do?

Become a mentor/tutor to children, or volunteer, in general, in residential facilities or through organizations such as Children's Restoration Network. Provide skill training or fine art/hobby lessons to the children. Many of the children would not be able to receive such training without the aid of the community.

Contribute financially, in-kind, or provide memorial gifts to the homes.

Provide Campbell Soup labels to the homes. The labels can be used to purchase things such as buses, cars, and other equipment for the home.

Ask your company to match your donations to the homes.

Encourage your neighborhoods, churches, or civic organizations involved in "adopt or befriend a shelter/home" programs. Such programs can include sponsoring excursions and holiday outings for the children, home painting and renovations, gardens projects, celebrating birthdays with residents, providing school supplies, bringing dinner to a group home, providing store gift certificates, etc.

Contribute to organizations that provide supplemental support to children in group homes, such as Children's Restoration Network, United Way, etc.

What can a corporation and/or an organization do?

Provide staff contributions or allow employees to volunteer with residential facilities during the work day by providing volunteers with flex days or, at a minimum, not penalizing employees for volunteering their time.

Sponsor an event to be held by the home. Events can range from field trips and activities for the children to events designed to raise funds and/or equipment for the home. The individual agency can work with you to help craft an event.

Schedule a presentation at a corporate event to educate attendees on the issues surrounding residential homes and about opportunities for involvement. These presentations can also include information about how your corporation is involved in helping residential homes and encourage corporate volunteerism.

Participate in the matching gift program by matching employee donations.

Adopt or befriend a shelter/home. Such programs can include sponsoring excursions and holiday outings for the children, home painting and renovations, gardens projects, celebrating birthdays with residents, providing school supplies, bringing dinner to a group home, providing store gift certificates, etc.

Become a Corporate “Door Opener,†which are companies that provide discounts on products and services to foster youth.

Become a member of the Metropolitan Atlanta Youth Opportunities Initiative's Employment Committee and assist in identifying and providing jobs to foster youth transitioning out of care.

What can a foundation do?

Provide operational funding.

Provide start-up funding to new homes.

Provide capital campaign gifts.

Support organizations providing services for abused and neglected children.

Assist foster youth transitioning out of care by committing financial resources, through the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, to Individual Development Accounts (IDAs), which will assist youth in building personal and economic assets. An IDA will help foster youth attend college, acquire quality housing, or become an entrepreneur.

Related Web Sites

211, http://211online.unitedwayatlanta.org/

Atlanta Junior League, http://www.jlatlanta.org/

Atlanta Women's Foundation/Angela's Fund, http://www.atlantawomen.org/

Adopt a Children's Group Home, Cara Fox at http://www.gahsc.org/

Children's Advocacy Centers of Georgia, http://www.cacga.org

Children's Restoration Network, http://www.childrn.org

Georgia Association of Homes & Services for Children, http://www.gahsc.org

Georgia Center for Children, http://www.georgiacenterforchildren.org/home.html

Turning Point, Inc., call 770-808-3714

The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, http://www.atlcf.org/case.html

Rainbows, http://www.rainbows.org/

Referral Central, http://www.referralcentral.info