This week’s blog is written by Antwan "Big Boi" Patton. The rapper, song-writer, producer and actor is also a father to three children. Here he discusses the importance of balancing one’s family life and career.

To the world I’m Big Boi, but to Jordan, Bamboo and Cross I’m DAD!

Becoming a father helps your program yourself because it’s not just about you anymore. Your kids come before everything except God. You’re living for your family now. It makes you more responsible and focused.

To balance family and music can be difficult at times, so you have to work hard at both of them. You have to take the time to go to school plays and help out with their homework.

I’m a hands-on dad. I’m there for football games, soccer season and piano lessons. I make it work. It’s very fulfilling and it completes me and keeps me grounded. It’s not about what’s going on in the entertainment world. It’s about making music, rocking your shows, staying down with your fans and at the same time living your life. Being a father keeps you out of a lot of foolishness.

This week’s blog is written by John Bradley, who, along with his wife Tamara, adopted five siblings on National Adoption Day, last November. Here he reflects on his first Father’s Day after adopting his children.

This Father’s Day was one I’ll cherish for the rest of my life. My special day began with one of my favorite meals of all time: corn bread, collard greens, candied yams, macaroni and cheese, cabbage, and baked and barbeque chicken. Our new youngest daughter, Mercedes, loves to cook. She helped her mom in the kitchen to prepare the delicious meal and kick off one of our newest family traditions.

I tried to keep to myself for most of the morning. I decided not to attend church with the family. Instead, I chose to stay home and use the time to reflect and thank God in a more personal manner. I prayed often and alone, thanking Him for the gifts He has bestowed upon me and my family.

Everyone was so excited to celebrate this day. Although I felt well received by my children some time ago, today they wanted to enjoy what it meant to the fullest. All day, each one of my children made it a point to affirm their support and love for me. I was no longer their foster dad and mentor, but their dad. I gave them the keys to my heart a long time ago, but today, on Father’s Day, they gave me the keys to theirs and wanted us to ride together as a family for the rest of our lives, and we shall.

This Father’s Day was our first to celebrate together. For me, it meant that my children had accepted what I have been trying to establish: a strong, committed family based on faith, trust and love. What better way to celebrate the Bradley Bunch way than with plenty of good food, warm smiles, laughter, cheers and our usual share of tears. More pictures to hang on our walls, more hugs to remember and cards to remind us of this special day. As we all sat down to eat I gave Ryan, my second oldest son, the honors of blessing the food. The card he gave me left me speechless. And besides, I figured God had heard enough praise from me for one day.

To learn more about the Bradley Bunch, you can watch their "Faces of Families First" video here. You can also read an article featured in the AJC last November about the family here.

This week’s blog is written by Lou Winship, Families First board member and volunteer.

Being a board member at Families First has been an incredibly rewarding experience for me. Little did I know that when I accepted the position two years ago, I was about to embark upon one of the grandest adventures of my life. And I promise, I am NOT being overly dramatic!

When one joins the board, you spend a day familiarizing yourself with the agency and their programs. One part of this training day includes visits to three of the teenage group homes, now known as permanency cooperatives. The minute I walked into South Fulton home for teenage boys, I knew it wouldn’t be the last time. Since I was a young girl, I have had a desire to work with inner city youth and foster children. Here was my opportunity. And, since I have three boys myself, ages 15, 17 and 19 at the time, I felt like God had placed me right where He wanted me. From this visit grew the idea to "adopt" the home and the young men who live there.

That holiday season, as God would have it, I was enjoying the fellowship of my neighborhood bible study and our study of the book of James. In James 2:17 it says, "So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless is produces good deeds, it is dead and useless." It struck our group that we wanted to put action to our faith in a meaningful way. We adopted South Fulton at Christmas but made the additional commitment to show up for these young men year round. We weren’t sure what that would "look like" but we forged ahead in faith. And WOW!

Today, our group, ironically named "The Chit Chatters", has left the fold of our neighborhood bible study in order to welcome all those who would like to join us in our mission to touch the lives of foster youth in a meaningful way. Many of our members are still active in the bible study, which continues to support us through prayer, donations and the annual Christmas event.  We have evolved into a committed band of volunteers who visits the home once a week and brings healthy meals as well as good cheer and lots of love. In additon to our weekly visits, we plan outings with the guys, which have included farm visits, church visits, park picnics, museum outings, doctor visits, IMPACT training, family court support and school visits. Our group has planted a garden, taken the guys shoppings, carved pumpkins, baked and decorated holiday cookies, dyed Easter eggs, played all kinds of board games and outdoor games, and discussed topics both deep and light-hearted. The guys share graciously in return by spending their time with us, cooking for us, writing us notes and making us holidays cards. They have lovingly and courageously invited us into their lives by introducing us to their families and by allowing us to celebrate their victories as well as share in the disappointments of their set backs. The bonds that have developed amongst the youth, the volunteers and the staff are the kinds of bonds that can last a lifetime…and hopefully they will!

We continue to morph as we go and have just recently begun to produce a bi-weekly newsletter "The Chat." A teacher in our midst has agreed to partner with Families First staff to direct us in offering educational support to the guys in new and creative ways. In recent weeks we have taken on an organizational project in the house where we have worked as a team with the youth and the staff to make the physical home the best that it can be. New ideas abound and creativity leads in ever changing and exciting directions. I often hear comments such as, "this is addicting", "what did we do before South Fulton?", and "I miss the guys so much when I haven’t visited in awhile."

How lovely that Families First has opened their doors and their hearts to us and has allowed us to nurture and love the youth in their care. As you and I both know, giving and receiving go both ways. We began with the idea that we were giving but the biggest gift has been ours!

If you would like to know more about The Chit Chatters or would like to become a member, please call Lou Winship at 404-210-7450.

To listen to Guy Lloyd’s "Everyday Heroes" interview with Lou on Sirius radio, click on the following link: www.familiesfirst.org/audio/EverydayHero.mp3

Spring is here and several of my friends are planning for their sons’ and daughters’ long-awaited graduation ceremonies. As they talk, though, they share a common worry:   What will they do about health coverage for these young adults when they are no longer students? 

Thankfully, this year there is a better answer to this concern than there was for previous graduating classes. Under the new federal health reform law, parents will soon be able to buy coverage under their policies for young adults up to age 26 even if they are no longer students.   

There are other early benefits of health reform for families, as well.  Insurers will not be able to deny coverage to children under age 19 because of pre-existing conditions, families will no longer face lifetime limits on coverage, and insurers will not be allowed to rescind policies after a person files a claim, except in very limited circumstances involving fraud or misrepresentation. These changes go into effect starting with health plan years beginning after September 23, 2010 even though other changes do not begin until 2014.  

To help pay for coverage, many small businesses with fewer than 25 full-time employees will immediately begin to qualify for tax credits for up to 35% of insurance premiums. In addition, Georgians with pre-existing conditions who have been uninsurable, and who have not been covered for six months, will have access to a high-risk insurance pool beginning in July, 2010. The new law also offers Georgia a number of near-term opportunities for improving coverage, especially for families with low and moderate incomes, while the remaining health reform provisions go into effect beginning in 2014. 

In the meantime, it behooves all of us to learn about our choices and to encourage our state to make wise decisions for the sake of our families.  A good place to start is with The Center for Children and Families. This organization has a helpful explanation of what is in store with health care reform entitled “Early Wins for Children and Families in Health Care Reform. Check it out at http://ccf.georgetown.edu
 

April is officially in bloom, and this time of year always brings forth that rejuvenation inherent in the springtime, making us all want to get out there and do more and be more.  What a perfect time to celebrate the achievements of volunteers who make such a huge difference in our community.  Whether their time is spent taking photographs, helping a child with homework or planting a garden, Families First celebrates National Volunteer Month by saluting the unique contributions that each and every one of our volunteers bring to the children and families we serve. As the Volunteer Services Manager at Families First I have the privilege of meeting people every day who refuse to let busy schedules and personal commitments keep them from doing their part to make our community stronger, one person at a time.

People like Stacy.  A busy professional “supermom”, Stacy stepped up to the plate again this year and agreed to organize a group of volunteers from the Junior League of Atlanta who serve at Families First.  She has coordinated two opportunities for the Junior League volunteers and has herself carved out the time to join the group engaged with the young mothers in our Weaver Gardens program.  And to top it off, Stacy continues to volunteer for Families First In Schools (FFIS), our school-based program which she has participated in for several years.  And did I mention she’s eight months pregnant and planning a move to California?  We’ll miss Stacy, but we know that as soon as she’s settled across the country, she will continue to make the time to volunteer and share her many gifts with a new community.

And then there’s Kelley.  A woman who was so empowered by her own yoga practice during a difficult pregnancy and delivery, that she went on to become a yoga instructor to share that joy with others.  Again, she didn’t stop there.  Recently, Kelley contacted Families First to inquire about teaching free yoga workshops for young mothers in our residential programs.  Our moms enthusiastically signed up for this opportunity which can provide a significant release of their mental and physical stress.  A prime example of how one person’s passion can bring so much to so many.

Finally, we honor our colleague William.  The true embodiment of compassion, William’s time on earth was cut short, but his gracious and powerful spirit lives on in the thousands of children and families he touched.  A social worker by trade, his “day job” was to care for countless families in need of support and assistance, and he left no stone unturned to ensure that his families’ needs were met.  One might think that was enough.  But despite being “on the clock” 24/7, William also committed himself every Sunday morning to make breakfast for the kids at Sunday School.  William proves that it doesn’t take a lot of time or effort to do something selfless, just a lot of heart.

To all the Stacy’s, Kelley’s and William’s out there, and to everyone who is making a difference in the lives of children and families in our community, Families First salutes you.  You have proven that everyone has within them the ability to make our community stronger, healthier and more vibrant.  And to the rest of us, keep in mind the words of Shirley Chisholm that “service is the rent we pay for the privilege of living on this earth.”  Let’s all make sure our rent is paid on time this month.

Find out how you can make a difference in our community by becoming a fan of Families First on Facebook. Throughout the month of April – and beyond – I will be posting volunteer opportunities and other ways for you to get involved.

There are many ways to measure the success of an even like our 12th annual Dining for a Difference that took place on March 23rd at the Cobb Galleria:
 

• Number of seats filled – we had 820 guests, nearly twice the usual attendance for this event
• Dollars raised – we’re still finalizing the expenses but it looks like we will exceed our $250,000 goal!
• Quality of the food – everyone raved.
• Number of laughs generated by the speaker – the Tuohy’s remarks were equally entertaining and inspiring
• Ease of parking – No complaints as far as I’ve heard

But one of the most important factors in my opinion (though perhaps the hardest to measure) is the “amps of energy” in the air. The air at Dining for a Difference was truly electric! The positive energy in the room that night could be attributed to a number of things. I believe it was a combination of the anticipation of meeting and hearing from the Tuohys, the passion of Families First’s supporters, and the inspiring words of our award recipients and the young men who participated in the program.

Our special guests Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy were certainly a hit, but John and Polly Lewis, our 2010 Humanitarian Award recipients stole the show. They have become local celebrities with their story of compassion and generosity, having fostered over 80 over the past 40 years. Equally moving was hearing from the three young women who were awarded scholarships and the two young men who participated by serving as our announcer and giving the opening remarks.

More than a dozen current or former foster youth were also in the room. I can only imagine what it might mean to those young people to look out into that room and know that 800 strangers all chose to be there that night because they care about their success. I thought the positive energy directed their way was palpable, and I hope most of all that they felt it too. Perhaps that is the greatest success of the night by any measure.  

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to do work that I hadn’t done in years – counsel clients at Project GROW located at the Delowe Village apartment complex.   I had counseled many of these families before.  This day was a reflection of the progress families are capable of making when the right supports are in place.  For many of these individuals, their past difficulties and challenges have turned into success stories.  It was wonderful to hear these clients talk about the gratitude they feel for  Families First and the Project Grow staff that have given them encouragement, motivation, and hope.  

As one of my counseling session came to an end, a resident remarked, “Thank you Ms. Sloan for not giving up on me, for believing in me and helping me to believe in myself.”  Hearing those words from someone I hadn’t seen for quite some time was so powerful and it felt great! What I witnessed that day was growth, strength, accomplishment and empowerment by a community of people who others may have written off long ago. My brief return to direct practice reminded me of why I love my job and the passion I have for social work. I am inspired and honored to belong to a profession that recognizes that all individuals have potential.

March is National Professional Social Work Month – a time for social workers to celebrate, honor and take pride in the work we do and the lives we transform each and every day.  The theme this year is “Social Workers Inspire Community Action” – such an appropriate theme considering the devastating impact of our current economy, and President Obama’s interest in growing voluntary public service programs. 

Families First embraces community action that directly impacts children and families who live in the communities you and I live in. Our current economic downturn has resulted in layoffs, foreclosures, homelessness and a decrease in access to health care.  These conditions have necessitated that each one of us do our part in assisting those who need help most.  While helping children and families to become stronger and healthier is what social workers do 365 days a year, everyone can do something to make a difference in the life of a child. During this month, take some time to reflect and renew your commitment to help those who require additional guidance and assistance.  Here are just a few things you can do to inspire and impact others:
 

• Mentor or tutor a foster child
• Plant a garden or flowers in an impoverished neighborhood
• Solicit friends and family to give to  a cause you’re passionate about
• Start a learning library at  one of our permanency cooperative’s or transitional living facilities
• Organize a community resource fair
• Promote Families First at your church or civic organization
• Look for job opportunities for an unemployed client or neighbor
• Participate in Career Day at a local school

You don’t have to be a social worker to create great change in community.  But I am happy that social workers have led the way in the past, and continue to lead by example.  My young, but very wise co-worker, Sydney Royes-Holmes, so eloquently stated “The great thing about being a social worker is that we have the ability to educate people in the community, and by giving them the tools they need, they too can effect positive changes in their own community.”  

Make change today – contact Families First and begin impacting the lives of children and families in your community. 

This weeks blog is written by Mary Yates, past Families First Board Chair and current Board member. Mary is also this year’s Co-Chair of Families First’s Dining for a Difference event.

Sometimes life comes bearing gifts from unexpected sources. When my husband Charlie and I agreed to co-chair the 2010 Dining for a Difference with Lou and Blanton Winship, I must admit to some ambivalence. It had been 30 years since I’d chaired a non-profit event, and I was not at all sure it would be enjoyable. Especially given that the fundraising aspect was likely to be extremely difficult in the midst of the recession. However, Kim Anderson, the new CEO of Families First, is among the people I admire most, and is providing energizing, creative leadership at Families First, and Barbara Richardson, the Chief Development Officer, who would be the primary staff leader for the Dinner, is a delight. I knew when they asked that it would be on mine and Charlie’s project list for 2009/10. 

Lou Winship, another Board member, and I agreed that our number one objective for the Dinner–OK, after fundraising, which has to be at the top of the list in this economy–was to communicate to our guests some of the ways Families First goes about accomplishing its mission: to ensure the success of children in jeopardy by empowering families. For such a complex agency that delivers many solutions to children and families, that is no small undertaking.

The first task was to decide on a speaker. Many ideas were presented. One Committee member’s suggestion of “The Blind Side” family from Memphis, Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy, caught fire and we began to work very hard in August on getting them to come.  There was much celebrating when they agreed to be our featured speakers a month or so before the movie was released.Valerie Jackson, the very talented host of the public radio interview show “Between the Lines” also agreed to interview them onstage at the Dinner.
The Tuohy’s dramatically inspiring story is ideal to help communicate the need for Families First’s work in supporting children in jeopardy in our community.

Families First’s participation in last year’s Raise Me Up campaign sponsored by Casey Family Programs and Georgia’s Department of Human Services was the perfect lead in to encouraging Dining for a Difference guests to “raise their hand” to help us support children in foster care. It is our hope that everyone who attends Dining for a Difference will leave the event ready to raise their hand in some way to support children in our community.  

Dining for a Difference’s focus on those served by Families First also involves a couple of young men from our foster care programs, including one of Lou’s mentees, who will serve as our backstage MC. Giving our invocation will be a very gifted athlete (like Michael Oher in The Blind Side) who loves to write and speak. We look forward to hearing him!

We also will introduce 2010 Humanitarian Award recipients, John and Polly Lewis. The Lewises have been foster parents with Families First for over 30 years. She is 84 and he is 90. They have told us proud stories about some of their many foster children, including those who went on to college, and they speak lovingly of the two teen girls whom they currently foster. Mr. and Mrs. Lewis exemplify selflessness, love and wisdom and have demonstrated over and over the transformative effects of structure, security and love. Looking energetic, happy and healthy, they also exemplify the gifts given to them by the children they have lifted up. I’m sure I’ll never forget meeting them and hearing their story. 

I now count among my life’s gifts the opportunity to know the Lewises, and the inspiration of the enthusiasm of all Families First staff, Board and Committee members working to create an evening that speaks of the gifts that come to us when we raise a hand and say we’ll help to make solutions possible for Georgia’s children in foster care.  You can be part of the solution and make a difference too by attending Families First’s Dining for a Difference, making an online donation, or getting involved with one of the many volunteer opportunities.
 

This week’s blog is written by Barbara Richardson, Chief Development Officer at Families First.

Last summer, when we started talking about inviting Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy to be our special guests at the 2010 Dining for a Difference, I was a little worried. We knew that they had a compelling story to tell and that it related to the work that we do at Families First to help provide children with permanent, supportive, loving relationships with the adults in their lives. We also knew the movie version of the story was being filmed in Atlanta, which gave it the hometown connection that we thought might help sell tickets (and boy has it!). But I was worried about the Hollywood factor. I was thinking, what if the movie flops? What if no one wants to see it? What if it’s “too Hollywood” and the story fails to ring true. Luckily, those worries were in vain.

If you haven’t seen the movie, you should. And read the book too. If you do both, you will in fact see that the movie version is a bit “Hollywood.” It’s a Cinderella story. But if you look deep you’ll find several messages we can all take from Hollywood into our own neighborhoods.      

There is a message about compassion. The Tuohy family saw Michael Oher as a child in need, and recognized that they were in a position to help. They could have looked the other way, as so many of us do, but they chose to reach out their hands to lift him up.

There is a message about humanity. Despite their different worlds, divided by race and privilege, the Tuohy’s and Michael saw each other as people first. They focused on each other, they loved each other, they called each other family, with little regard to their differences or what other people might think.

There’s a message about perseverance. It has been said that the movie character Michael was “dumbed down” for dramatic effect. The real Michael is an intelligent young man who was determined to break free from the destiny shaped by the circumstances of his birth and upbringing. He knew that the Tuohys were giving him a shot at a different life and he made the decision to do the work to succeed in school, on the football field, and in life.

Because of the success of the movie, interest in seeing the “real” Tuohys at Families First’s Dining for a Difference on March 18th has been phenomenal. We’ve moved the event to a larger venue, The Cobb Galleria Centre, where we can accommodate up to 800 guests. Dining for a Difference is Families First’s only fundraising event, netting up to $250,000 in previous years. We are so grateful that all of the stars aligned to pave the way for an incredible evening on March 18th – the success of the movie at the box office, Sandra Bullock’s stellar portrayal of Leigh Anne Tuohy, the hometown connection to Atlanta, Michael’s success in his first season with the Baltimore Ravens, and, of course, the inspiring and compelling story of the Tuohys and Michael Oher. Hollywood couldn’t have written a better script. .     

For more information and to purchase tickets to Dining for a Difference, click here.

This week’s blog is co-written by Candace McCaffery and Roya Irvani.  Candace is Senior VP, Director of Interactive Services & Social Media at Cookerly Public Relations. Roya is a community volunteer. Candace and Roya serve on the Families First Board of Directors and are the co-chairs of Families First’s Advocacy Committee.

Two weeks ago, the Georgia General Assembly opened its second year of a two-year term. As chairs of the Advocacy Committee for Families First, we’ll be watching the many pieces of legislation that could impact families and children. Above all else, the shrinking state budget will again dominate the session.  After seeing state revenues continue to decline, Governor Perdue has proposed large additional cuts in already strained programs.  The state is in a fiscal crisis—not just because of this recession – but also because Georgia hasn’t faced up to the reality that we are not marshaling the resources we need for essential services and are laboring under an antiquated tax code.

Proposed cuts to education, public health and other human services are disturbing enough when viewed as one-time reductions, taken at a time when the need is greatest. But the reality is these are not simply one-time cuts. Deep reductions have been taken year after year for the better part of the last decade. Even more alarming is the fact that the current budget crisis would be even worse without the federal stimulus funds that are plugging some holes, and those funds will expire soon. Then what?

We cannot go on like this.  Georgia’s leaders need to plan strategically, and it is incumbent on all of us to make sure they do. Many states have used the breather afforded by the federal stimulus to address their deficits longer-term, using a combination of cuts and increased revenues.  Georgia has not. Our state has relied almost exclusively on service cuts and has continued granting tax breaks with no accountability for results. 
 
We’re working to change this mindset. Families First has undertaken a leadership role in organizing a coalition to campaign for a balanced approach to Georgia’s fiscal health. What started out as a meeting of nonprofit CEOs in October 2009 now numbers 30 diverse constituencies who share our concerns for the state’s future.  There has been a great deal of work put into this effort by a number of people. You’ll be hearing more about this coalition, its vision and focus in the coming weeks. 
 
You can act now. Become a Families First advocate. We’ll update you on legislation and provide you with the resources you need to take action. Join us in our work to protect much-needed services for children and families in Georgia.