United Way of Central Georgia has earned the prestigious Blue Ribbon Affiliate endorsement from the Parents as Teachers National Center, Inc., (PATNC), making it one of the top-performing home visiting affiliates within the PATNC’s international network. Being named a Blue-Ribbon Affiliate affirms that United Way initiative, Parents as Teachers, is a high-quality member of the home visiting field, implementing the evidence-based Parents as Teachers model with fidelity. The program includes home visits, group connections, child screening, and connections to community resources. It equips parents with knowledge and resources to prepare their children for a stronger start in life and greater success in school. Families in Central Georgia are positively impacted by the many services delivered by Parents as Teachers.
“United Way of Central Georgia’s Parents as Teachers program receiving the Blue-Ribbon status means so much to our team and to our community. Obtaining the Blue Ribbon means that our community will be receiving first class services from United Way of Central Georgia’s Parents as Teachers program, children’s developmental delays and health problems are detected early, children enter kindergarten ready to learn, and the achievement gap for children is narrowed,” said Daniel Charles, Parents as Teachers Supervisor. “Parents are more involved in their children’s schooling, families are more likely to promote children’s language and literacy, and children are exposed to more words and books within their own home, making their home their own library. The sky is the limit when we can offer first class, excellent service to our families through our Parents as Teachers program.” “My thanks go to Daniel Charles and his team of Parent Educators for their diligence in delivering these services to local families,” said George McCanless, President and CEO of United Way of Central Georgia. “The importance of a child’s early years of life is something that is often taken for granted, yet these youngest years have consistently been shown to be the cornerstone phase of development for all human beings. The evidence is overwhelming that the more development a child receives in these formative years the more success they will have in school, the stronger their social skills, and less or no need for special education instruction. This is a transformative program for our community.”
To find out more about Parents as Teachers or to refer a family, click here.