- We hope you will be part of our 

11th Annual Celebrity Waiter Fundraiser!

There are two ways to show your support:

Dawson County Family Connection is offering a FREE opportunity to be trained to STAND UP FOR CHILDREN! Stewards of Children training is a nationally available program scientifically proven to increase knowledge, improve attitudes and change child-protective behaviors. Appropriate for any adult, this training will teach you how to prevent, recognize, and react responsibly to child sexual abuse.

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Our next training is May 30th from 5-7pm at the Dawsonville Goodwill Career Center. Please register today, [email protected] or

call  706-265-1985!

May is Foster Care Month

(Article written and submitted by Rebecca Davidson)

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In another world...

It is so easy to get caught up in the day to day chaos that is all of our lives: jobs, children, appointments, the list goes on. But do you ever stop to wonder what that daily chaos looks like for a child entering foster care? Their world has crashed to a halt, and all that they knew, and understood, however strange it may appear to outside eyes, has gone. They are separated from their family due to safety issues, but they love their family fiercely, and are sad and frightened. If there is not enough local foster homes, the child may be placed far outside of his or her county, and now has lost their school, teachers and all of their friends, too.

If they are part of a sibling group, their brothers and sisters may go to a different home, in a different county, and they may only see each other once a week.

Imagine for a second, you are the birth mother or father, and the failure, anger and misery you feel at losing temporary custody of the children you love so much, but struggle to care for. Now imagine that they are far away, and the feeling of utter hopelessness that fills the heart.

 

So...what can you do about that? How can you help? In 2018, the number of children entering foster care in Dawson County increased 104%. If that is not a crisis, I do not know what is.

If you currently have stable housing, stable income, room in your heart and home, you could consider fostering. There are a lot of factors that go into fostering, so attending an information session to find out more is the first step.

 

Maybe fostering is not for you right now, but could you help organize a diaper drive at a church? Help build bunk beds for children in need? Offer storage for donated items, or work with your church to form care communities to support families already fostering?

 

We need you, but more importantly, THEY need you. The children and families of Dawson County that are hurting and struggling. There are problems right here in our county that we can fix, if we work together.

 

Want to learn more? Would your church or organization like to host an information session, or have someone come and talk about fostering? Contact Rebecca Davidson at [email protected]

 

Together, let's make today better, and change tomorrow.

Rebecca J. Davidson | Social Service Administrator Caregiver Recruitment and Retention Unit Georgia Division of Family & Children Services 970 McEver Rd | Gainesville, GA 30504 O. 678-507-5458 Email: [email protected] DFCS.GEORGIA.GOV

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is offering a much needed option to:

• Students who have dropped out of high school
• Students who have gotten behind in school and need a way to catch up
• Students who have to work or care for children during the day                             
• Students who want to get ahead in their high school credits

MECHS is an evening, self-paced, public, high school that grants regular Georgia High School diplomas. There are sixteen 9th-12th grade sites throughout North Georgia that are open year round and hold classes in the afternoon and evening, Monday-Thursday, from 4:00pm to 9:00pm.

In addition to its full-time students, MECHS serves a population of students who take a class or classes part time and transfer the completed credit(s) back to the high school in which they are enrolled in full time.

The curriculum is self-paced and mastery based, meaning that students progress through the course at their own pace taking as much or as little time to satisfactorily complete the various course modules as is needed. As a result, no failing grades are given. Students work until they pass.

Credit recovery is available for students who have failed a course at their regular daytime school. Making up failed courses permits students to stay on academic track and graduate with their class. Students may also complete courses they are not able to fit into their schedule at their regular school. New courses require seat time equal to the referring school.

For more information about Mountain Education Charter High School in Dawson County,

please call 706-216-5820.