December 8, 2022
Our Fourth Quarter General Membership Meeting and Human Services Awards luncheon is a time-honored tradition and a favorite event for us at the Cobb Collaborative. This year's event was held on Wednesday, December 7, and once again left us with full hearts as we joined with our members and community partners to network, share a meal and honor this year's truly outstanding Human Services Awards nominees and winners.

CONGRATULATIONS to this year's winners:

  • Jack Vaughan, Jr. Human Services Award Winner - Volunteer Category: Carolyn Turner, HOPE Family Resource Center 
  • Jack Vaughan, Jr. Human Services Award Winner - Professional Category: Falecia Stewart, Vice President of Housing, MUST Ministries
  • William Hanson Collaboration Award: Cobb PATH Team 
  • Howard Koepka Collaborative Spirit Award: Sweetwater Mission

We would like to thank all who attended and made this year's event a tremendous success. We would also like to extend our gratitude to the following:

  • Cobb Community Foundation for sponsoring and co-presenting this year's event.
  • Piedmont Church for graciously (and beautifully) hosting this year's event.
  • All organizations who submitted nominations to recognize individuals and other organizations who go above and beyond.
  • Jo Nelson for providing the floral arrangements for the tables.
  • ALL Cobb Collaborative members, partners and community supporters for your engagement, involvement and support which are instrumental in helping to improve outcomes for children and families in Cobb County.

Our quarterly General Membership Meetings for 2023 will be held on March 15, May 17, September 20 and December 6, 2023. Please save the dates and be on the look out for updated information to come.
SPAM ALERT!
We have recently been made aware that a Cobb Collaborative email address has been spoofed and emails are being sent to Members indicating that membership fees are due.

PLEASE NOTE:

  • Any official Cobb Collaborative emails will come from our email addresses that end with cobbcollaborative.org. If you receive an email that says "Cobb Collaborative" as the sender, but the email address is not @cobbcollaborative.org, it is spam.
  • Memberships renew on an annual basis, determined at the time of joining. If you receive a questionable invoice or email, please feel free to email Kelly Mellen to clarify.
  • The ONLY online platform we have for our memberships and campaigns through 4aGoodCause. If you get an email that looks suspicious, please do not click any links. If you do wind up on another page, please do not enter payment information.

Unfortunately, there is nothing we can to do prevent spoofed emails. So, we encourage diligence and welcome you all to verify information with us as needed. Thank you!
Did you know that 1 in 12 children in Georgia - 1 in 8 in communities of color - will experience the death of a parent or sibling before the age of 18? This number doubles by the time someone turns 25 years old.

The holiday season can be a joyful time, but it can also be more challenging when someone is grieving. Kate's Club empowers children and teens facing life after the death of a parent, sibling or caregiver. Grieving children and their families can find comfort in social and therapeutic programming along with other children and families in similar situations. Additionally, Kate's Club now has a peer group called LoKate for young adults (ages 18-30) who have experienced the death of someone important to them.

Grieving is hard, but no one has to do it alone. Visit Kate's Club's website for more information.

For additional mental health resources, please visit our Mind Your Mind web page.
In November, we were honored to host another terrific Little Free Library dedication! Girl Scout Morgan W. worked with her grandfather to build a LFL that was installed at City View Elementary School in Mableton. Morgan's grandfather said that she did all of the measuring, cutting, hammering and painting while he gave guidance and reassurance! We think Morgan did an EXCELLENT job and are so proud of her for this wonderful accomplishment. Thank you, Morgan!

We would also like to thank School Social Worker Heather Anderson for her work in coordinating the effort. Assistant Principal Mr. James Groover was on hand for the dedication. Mableton Improvement Coalition Chairman Nate Smith was also present and reminded everyone about the wonders of reading - you can discover all kinds of knowledge - science, history, art, - from books. Longtime community activist and Lions Club member Barry Krebs also joined.

Students from Cityview joined us and helped stock the LFL with books and held the ribbon for the cutting. Morgan's parents and grandparents were also in attendance.

To learn more about Cobb Collaborative's Literacy initiative, please click here to visit our Literacy web page.
Election day has passed, but civic engagement doesn't stop there! We know that when we have more civically engaged communities, we have better health outcomes, lower crime, and greater resiliency to community stressors like economic downturns. 

So how do we stay civically engaged after we cast our ballot? Voting is just the first step in the process, but we can continue being civically engaged by getting involved in our community and with our elected officials. Community events, from farmers markets to cultural festivals to recycling days, are abundant within Cobb. Not only are they fun and family-friendly, they also give us a chance to get to know our community leaders and elected officials since they are likely to attend or even host these events. When we engage with our leaders, such as commissioners or city council members, we can provide a perspective that more accurately reflects the needs of our community and includes us in the decision-making process. 

The best way to stay in the know about ways to engage civically within your community is to follow your local city and county newsletters, and community civic engagement groups, like the Boys & Girls Club or YMCA. In these newsletters, you can find out about town halls, forums, and other community events happening in your area. You can also find out about any upcoming local elections that are just as important as Presidential or Midterm elections since we will vote for those leaders within our direct community who help us thrive.

So while this election season may be coming to an end, your involvement doesn't have to! Stay local, stay informed, and stay engaged. 
We are consistently adding new events to our calendar! Be sure to check out our website for a full list of upcoming programming.
Wed, Dec 14, 2022 11:30 AM EST
Children & Families Strategy Team
Cobb & Douglas Public Health Board Room, Marietta
SAVE THE DATE for these upcoming events:
  • Administrative Assistant, reporting to the Executive Director - provides administrative support for the Executive Director and staff, coordinates all awareness events and training sessions, co-manages the social media accounts, coordinates volunteers. Full Time, $33,280/yr
  • Case Worker, reporting to the Senior Case Worker - assists adult sex trafficking survivors in working action plans, makes community resource referrals, maintains case management documentation. Part Time, maximum 20 hours per week, $20/hr

Send resumes to Crystal Burdette - crystal@rescuinghope.com 
For Resources please click here for back issues of our Collaborative Connection newsletters.
Application Deadline: December 15, 2022

​Atlanta GLOW mentors serve as positive role models who provide both inspiration and instruction. Through our six-month mentoring program, Atlanta GLOW engages youth and young adults in an individualized and community-based process that facilitates growth towards greater self-sufficiency and successful goal achievement through a guided series of exploration, life skills training, mentoring and futures planning.
Program Dates: This is a 6-month one-to-one mentorship program. The next cohort will be hosted January 1 – June 30. Monthly mentoring sessions are scheduled individually by each mentoring pair.

Click here for more information.
Follow us on all of our social media channels for regular updates and resources.

Serving the Cobb County Community since 1997.