Collaborative Family:

We know this newsletter might look like our regular communications, but it IS different. It's intentionally focused on resources to help you further your mission. Development, operations, human resources, and more are pieces needed to help your organization thrive. So, please take the time to explore the services and programs contained in here. And if you have a resource that we should know about, please let us know!

Warmly,

Irene

Whether it’s financial assistance, food pantries, medical care, child care, job training, and other free or reduced-cost services specific to your area, essential resources can be found via Find Help Georgia. Find Help Georgia is an easy way for residents to get connected with help, based on their comprehensive directory of local resources that will help strengthen families.

You can visit the website (findhelpga.org) to search by ZIP code or chat online. Or, you can speak with a Find Help GA Specialist toll free at 1-800-244-5373, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.

NOTE: Cobb Collaborative has recently added a FindHelp search box feature to our website as well. At the footer of any of our web pages, you can enter your ZIP code to search for resources in your area.

988 has been designated as the new three-digit dialing code that will route callers to the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. When people call, text, or chat 988, they will be connected to trained counselors that are part of the existing National Suicide Prevention Lifeline network. These trained counselors will listen, understand how their problems are affecting them, provide support, and connect them to resources if necessary. Click here for more information.

According to a study by Mental Health America, Georgia statistically ranks 48th in the US for access to mental health care, resources, and insurance. MHA further states that "In Georgia, an individual with serious mental illness has a one in five chance of ending up in prison instead of a hospital." Additionally, MHA findings show that two in five Georgia children have trouble accessing needed mental health treatment.

Mental health is one of three forefront initiatives of the Cobb Collaborative. The Collaborative facilitates a variety of mental health training events through their Mind Your Mind mental health initiative. To further provide needed resources, Cobb Collaborative launched a Mental Health Resources Toolkit online earlier this year. This downloadable Toolkit provides free access to important mental health information and resources. Thanks to grant funding from Cobb & Douglas Public Health's Community Health Improvement Plan Partnership Grant, the Toolkit is now also available in Spanish.

Cobb Collaborative Executive Director, Irene Barton, says, “At the Cobb Collaborative, we recognize the importance of mental health as it applies to all people. Presenting our free digital mental health toolkits in both English and Spanish helps us to facilitate equity in access to mental health resources. We believe that mental health must be destigmatized and prioritized in order to help create resilient communities in which everyone can thrive."

To access these mental health toolkits, please click here.

According to data from Mental Health America (MHA), over 7 million Black Americans report having mental illness.

BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) are often faced with years - even generations - of trauma, which translates to socioeconomic disparities and, in turn, is linked to mental health concerns today.

Cobb Collaborative has a new "Mental Health Resources for Black Communities" downloadable PDF free on our website. To access this information, please click here.

Maternal Mental Health Hotline is a new, confidential, toll-free hotline for expecting and new moms experiencing mental health challenges. Those who contact the hotline can receive a range of support, including brief interventions from trained counselors who are culturally and trauma-informed, as well as referrals to both community-based and telehealth providers as needed. Callers also will receive evidence-based information and referrals to support groups and other community resources. Click here to learn more.

For more information, email Kimberly Henghold or Irene Barton.

CLICK HERE to register.

Cobb Collaborative has renewed our group membership with the Georgia Association of Volunteer Administration (GAVA). A benefit of of this group membership allows our Collaborative Members exclusive access to attend GAVA programming FREE of charge.

For more information on gaining access to this resource, please email Irene Barton.

School Social Workers are a vital part of the total educational process by helping students and parents obtain the help and resources available to achieve their goals. Not only do they collaborate with school psychologists, teachers, and the entire educational staff to remove barriers to academic success, they also work with community agencies to provide tools for students and their families to function and be productive in every phase of school and social life.

To learn more about Cobb Schools Social Workers, click here.

Did you know that small nonprofits can gain access to Candid.org's Foundation Directory Online (FDO) Essential FREE by earning the 2022 Gold Seal of Transparency with Candid?

Here’s how:

Step 1: Update your nonprofit profile to earn a 2022 Gold Seal .

Step 2: Contact GoForGold@candid.org with your organization's name and EIN number to receive a special coupon code for Foundation Directory Online Essential .

Step 3: Subscribe to Foundation Directory Online Essential and enter your coupon code at checkout to get access to your complimentary annual subscription.

(Please note: you must use a credit card in order to redeem the coupon, do not choose "check option" as the payment method.)

Update your nonprofit profile today to take advantage of this special offer. To qualify for the Go for the Gold promotion you must be authorized to provide information about a 501(c) (3) nonprofit whose annual revenue or expenses is less than one million dollars and earn, at minimum, a Gold Transparency Seal between February 22 and December 31, 2022 

For more information, click here.

Cobb Collaborative is pleased to be able to offer online access to the Financial Directory Online (FDO) by Candid thanks to the support of the United Way of Greater Atlanta Northwest Region.

Grant-seekers may make an appointment to come to our office to search the Foundation Directory Online (FDO) database. To schedule an appointment to gain FDO access please email Cobb Collaborative Executive Director, Irene Barton.

"Demonstrating credibility is one of the most important factors in a grant proposal. You may be surprised to learn that the budget in your proposal plays an important role in illustrating your organization’s credibility. Many funders look at your budget first, even before they read the narrative of your proposal. In this short video, I share how your proposal budget adds credibility to your application."

Cobb County continues to take applications for our American Rescue Plan Act allocation. The county is working to distribute these funds throughout the community as part of the pandemic recovery progress.

Click here to learn more about the program and if your project might be eligible.

Applications are open NOW and are due by September 9, 2022. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis before they are considered for funding by the Board of Commissioners.

The Collaborative has several grant writers that we work with and can recommend. Contact Irene for more information! 

To learn more about coordinated food distribution network in Cobb County or connect with other food providers, please contact Autumn Sines at Noonday Association of Churches.

Additionally, click here for the Food Finder website.

Pro Bono Partnership of Atlanta's mission is to strengthen our community by engaging volunteer attorneys to provide nonprofits with business legal services. Click here for their "Helpful Links" web page which lists pro bono services offered to Georgia nonprofits.

The Cobb County Second Chance Desk is a help desk which will be housed in the Circuit Defender’s office where individuals can have their criminal history reviewed by an attorney, get a free consultation, and receive assistance with filling out restriction forms for eligible offenses.

The Cobb Second Chance Desk is housed in the Cobb Circuit Defender’s Office located at 10 East Park Square, Marietta, GA. It is open and staffed on Fridays from 9:00 a.m. to noon. Pre-registration for an appointment is highly recommended to save a spot. Currently, priority service is by appointment only. Walk-ins will be handled on a case-by-case basis depending upon availability. If you have any questions, please call 404-834-8604 or email at secondchancedesk@cobbcounty.org.

Please click here for more information.

Sandi Purinton of The Insurance Connection specializes in insurance for nonprofits and churches. Sandi is a long-time friend and partner of the Collaborative and has been a regular sponsor of our quarterly Coffee with the Collaborative networking events.

Some nonprofits have changed their programming in response to COVID and may be engaging in a different way with volunteers, clients, board members and donors. Sandi reminds nonprofit leaders to reflect on this and see if your current insurance policy covers your current programming.

Questions or want a quick review? Reach out via email info@InsConnectGA.com or by telephone at 678-439-8757 or 478-374-2085.

Next Stage Advisors can help you meet and beat your organization's fundraising goals without the long term commitment of a new staff member or lengthy contracts. Whether you need help with special events, individual giving, grant writing or board development, we can help.

Email: info@nextstageadv.com

Click here to visit the Next Stage Advisors website.

4 A Good Cause is an all-in-one platform for online donations, event registration, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer fundraising and donor management. Click here for more information.

Glover Park Brewery, located right off the Marietta Square, hosts Wednesday night charity nights in which 501-c3 organizations host events in their taproom. It is a great way to promote your organization or any upcoming initiatives. In return, Glover Park Brewery gives 10% of total proceeds back to the organization. For more information email Cindy Dupre, Glover Park Brewery Taproom Manger, or call 770.693.2417

Are you caring for a loved one and need a little more training and understand on your role? Senior Services Cobb County has partnered with Trualta to offer an online course that you can take at your own pace, according to your schedule. Trualta is a personalized, skills-based training platform for family members caring for aging loved ones living at home. Please click here for more information and registration.

Have you heard the term "data-informed decisions" and wondered how that pertains to your organization? A great place to start is by exploring data from your own community.

Neighborhood Nexus provides a wealthy of information about the health and well-being of residents and communities. There are hundreds of easy-to-find demographic, education, health, and economic indicators from state and national sources, all in one place. Users can explore census tracts, zip codes, cities, counties, and more geographies across the state. And it's entirely free!

To learn more, click here.

In August 2021, we rebranded our newsletter to the "Collaborative Connection." This newsletter goes out every other Thursday, except during holiday weeks. We strive to keep our members and subscribers up to date on the latest happenings with the Collaborative as well as sharing resources, initiatives and events. Please click here to subscribe.

You can also find previous editions of our Collaborative Connection newsletter online by clicking here.

Please help Cobb Collaborative increase our outreach and advocacy reach by: