Guiding the Way: New Board Leadership
As we approach the challenges and opportunities of 2021, Georgia Appleseed’s new Board Chair Harold Franklin recently shared his thoughts on the year ahead:
As our society is experiencing a much-needed reawakening of the need for accountability and adherence to principled values of fairness, justice and equality, there has never been a greater need, since the civil rights movement, for the legal community in particular to serve others, protect our institutions, and ensure justice and the rule of law.
Service through advocacy to further the cause of justice has been part of my DNA throughout my career and I’ve been honored to serve and help lead Georgia Appleseed on the board for many years. As the incoming Board Chair this year, I look forward to working and collaborating closely with our board, staff, and stakeholders in Georgia to help bring about systemic change by advancing justice through law and policy reforms that are needed now more than ever.
Harold Franklin joins Executive Committee members Tori M. Silas (Smith, Gambrell & Russell) as Vice Chair, Carrie Zhou (Aprio) as Secretary, Eric Fisher (Barnes & Thornburg) as Treasurer, Ebony Mobley (University of Georgia School of Law) as Young Professionals Council President, and Mary Benton (Alston & Bird) as Immediate Past Chair. Georgia Appleseed will benefit from the commitment to justice and wealth of experience each of them holds.
Pictured: Harold E. Franklin, Jr. (King & Spalding)
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Critical New Resource: Medicaid Appeal Manual
Many of Georgia’s families rely on Medicaid and PeachCare to access behavioral health supports and services that help their children thrive. When Medicaid or PeachCare deny a claim for services, the overly complicated appeals process prevents many families and caregivers from appealing. As a result, their children don’t get the physical and mental health services they need.
We are especially grateful for pro bono support from Manatt and Polsinelli in publishing this critical manual.
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Help Guides: Now Available in Spanish and Korean
Our Help Guides for Children with Behavior and Learning Challenges are now available in Spanish and in Korean. These easy-to-read guides help students, parents, and others spot common causes of behavior and learning challenges, navigate school discipline, and advocate for school-based supports. Topics include school discipline, bullying, Individualized Education Plans, organizations that can help, and many more.
Pro bono support from Nelson Mullins Riley Scarborough made these translations possible.
If you have questions, feedback, or ideas about what language you’d like to see the Help Guides in, please contact Caroline Durham at cdurham@gaappleseed.org.
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FY20 by the Numbers: Georgia Appleseed's fiscal year runs from July 1 to June 30. The above numbers represents some of our successes from our most recent complete fiscal year. Take a look at our annual report to learn more.
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Good Apple: Amplified!
Join us on April 23, 2021, at 6:00 p.m. for a refreshed, invigorated Good Apple celebration from the comfort of your home. With powerful stories, inspired tributes, and amplified entertainment, you won’t want to miss out!
Individual ticket sales information is coming soon for those who want to support Georgia Appleseed’s mission and commemorate the evening with a Good Apple: Amplified! Celebration Bag.
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Additional Resources &
In recognition of the incredible impact COVID-19 is having on our lives and throughout our communities, we are continuing to share resources on our social media channels. Below are a handful of resources that we hope will help connect people to the resources they need at this time:
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Help Guides for Children with Behavior and Learning Challenges—Easy-to-read guides on school-based topics including discipline, learning disabilities, and more. Las Guías de ayuda de Georgia Appleseed para niños con problemas de comportamiento y aprendizaje ya están
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Tribunal Representation—Caseworkers and caregivers can request pro bono representation for kids in care who are facing school disciplinary hearings.
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(866) 399-8938—This COVID-19 Emotional Support Hotline is available to all Georgians from 8:00 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily.
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211—Calling 211 or searching the website can help you find food, pay housing bills, access childcare, and more.
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Atlanta Legal Aid—This resource list includes information about court closings, emergency food help, and more.
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Georgia Department of Education—This DOE site includes links to school closure information and online learning resources.
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Voices for Georgia’s Children—Voices has put together a robust list of news and resources around COVID-19, including financial resources, food assistance, closures, guidance on talking to children about the pandemic, and more.
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Children's Healthcare of Atlanta—CHOA's Strong4Life resource page provides parenting guidance for the COVID-19 era, including how to talk about social distancing with kids, avoiding injuries during isolation, and much more.
We'd also like to share additional links that are helping us think about justice-related issues of the day:
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Georgia Appleseed Needs Your Support
At Georgia Appleseed, we focus on dismantling the school-to-prison pipeline and advocating for healthy housing because we believe these areas are powerful leverage points for meaningful, systemic change.
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