September 21, 2023

Dear Cobb Collaborative Network:

September is National Literacy Month. Literacy is one of the Collaborative's three key initiative focus areas. The motivation behind our literacy initiative is early literacy in the birth-age 5 space because we know that learning begins from birth and early literacy is important for every child. We also realize that third grade is a pivotal time for students because that is when there is a switching from "learning to read" to "reading to learn." So, helping children become proficient readers EARLY is key to long term success.

How can YOU promote early literacy?

• Read to the children in your life. It is NEVER too early or too late for kids to gain the benefits of reading. Read in your own home, at school, or at local story times.
• Pick up Mayors Reading Club free reading kits in Austell, Marietta and Powder Springs. These wonderful monthly kits contain books and activities for families. Want more info on picking up these kits? Please email Literacy coordinator, Leslie Danford.
• Adopt a reader for only $42 from Ferst Readers. Children in the Ferst Readers literacy program receive a bookstore-quality, age-specific book and resources mailed to them at home every month until their fifth birthday.
• Sponsor a Little Free Library to provide 24/7 free access to books. Email Executive Director, Irene Barton, for more information.

Learn more about our literacy initiative on our Cobb Collaborative website.

Warmly,

Irene Barton

Cobb Collaborative Executive Director

September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. Throughout this month, we are increasing our social media posting for suicide prevention and awareness. Please LIKE and SHARE these posts to help break stigmas around mental health and promote suicide prevention.

Additionally, we encourage you all to listen to our special rereleased Mind Your Mind Speaks podcast episodes on suicide awareness and prevention:

• Episode 4 featuring a conversation with Steve Kleinrichert rereleased on September 14.
• Episode 31 featuring a conversation with Julie Smith will rerelease on September 28.

You can find all of our podcast episodes, along with show notes and links, on our Podcast webpage. Additionally, Mind Your Mind Speaks can be found on Podbean and Apple Podcasts.

For suicide prevention information and resources, please visit our Mind Your Mind Suicide Prevention web page.

Be sure to check our Cobb Collaborative Events page for additional events and visit our Training Opportunities page to request scheduling of events.

Each quarter, Collaborative Member non-profits can nominate their team. Winners will be chosen by the Collaborative and honored with a burger bar people courtesy of MOOYAH.

Please note:

• Entries must be submitted via the form found on our MOOYAH web page.
• Nominations must be for Collaborative member non-profits only.
• Nominated organizations must be within 20 miles of MOOYAH's Mableton location to insure food quality.
• Honored nonprofits have until the end of the respective quarter to redeem their burger bar benefit.
• Member nonprofits are only eligible to attain this benefit once per calendar year.

Nominations for Q4 2023 open on September 20 and, as indicated above, are due by 5:00PM EST on October 20, 2023. We encourage our Collaborative member nonprofits to submit nominations for this wonderful new benefit from MOOYAH.

If this email has been forwarded to you and you are interested in subscribing to our bi-weekly Collaborative Connection Newsletter, please click here for our newsletter web page where you will find back issues of the newsletter as well as a subscription link.