MONDAY MEMO #30

Resilient Georgia
May 11
5 min read

Happy Monday, Partners! This week, we’re spotlighting a range of tools, training opportunities, and initiatives that support children, families, and professionals across Georgia. From early childhood development and educational equity to trauma-informed practices and nonprofit innovation, these resources aim to foster resilience, promote wellness, and strengthen communities. We hope you’ll explore and share these opportunities as we continue working together to create healthier, more supportive environments for all. Before we dive in, here are some updates and highlights from RG:

RG UPDATES

New Blog! From Pain to Purpose: A Family Lawyer’s Journey of Healing and Hope by Casey Tuggle: For many, Mother’s Day can stir up complex emotions and painful memories. In our latest Power of Healing blog, family lawyer Casey Tuggle shares her personal journey of navigating a traumatic childhood and turning her pain into purpose. Now an advocate for families and children, Casey’s story is a reminder that painful beginnings can lead to hopeful outcomes.
Regional Coalition Events Reminder: Thanks to everyone who has continued to submit their coalition events for 2025! This calendar is housed on the RG website and is a great way to showcase upcoming trainings, summits, and partner activities across the state. As a reminder, please submit your coalition events here. We appreciate your support in keeping this webpage up-to-date!
Cafe Momentum is a nonprofit restaurant and workforce development program that offers paid internships and wraparound support to justice-involved youth. With a newly opened location in Atlanta, the program provides hands-on training in all aspects of the restaurant industry while also connecting youth with critical resources like mental health counseling, education support, and financial literacy. By investing in second chances, Café Momentum is helping young people build brighter futures and break cycles of incarceration. The RG team is excited to check out the new Atlanta location soon and support this incredible initiative!
May Round Calls: This month’s Round Calls are scheduled this week as follows. Please ensure at least one member from your coalition is able to attend!
- Round 1: Friday, May 30th 10am Round 2: Tuesday, May 27th 11am Round 3: Thursday, May 29th 1pm Round 4: Tuesday, May 27th 2pm Round 5: Monday, May 19th 2pm

Coalition Spotlight

Resilient and United Communities of South GA, in partnership with the Lowndes County Mental Health Coalition, is hosting a Mental Health Day Lunch on the Lawn this Friday, May 16 from 11 AM – 1 PM at Unity Park in Valdosta. Join for a free, family-friendly event with great food, live music, and local resources to support mental health and well-being in Lowndes County.

Early Childhood Development

Council on Addressing Racism in the Early Years (CARE): The Center on the Developing Child at Harvard launched CARE to explore how racism impacts young children's development. In partnership with Boston University and UNC-Chapel Hill, CARE brings together experts to create tools and strategies that support families, educators, and policymakers.

GEEARS HeadStart One-Pager: Developed by GEEARS (Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students), this resource highlights the impact of Early Head Start and Head Start, which serve over 20,000 children across nearly 400 sites in Georgia. These programs provide essential services like early education, health screenings, nutrition, and family support. In many rural areas, Head Start is the only childcare provider and a key employer. Research shows Head Start reduces poverty, increases college completion, and lowers reliance on public assistance—making it a smart investment in Georgia’s future. Please share and take action to support continued funding at geears.org/take-action/advocate.

The Baby Brain Map: Your Guide to Early Brain Development: ZERO TO THREE's Baby Brain Map is an interactive tool designed to help parents, caregivers, and early childhood professionals understand how babies' brains develop from birth to age three. It translates complex brain science into practical strategies, offering insights into how early experiences shape cognitive, emotional, and social development. The tool provides age-specific guidance to support healthy growth and emotional well-being, making it a valuable resource for fostering nurturing environments during these critical early years.

South Georgia Healthy Start Expands Support for Families: GPB South Georgia Healthy Start, serving 10 counties, received a $2 million grant from the United Health Foundation to add doulas to its staff, strengthening support for pregnant individuals before and during birth. This expands on $5.5 million in federal funding already supporting the program, which enrolls over 1,000 moms, dads, and children from pregnancy through 18 months postpartum. Doulas will enhance case management services by providing hands-on support, advocating for families, and improving maternal health outcomes.

Education

EdQuest Georgia Leading Indicators Report released in April 2025 by the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education, introduces a framework of forward-looking metrics designed to assess the quality, effectiveness, and impact of state and community investments in education and workforce development. These leading indicators span five key areas: early learning, K-12 education, post-secondary and workforce readiness, educator support, and community health and environment. By focusing on these areas, the report aims to guide Georgia toward its "North Star" goal of ensuring that 65% of adults aged 25 to 64 attain a post-secondary credential by 2033.

Reaching Rural Educators w/ Angie Battle of the Georgia Council on Economic Education Podcast: In the latest episode of Field Notes, Kathleen Da Silva of the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education talks with Angie Battle from the Georgia Council on Economic Education (GCEE) about their efforts to strengthen economics education in Georgia’s public schools, with a special focus on supporting teachers in rural communities. Check it out and consider sharing the episode with your networks interested in education.

Professional Development and Training

2025 LEARN Conference | Elevate Early Childhood Education: The ZERO TO THREE LEARN Conference 2025 will take place on October 8–9, 2025, in Baltimore, Maryland. This event gathers early childhood professionals—including educators, healthcare providers, mental health specialists, and policymakers—for two days of immersive learning and networking. Attendees can participate in over 65 sessions covering topics such as infant mental health, early learning, child welfare, and early intervention. Registration is open now!

Virtual Workshop: From Prototype to Practice: Bringing New Ideas to Life in Your Nonprofit: Thursday, May 15, 2025, from 10AM-12PM GSU’s Child Welfare Training Collaborative is hosting an interactive workshop designed to help nonprofit leaders and staff refine and implement innovative ideas. Participants will explore frameworks for testing prototypes, embedding new programs into existing systems, and scaling successful initiatives. Approved for 2 CEU hours for social workers, LPCs, and marriage and family therapists, this session offers practical tools for translating creative concepts into sustainable, impactful programs.

Trauma-Informed Resources

Using trauma informed principles in content design - Content Design London: A recent blog from Content Design London highlights how trauma-informed principles can improve digital content for all users—especially those navigating stress or trauma. By prioritizing safety, trust, choice, collaboration, empowerment, and cultural awareness, content creators can make websites and materials more inclusive, supportive, and easier to engage with. Read more about how thoughtful design can promote healing and accessibility.

The 4 Steps - Trauma Informed Lancashire: Trauma Informed Lancashire’s four-step framework—Trauma Aware, Trauma Sensitive, Trauma Responsive, and Trauma Informed—is based on the Missouri Model for becoming trauma-informed. This same model guided our team at Resilient Georgia in developing our Trauma-Informed Training Roadmap, helping organizations and professionals in various sectors take meaningful steps toward embedding trauma-informed values into their work. Check out this list of resources from Trauma-Informed Lancashire!