Database Created To Boost Involvement in Literacy and Prenatal to Pre-K Programs

On Wednesday, December 5, Archway Partnership employee/Dalton State student Jordan Manis and University of Georgia Masters in Nonprofit Administration student Leize Marie Baschon spoke with the Dalton-Whitfield Archway Partnership Executive Committee about a newly created literacy and prenatal to age five database.  The database contains a list of programs and services in the Dalton-Whitfield area that support literacy for all ages.  The database also has a list of programs and services that support early brain development for the prenatal to age five population and programs for their families.  Programs listed in the database include tutoring programs, GED preparation courses, English classes for non-native English speakers, nutrition programs, parenting classes, and many more. 

At the meeting, Jordan and Leize Marie shared that their goal was to make a public database that the community can use to learn about what programs and services are available, where they are located, and the requirements to attend.  The database will also be beneficial to the non-profit community because it will allow them to collaborate with one another, refer their clients for additional services, or join forces with other organizations to ensure that all of their clients’ needs are addressed.  In addition, the directory may help organizations identify possibilities for collaboration with other organizations that will increase their potential to receive funding from federal and private grants.

The need for the database was articulated by the Archway Partnership Executive Committee and the Investing in Public Education Issue Work Group after noting that there is no comprehensive list of all the programs that support literacy and early brain development in the community.  The Archway Partnership Executive Committee hopes that this list will be a useful tool in supporting the Readers to Leaders goal of getting children on grade level at an early age --- hopefully by grade 3.  To learn more about the Readers to Leaders movement, please see the following links:

http://dalton-whitfieldarchway.blogspot.com/2012/06/community-leaders-join-in-commitment-to.html

http://dalton-whitfieldarchway.blogspot.com/2012/07/archway-hosts-successful-community.html

http://dalton-whitfieldarchway.blogspot.com/2012/11/readers-to-leaders-partners-with-local.html

http://dalton-whitfieldarchway.blogspot.com/2012/11/mayor-pennington-shares-local-literacy.html

The Archway Partnership Executive Committee is currently working with Jordan, Leize Marie, and local partners to improve this database before it is made public.  If you would like to be a part of this effort, please email Melissa Lu at mdlu@uga.edu.