The Year in Review

2019 was a busy year here at Children First, Inc from expanding some programs to closing one, from Pope Street Cottage construction to new events and celebrations. We are so thankful to all that have supported our cause through this year of change, as we have worked hard to best support children and families in our community.
Here's just a few of the highlights and changes we've seen in 2019:

Pope Street Construction and Repairs
This year saw extensive repairs and upgrades to our offices at the Pope Street Cottage. Among the repairs were new windows, roof repairs, re-doing the porch, and upgrades to the back deck.  We're so thankful for to JOMA construction for the work they've done on the cottage.

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Farewell to Family Time
After many years of hard work and dedication, The Family Time Community Visitation Center closed its doors this year. Many challenges have led to this decision - including increased cost of operations, challenges in fundraising and meeting grant requirements, staff turnover and more. It was an extremely difficult decision that we struggled with for over a year, but it is the right decision given the circumstances

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CASA Staff Expanded
Due to some incredible recruitment efforts on the part of CASA staff and volunteers, we were able to add an additional CASA staff member this year. An additional staff member was needed to effectively train and supervise the increasing number of community members choosing to dedicate their time and talent to being a CASA child advocate. Emily Dant, far right, became the CASA program coordinator to oversee the program as it expands to serve more children and families in need.

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Executive Director, Susie Weller,
​Appointed to Georgia DFCS Advisory Board
Susie was recognized by Governor Kemp for overseeing all aspects of Children First, Inc and furthering the goal of promoting safe homes for children in times of crisis. We are so proud that Susie's dedication and experience in the field of child welfare has been recognized at the state level and we can't wait to see the impact she'll have on family and children services in Georgia.

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National Reunification Month Celebration and Proclamation
Thank you to everyone that joined us for the National Family Reunification Month Proclamation & Celebration event on Monday, June 10th at Athens City Hall!  The Commission Chamber was packed to over capacity, we heard some truly inspiring stories from parents, and celebrated the hard work families do to safely reunify. We look forward to continuing to celebrate National Reunification Month in the years to come.

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30 for 30 in 2020
2020 marks 30 years of service our CASA program. Children First, Inc. began as a CASA program in 1990. As one of the founding programs in the state, Athens-Oconee CASA has grown and evolved into Children First, Inc - an umbrella organization including SafeCare Home Visiting and SPARC (Supportive Parenting and Access Resource Center).  We are asking community members to help us celebrate 30 years of service by donating $30 - once, twice, or monthly for the year.  Donating is fast and easy on our website homepage - www.childrenfirst-inc.org