PCA Cherokee

PCA Cherokee exists to increase public awareness and implementation of programs and practices that prevent child abuse and neglect by developing trainings, educating our community, and connecting families to needed resources. We offer in-home parenting support in English and Spanish with the goal of keeping families safely together, preventing unnecessary foster care involvement. Families participating in the program received weekly in-home visits complete with parent education, life skills education, resources and referrals, and case management.

Georgia Academy Baseball Club donated Boston butts and students from Reinhardt University donated canned and boxed food items to provide Thanksgiving meals to the families we serve.

Our team joined staff and Board members from the Division of Family and Children Services and the Anna Crawford Children’s Center to place pinwheels across the county for Child Abuse Awareness Month.

Staff members from The Children’s Haven joined Board Chair Buster Cushing on Wear Blue Day to raise awareness for child abuse prevention. Piedmont Church donated laundry detergent to benefit parents in our in-home parent support program.

PCA

BY the

NUMBERS

17

homes/families served

51

children served

20

parents served

(14 single, 3 married couples)

267

number of home visits

47%

Spanish speaking families

100%

of families were stably housed and employed after at least six months in the program

94%

had consistent income/jobs

100%

improvement shown from pre-test to post-test for EVERY parent chin up _8 Site-Based Mentorship. Life-Changing Relationships.

BY the

NUMBERS 18

student participants

Chin Up is a site-based mentorship program designed to foster life-changing relationships through life skills classes and intentional interactions. The mentees and mentors meet once a month, share a meal and engage in educational, as well as empowering, activities taught by community professionals. Through the on-site connections, the participants often communicate outside of the monthly meeting, having built relationships on trust and support. Mentors are caring community members who are willing to train and devote their time and guidance to a teen in need.

Mentees and mentors learned to make spaghetti. Mentees were able to take home their own skillets, utensils, and ingredients after class. Mentees and mentors learned to use tools and built their own tool boxes.

13

trained mentors

5

students successfully completed their courtordered program participation and opted to stay in the Chin Up program on their own.

MAJORITY

of the mentees in the progam showed improvement in either school attendance, behavior, communication, and/or social skills.

My daughter never smiles, but she’s always smiling when she leaves Chin Up. This program is working and it’s making a difference.“

– a mom of a mentee