Families First

Connecting our neighbors with the right job opportunities is a key component of building resilient communities. Today Families First joined forces with Better Work Gwinnett, a project of Hiring Well, Doing Good and Georgia Center for Opportunity to host a free Drive-Thru Job Fair. Working with partners including The Community Foundation for Northeast Georgia, Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce, Goodwill of North Georgia, the job fair helped connect job seekers with job opportuniti...es in Gwinnett from more than 50 companies ready to hire including Gwinnett County Public Schools Transportation, Chick-fil-A, Randstad USA, Northside Hospital, Americas Banks, Waffle House. and Construction Education Foundation of Georgia. DePriest Waddy, Families First CEO, helped job seekers navigate the event safely from their cars. (Mask and hat taken off for this quick outdoor photo) #hiring #job #community #opportunity #jobfair

From our founders, Lucetta M. Lawson and Sarah L. Grant, who in 1890 saw the pressure and poverty facing so many families and children and began the Leonard Street Orphans’ Home for Colored Girls to our current and past team, board and supporters, Families First has a long history of strong women leaders. Our current team is 90% women, and 60% of our senior leadership team is female. As we close out #WomensHistoryMonth, Families First is thankful for the passion, dedication and commitment of the women who have transformed our organization over the last 131 years. Check out the Women's History Month site for opportunities to celebrate the amazing stories of women who have changed our communities all year.https://womenshistorymonth.gov/ #WomensHistoryMonth

Families First is proud to join with Better Work Gwinnett on April 1st from 10am - 2pm for a FREE Drive-Thru Job Fair 6400 Sugarloaf Pkwy, Duluth, GA Over 50 local businesses ready to hire right here in Gwinnett will be onsite. Drive up, talk with them and apply for full-time and part-time positions from local employers looking to hire today!... Find out more at BetterJobFair.org #hiring #jobsearch #jobseekers #recruiting #job #career #lookingforjob #jobseeker #jobopportunity #jobopportunities #jobopening #jobopenings #talentaquisition #jobvacancies #nowhiring #hiringnow #jobalert #localjob #localjobs #dreamjob

#flashbackfriday to last March when we were all having to change the way we live, work and serve. Throughout this year, we’ve found new ways to still serve our clients and overcome any obstacles in our way. This resilience, how we bounce back when life happens, was seen with adoptive parents not being allowed to see their new son in the hospital, and instead, Sanjay and Kelly met baby Issa in a parking lot. No matter the bumps in the road, we’ve still been helping clients on their journeys, including this special adoption shared by Oprah Daily #familyandrelationships #community #adoption #buildingresilience https://lnkd.in/dfaBPA6

Philanthropy is now a driving value in the organization, and the company has a 10 percent annual company give-back. In the beginning, it was all about the brushes and generating revenue now, she views the product as a means to achieving a more meaningful mission. Forbes sharing the story of one of our longtime supporters, Anisa Telwar Kaicker and her company, Anisa International, Inc. who generously support our families and have invested in behavioral health services for ...formerly homeless families. During #womenshistorymonth and throughout the year, we’re proud to have such dynamic, successful, and generous women not only giving so much back to Families First but leading by example in how to make a difference in the lives of others. https://www.forbes.com//twenty-five-years-into-leadershi/ #WomensHistoryMonth #familiesfirst #BuildingResilience

Resilience, successfully overcoming life's bumps and bruises, problem-solving and the ability to learn new skills are key assets employers are looking for in hiring for today's jobs. Thank you to Westside Future Fund, Goodwill of North Georgia and Invest Atlanta for their dedication to workforce development and connecting people to the skills needed for the jobs available in our communities. #BuildResilience #Resilience #WorkforceDevelopment

Congratulations to our CEO DePriest Waddy and COO Julio C Carrillo for being named to the 2021 Atlanta 500 - Atlanta's Most Powerful Leaders by Atlanta Magazine. We salute the phenomenal leadership of DePriest and Julio, who led the Families First team to launch a new mission and strategic plan for our 130-year-old organization last year focused on building resilient families so all children can thrive - all while spearheading a successful virtual shift for Families First operations and program delivery due to COVID-19. We are proud to celebrate their extraordinary achievements!

I want to be a part of a world in which every child can grow up safe, healthy, educated, connected and therefore employable, which means they are a contributing person in our world. The words of Ann W Cramer share why she’s been such a longtime supporter of Families First and so many other outstanding community organizations and causes. We’d like to congratulate her for the much-deserved honor of being named to Georgia Trend 2021 Most Influential Hall of Fame list. Ann’s ongoing commitment to the Atlanta community and corporate responsibility have made an indelible mark the state of Georgia. We’re forever grateful for and inspired by her dedication, volunteerism and leading by example. https://www.georgiatrend.com//georgia-trend-2021-hall-of/

Resiliency is when we keep going despite the trials and tribulationsSome of us have less resources to deal with them, and that’s why I think it’s really cool that we get to be support people. We get to be community linkage to other programs, providers and tools for those that may have less resources at this time. shared Michelle Brock Coleman, Families First Teen Program Specialist. As we kick off 2021, our new Navigator care team is connecting families with the services they need to help them on their path to resilience! https://www.youtube.com/watch

As we celebrate the new year with hope and joy for our families, we are grateful for all of our supporters who helped us raise $750,000 for the Families First Resilience and Recovery Fund! With your help, we will provide the power of resilience for thousands of families in 2021. From our families to yours, Happy New Year! It's not too late to support our goal of $1 million for the Families First Resilience and Recovery Fund this year! https://bit.ly/2LOHjky

$250 can help a young person aging out of Foster Care pay their utilities for one month. Your gift to the Families First Resilience & Recovery Fund supports our Foster Care Youth with the life skills and resources they need for independent living success for the longterm. Remember, today is the last day to deduct $300 from your taxes for charitable donations, even if you do not itemize (2020 only) and we thank you for considering a year end gift of resilience for our families! https://bit.ly/2LOHjky

"Resiliency is important...How we utilize it and identify it helps us get through each of these traumas, storms, situations that may come from social determinant factors that affect our lives. Families First Navigator Program Manager Troya Jackson explains how the new Navigator Care model helps build resilience in our families who were already facing traumas before the pandemic, and why your donation to the Families First Resilience & Recovery Fund can help them build a better future for their children. https://bit.ly/2LOHjky

Parents and the community asked...Raising Expectations answered! Thanks to the support of Westside Future Fund and AT&T we were able to secure an Americorps tea...m from Alonzo A. Crim Center for Urban Educational Excellence to activate our hybrid in-person school day support program for 50 students at our new Families First site. Lunch is being graciously provided by SimpsonStreet Church . This is what community looks like in action. :) Due to COVID, we have them sitting in family pods and 6 feet apart. The students have received this new effort with enthusiasm mostly. Now, there is no excuse for not logging into class. :) #TheREWay #REVirtualVillageContinues See more

If you are adoptive or foster family, please join the The Georgia Center for Resources and Support for their 6th annual National Adoption Month Celebration on Saturday, November 14! This is a fun interactive virtual program for kids and parents with inspiration, games and important information for families. Register today at https://bit.ly/367PCyg

We’re kicking off #NationalAdoptionMonth with the adoption of Marco this week! Little Marco entered foster care when he was only three days old. He is now three and thriving with his new #foreverfamily, Jon Luke, Marco and baby Lucus Davila-Robertson. Little Marco was placed with the Davila-Robertsons on February 29, 2020 and Marquito, as he is affectionately called, quickly became part of the family. His adoption was finalized on November 2nd with a little help from the Fa...milies First Adoptions Team! Marquito’s Hispanic heritage is being fully embraced, and he’s already becoming bilingual. This loving family of four couldn’t be happier and has so much to be thankful for this #nationalgratitudemonth. Congratulations to the Davila-Robertson forever family of four! #adoptionjourney #makeitofficial #buildingresilience

Congratulations to Families First's Special Needs Adoption Coordinator Rebekah Staats for receiving an award from the Georgia Division of Family & Children Services (DFCS) for her excellent service and dedication to matching forever families through adoption! During this week's National Adoption Month Kickoff, Rebekah was recognized by DFCS employees in celebration of her extraordinary work with adoptive families waiting for children in Georgia's foster care system. Rebekah ...has overseen an amazing 7 adoptions of children from foster care since June and 35 adoptions since she joined Families First 3 years ago, with more in the works! Cheers to you Rebekah and for the life-changing work you do! #adoptionjourney #nationaladoptionmonth #fostertoforever https://youtu.be/S8hHxIMdVxY

"Self-care is the best care! Get the help you need with Families First. Today is #nationalstressawarenessday and we think our client, Elizabeth, said it best. Take care of yourself today and every day, and when you need someone to talk to, call us at 404-853-2844. We are here for you 7 days a week, with virtual counseling for adults, teens and children. https://youtu.be/8JFTAujCLc0... #mentalhealthawareness #resilience #FamiliesFirst

It's Election Day and our Families First Team is hitting the polls! Families First is proud to join great Atlanta companies like The Home Depot, The Coca-Cola Company and Mailchimp in offering paid time so employees have no barriers to exercising their right to vote or volunteering to work the polls. As you head out to vote, check out your local polling location and times: https://georgia.gov/early-voting #RocktheVote #Vote2020

It's #NationalAdoptionMonth. At Families First, we are a lifeline to families before, during and after adoptions. The Mitchell family brought three brothers out of foster care and into a family with two very loving dads. When tragedy struck the new family, Families First was there with counseling and support services to help them navigate a heartbreaking time. https://youtu.be/NPe7JtVWDVg... #adoptionjourney #counseling #fostertoforever

Give families in Atlanta something to be thankful for this Thanksgiving! You can make a difference for the 28 families who are waiting to be adopted! Thank you for helping our most vulnerable families have a healthy and delicious holiday meal together. https://familiesfirst.roonga.com/thanksgiving2020 #adoptafamily #givingseason #grateful #thanksgivingdinner #thankfulforfamily

Congratulations Aaliyah for finding your voice and letting it be heard! With one week to go before Election Day, Aaliyah, a resident of our Second Chance Home, voted for the first time! Join Aaliyah and get out the early vote by October 30th. Check out your local polling location and times: https://georgia.gov/early-voting #RocktheVote #Vote2020

For Families First Board Chair Courtney Showell, Sr ties to our organization literally run in the family. His mother was CEO from 2001-2009, and he's been a board member for almost four years. A graduate of Morehouse College and MBA alum from Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia, Courtney is a partner in PwC health industries advisory practice and extends his community service to several other boards in Atlanta. Outside of his work and service, he enjoys spending time with his wife Jaclyn and three children, loves traveling and serving in food ministry at Providence Atlanta. #service #communityvolunteer #givingback

95 Families are waiting to be adopted this Thanksgiving. Adopt-a-Family today to make the lives of children and families a little brighter this holiday season! - https://mailchi.mp/familiesfirst.org/adopt-a-family-4778702

Happy Birthday to Monica Pearson, this year’s #DiningforaDifference host, past Families First board member and the driving force behind changing our name from Child Service & Family Counseling Center to Families First back in 1987. Your vision, impact and longtime support continue to make a difference for our families. Wishing you all the happiness in the coming year that you bring to so many others!

With the help of our CHISPA Program partner Gwinnett Cares, our staff distributes food to families in need each week at the Norcross Mobile Home Park gazebo. Families First ensures the well-being of these families by filling their pantries and giving them one less concern during this time of crisis. #givingback #community #endhunger

Adopt-A-Family and brighten the life of a child this holiday season! The Families First Adopt-A-Family drive begins today to provide Thanksgiving meals and holiday gifts for children and families in need! Click here to meet hundreds of children and families who need your help this year. https://bit.ly/2FFzAmc