More than 50 prevention partners, colleagues, friends, and family members attended the April 19 Prevent Child Abuse Georgia Open House and Ribbon Cutting event at the Urban Life Building at Georgia State University.
“Our new office space provided a wonderful setting to celebrate our work with members of our prevention network,” said PCA Georgia Executive Director Jennifer Stein.
Also in attendance were representatives of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, with Business Development Manager Jessica Johnson joining the ceremonial ribbon cutting in front of the Mark Chaffin Center for Healthy Development suite.
Stein recognized the importance of PCA Georgia being housed within GSU’s School of Public Health.
“It was a blessing for our nonprofit to join the MCCHD in 2011,” Stein said. “And now moving into this beautifully crafted space, we are so appreciative of the university.”
She recognized the partners present including the Division of Family and Children Services Prevention Community Support Section. Pointing to the importance of nurturing healthy childhoods from birth, she said each year in Georgia there are 124,000 infants born.
“In an ideal world, that mother/child connection is launched into a safe and supportive village of family, friends, and other caregivers,” Stein said. “And while we don’t live in that ideal world, it does not prevent us from working as change agents to cultivate thriving families. PCA Georgia builds strong families through science-based prevention strategies and programs, bolstering the Strengthening Families protective factors, awareness campaigns, and advocacy. We can all be that supportive village, helping every child grow into a limitless potential.”
Long-time staff member Dr. Jyll Walsh, who serves as the assistant director for PCA Georgia, said the program has nurtured 16 graduate research assistants and interns over the past decade. After earning advanced degrees, Walsh said, these students moved on to careers with the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, and other child welfare-related organizations.
“When people go off to pursue new opportunities, they don’t really leave, they simply expand our network of strong partnerships across sectors,” Walsh said.
View event pictures at here.
For more information, visit www.PCAGeorgia.org.