You did it!
Thanks to the generosity of our donors and our Georgia Appleseed Board of Advisors, Georgia Appleseed's end-of-year campaign went twice the distance. Donors matched in full the $5000 challenge grant of our Board of Advisors. Our sincerest thanks to all who helped us achieve this goal!
A Picture Perfect Evening: The 3rd Annual Art of Justice on November 17th
A mime, a caricaturist and a human statue walk into a law firm... all featured as performance artists at the 3rd annual Art of Justice on November 17th hosted by Sutherland Asbill & Brennan. Our deepest thanks to Judy O'Brien, Pro Bono Partner, Mark Wasserman, Managing Partner, and the Sutherland staff for creating a memorable, engaging evening showcasing the firm's wonderful fine art collection and other more whimsical expressions of art. A tribute to Georgia Appleseed volunteers included special recognition of founding Board Chair, Steve Clay. See more photos of the evening here.
Seeds of Justice, Fall 2009 Issue
• "It Takes A Parent" workshop now on DVD
• Heir Property project seeks pro bono volunteers
• Child Protection & Public Safety Act (SB292) introduced
• Become a Core Supporter
• Much More!
Heir Property in Georgia
Helping disadvantaged rural and urban property owners to preserve their property rights is the goal of this Young Professionals Council (YPC) signature pro bono project. “Heir property” refers to real property passed to heirs without benefit of a will or probate, often resulting in complex property ownership issues.
To determine the prevalence of heir property in Georgia, more than 125 volunteers from law firms and businesses are engaged in online tax database research of select Georgia counties. More volunteers are needed! Research can be performed right in one's own office. A one-hour CLE professionalism hour is available for on-site training. Other volunteer opportunities include case study development and training to assist heir property owners.
Contact Puja Vadodaria to sign up or learn more.
In conjunction with the UGA School of Law Cousins Public Interest Fellowship, the YPC published the manual, Heir Property in Georgia, a concise overview of issues affecting heir property owners.
Download Heir Property in Georgia here or request a copy.
The Child Protection and Public Safety Act (Senate Bill 292)
On April 2, 2009, Georgia Appleseed's collaborative effort to improve justice for Georgia's children and promote safety for its communities through adoption of a new state juvenile code took a big step forward with the introduction of the Child Protection and Public Safety Act (SB292) by State Senator Bill Hamrick (R-Carrollton). Judiciary hearings are underway with expert testimony on key articles of the legislation. Visit www.JUSTGeorgia.org to learn about the hearings and to join the coalition
Common Wisdom: Making the Case for a New Georgia Juvenile Code
The content of the revised legislation was informed in large measure by Georgia Appleseed's landmark pro bono project to gather stakeholder-based feedback across the state on improvements needed to the current code.
6,500 legal professional volunteer hours were invested in the creation of Common Wisdom: Making the Case for a New Georgia Juvenile Code, the resulting report series chronicling findings and recommendations. The comprehensive Statewide Summary Report, an Executive Summary, and ten Judicial District Reports are available online.
When My Child is Disciplined at School; a Guide for Families
As part of its continuing focus on effective parental involvement to benefit students and schools, Georgia Appleseed is pleased to offer its new handbook, When My Child is Disciplined at School; a Guide for Families. The guidebook, available online here, is intended as a tool to help parents and guardians throughout Georgia to become informed advocates for their children when dealing with school discipline policies.
"It Takes a Parent: Strengthening Effective Parent Involvement" Video Workshop
"It Takes a Parent: Strengthening Effective Parent Involvement" is a forty-minute video version of Georgia Appleseed's highly acclaimed workshop "Parent Involvement Under No Child Left Behind (NCLB).” The content helps parents to access, interpret and use the 'alphabet soup' array of mandated school assessment tests to best benefit their student and school.
To arrange a facilitated workshop using the DVD, contact Theresa Brower.
To download "It Takes a Parent" workshop video & promo, click here.
Click here to view the 5-minute promotional video and learn what top Georgia education leaders have to say about the value of the workshop video. To obtain a copy, click here.
