Why This is an Excellent Time to Support GEEARS
By GEEARS for The Saporta Report
On November 22nd, GEEARS: Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students hosted our annual luncheon. It was a dazzling day in which 200 fellow supporters of early childhood gathered at Zoo Atlanta (with an excellent view of the elephants!) to celebrate our organization’s work on behalf of Georgia families and educators. We honored three early childhood heroes and listened to the inspiring words of Matt Ryan, former Falcons quarterback and current children’s advocate who served as our amazing keynote speaker. We also got to watch a brand new video that charmingly defines what GEEARS is all about. Check it out:
We know you might be feeling a little FOMO right now. But here are two notes of consolation.
- We hold this special luncheon annually so you’re welcome to join us next year. Just sign up for GEEARS updates and you won’t miss any of our news or events. While you’re clicking around our website, check out our 2023-2024 Annual Report, which is officially live.
- Even if you missed this event, you can still contribute to GEEARS. In fact, now is the perfect time because Giving Tuesday is just next week.
Here are just a few reasons supporting GEEARS is such a great idea:
Our Reach Goes Far Beyond Our Staff of 16
Using a vast knowledge base from our own research, our partnerships with other early childhood experts, and almost 15 years worth of relationships with elected officials, philanthropists, and business leaders, GEEARS convenes advocates and collaborators who can collectively drive change for Georgia’s families with young children and the professionals who educate and care for them.
Our Success (and ROI) is Firmly Established
Just in the past couple years, GEEARS has been validated by extraordinary wins such as the 2022 Mayor’s PAACT Commitment—in which the GEEARS-led PAACT: Promise All Atlanta Children Thrive collaborated with Mayor Dickens, the City of Atlanta, and other public and private entities to raise an historic $20+ million for early education. Only a year later, renowned philanthropist MacKenzie Scott awarded GEEARS with an unrestricted three-million-dollar gift—a confirmation, our Board Chair Stephanie Blank said at the time, “that we are doing meaningful, important, and life-changing work for children and families in Georgia.”
Our Game Plan for the Future is Bold and Busy
Because we’re a Georgia alliance, GEEARS is particularly focused on expanding our reach in 2025. In collaboration with the Southern Education Foundation, we’ve already embarked upon a multi-year study of the child care ecosystems in four of our state’s rural communities. We’ve also hired a Statewide Engagement Manager, who will travel through Georgia, forming coalitions who can advocate for a region’s specific needs and build their own power bases of parents, providers, and community partners. We’ll also, as we always do, nurture evergreen initiatives such as Strolling Thunder, which hosts families and their little ones at a powerful advocacy day in the Gold Dome, and the Preschool to Third Grade Leaders Fellowship, which connects early childhood directors and elementary principals to optimize student transitions and align educators.
For all this moving and shaking, we need every ally we can get. We hope you’ll seize this critical moment to support our work for Georgia’s youngest kids, their families, and their caregivers and educators.