Become a part of our statewide movement to support high-quality early learning and healthy development for every child.

Advocate for Early Childhood

A Sample of our Advocacy Efforts
  • GEEARS supported the creation of a House Study Committee on Infant and Toddler Social-Emotional Health during the 2019 legislative session.
  • GEEARS advocated for increased state investments in the Childcare and Parent Services (CAPS) Program in recent years, resulting in an additional $3.5 million in 2021 and $500,000 in 2019 and 2020
  • In 2020, GEEARS and our partners worked tirelessly to protect Georgia’s nationally-recognized Pre-K Program from the 14% budget cuts originally proposed by the Georgia General Assembly, which would have reduced instructional days from 180 to 167 and eliminated 4,000 slots. GEEARS mobilized 10,000 Georgians to contact their legislators in support of Georgia’s Pre-K, ultimately preventing the proposed cuts to slots and instructional days.
Support Early Childhood Efforts in Your Community
  • Volunteer to read to a class- but first, watch this video by the Atlanta Speech School for important tips.
  • Help us ensure that every family of a child under five in Atlanta has a summer filled with enriching literacy activities by being a part of the GEEARS-led Mayor’s Summer Reading Club. Learn more.
  • Encourage providers to participate in Quality Rated
  • Enhance an early learning center’s library by donating books or other resources.
  • Encourage families to attend on-time well visits and participate in developmental screenings. 
Support Early Childhood Through Philanthropy
  • Partner with us to improve the quality of early education in Georgia.
Spread the Word
  • We all interact with children- either our own children, grandchildren, neighbors, or just the children we see in restaurants and other public places. Be intentional with these interactions, and let every moment make a difference. Learn more about how you and your community can support early brain development with the Build My Brain course.
  • Become a Champion for early childhood by joining our First 2000 Days Campaign.
  • Share the Quality Rated child care system and search tool with friends and family searching for quality, child care in Georgia.
  • Host a house party with GEEARS to educate your friends about the importance of early education. Email Mindy Binderman, Executive Director.
Support Early Childhood in Your Workplace
  • Implement family-friendly policies and practices, such as those outlined in Advancing Opportunity. 
  • Ensure that your human resources department has information about Quality Rated to share with employees.
  • Promote employee satisfaction and retention- and future workforce development- by ensuring that your employees have access to to comprehensive medical benefits and high-quality, affordable early education programs for their young children.
Advocacy Resources