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Supporting Adoption & Foster Families Together

Georgia CALLS Sponsors SAFFT 5K Event on July 11th

Mark Mobley, Executive Director, Georgia CALLS
Mark Mobley, Executive Director, Georgia CALLS

Georgia CALLS, the Georgia Center For Abundant Living Life Skills, a unique 501(c)3 non-profit helping high-risk, returning citizens make a successful transition from incarceration back into society as business entrepreneurs, is a proud sponsor of “Color Outside the Lines 5K” to benefit foster and adoptive children and families in crisis.

The Color Outside the Lines 5K will be held on Saturday, July 11, 2015 at 8 a.m. at Cumming Fairgrounds, 235 Castleberry Road, Cumming, GA. It is presented by Supporting Adoption & Foster Families Together (SAFFT), a 501(c)3 non-profit that protects children, rebuilds families and empowers caregivers.

The event is for all ages. Participants will enjoy an exciting, timed 5K in a safely designed course inside the fairgrounds, complete with music and color throws. There will be an after party, with awards presented for first, second and third place for each age group as well as a giant paint throw to round out the event.

Georgia CALLS will have an informational tent on-site with giveaways so attendees can learn more about how their program is transforming mindsets, growing leaders and building entrepreneurs, one life at a time.  Community awareness surrounding this reentry initiative is a key component to building better communities and creating safer neighborhoods.

“Georgia CALLS and SAFFT are similar in mission, in that we provide resources and support to help and empower those who need it and to make a difference in people’s lives,” said Mark Mobley, Executive Director of Georgia CALLS. “We believe that supporting our fellow non-profits is essential and are honored to sponsor this important event.”

“We are honored and humbled that Georgia CALLS is our Title Sponsor this year. We love and believe deeply in their mission and we consider them one of our strongest partners. We look forward to hosting their team and the hundreds of runners on July 11th to support our mission to protect children, rebuild families, and empower caregivers in our community,” said Ashley Anderson, Executive Director of SAFFT.

More than 400 runners participated in last year’s 5K. Every runner receives a shirt, a swag bag and a color packet for the after party. To learn more about the event, sign-up, and watch last year’s outrageous recap video visit safft.org/color.

About SAFFT

Supporting Adoption & Foster Families Together (SAFFT), is a non-profit organization with a mission to protect children, rebuild families, and empower caregivers. Through years of working with hundreds of children and families, SAFFT discovered that families in crisis are part of a generational cycle passed down to children causing decades of family abuse, addiction, child neglect, homelessness, unemployment, and severe poverty. Since early 2009, SAFFT has successfully developed and implemented multiple programs of support at the ground level in Forsyth County Georgia and supports neighboring counties including Cherokee, Dawson, Hall, Gwinnett, and Fulton. The SAFFT model includes a supervised visitation center, scholarship programs for foster & adopted children, a resource closet, foster and adoptive gatherings including ongoing parent night out events, a domestic violence visitation and exchange program for victims, parenting classes, and a Christian mentoring program. SAFFT’s leadership strongly believes change begins with the entire community including the families in crisis, the children in foster and adoptive care, caregivers supporting the children, and organizations charged with protecting and serving the children and families. To learn more about SAFFT, visit www.safft.org.

About Georgia CALLS

Georgia CALLS, Georgia Center For Abundant Living Life Skills, located in Buford, GA, is a 501(c)3 organization created to ease the transition from incarceration back into a productive, healthy routine in the community. This unique reentry initiative is a pioneering collaboration between non-profit, for profit and government entities working together for the common good of society.

Georgia CALLS, a program in partnership with the Governor’s Office of Transition, Support & Reentry, the Georgia Department of Corrections and Phillips Transitional Center, is transforming mindsets, growing leaders and building entrepreneurs up, one life at a time.

Utilizing a powerful combination of exclusive job/life skills training, paid work experience in the call center, intensive case management services, and optional discipleship classes, participants in the Georgia CALLS program learn to build strong character, explore their own entrepreneurial desires, and in turn give back to their own communities. Georgia CALLS works to make a lasting community impact by cultivating entrepreneurs and mentoring participants to be the CEOs of their lives. For more information about Georgia CALLS, visit http://www.gacalls.org.

 

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VoiceNation’s “Operation Give Back” Makes Children’s Holiday Brighter

L to R - LeeAnna Channell, VoiceNation's Marketing and Video Assistant with Ashley Anderson, Executive Director of SAFFT and Amber Mooney, VoiceNation's Outreach Coordinator.
L to R – LeeAnna Channell, VoiceNation’s Marketing and Video Assistant with Ashley Anderson, Executive Director of SAFFT and Amber Mooney, VoiceNation’s Outreach Coordinator.

VoiceNation, the industry leader in live answering and virtual receptionist services, has made the holidays a bit brighter for dozens of local children.

“Operation Give Back” is the name given to VoiceNation’s outreach effort to help ensure local children living in shelters and those in need of assistance receive gifts this holiday season. The program is in its third consecutive year and a highly sought after volunteer initiative among VoiceNation employees.

VoiceNation president Jay Reeder explains, “It is not only an enormous privilege, but a responsibility to care for those less fortunate. Through Operation Give Back, we have the opportunity to show love and kindness to children in our local community while spreading holiday cheer and good fortunes to the families we’re able to help.”

Like years before, VoiceNation equipped its staff with Operation Give Back profile folders complete with the child’s name; gender; age; holiday wish list; preferences, such as their favorite color, clothing size, favorite activities, and hobbies; as well as funds to purchase the gifts. Between the detailed profile and hype surrounding this initiative, employees are personally drawn and connected to their child in need and purchase gifts with incredible enthusiasm and heart.

“December is a time for giving and as a company, we see the generosity of this initiative reflecting through the actions of our staff. Many go above and beyond to personally provide gifts for these children, who they have never met, but have touched their hearts in a unique and special way,” added Reeder.

VoiceNation donated gifts to Supporting Adoption & Foster Families Together (SAFFT) and Good News At Noon to support a total of 46 children ranging in age from one to 16 years old from 15 families.

“It means a great deal to the parents. They’re so amazed that anonymous donors would provide an avenue for a parent to give their kid Christmas with nothing in return,” said Ashley Anderson, Executive Director of SAFFT.

According to Hannah Parker, Children and Youth Director for Good News At Noon, “The kids are going to feel so special. Operation Give Back is an answer to our prayer for them.”

The gifts, which ranged from bicycles, books and toys to clothing, games and more, were delivered to SAFFT and Good News At Noon on December 17th.

A large part of VoiceNation’s company culture revolves around their Employee Volunteer Program, which encourages staff to give back and get involved by helping others.  Through the program, every staff member has an opportunity to volunteer and work towards a cause they feel passionate about, on a local, national, or global scale.

To learn more about SAFFT, visit http://safft.org/. To learn more about Good News At Noon, visit http://www.goodnewsatnoon.org.

About VoiceNation

VoiceNation is a leading provider of 24-hour live answering services and call center solutions. Named “Top Provider in Industry” by PC World, VoiceNation is positioned as a knowledge leader with innovations in pricing, service, and proprietary open source technology.

Over 50,000 businesses worldwide, including Comedy Central, Delta, Dunkin’ Donuts, Rolls Royce, and StateFarm trust VoiceNation as their professional telephone answering service. Founded in 2002, VoiceNation is a privately-held company that invests heavy emphasis in staff development and community outreach opportunities.

To learn more about VoiceNation, visit http://www.qualityansweringservice.com.

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Non-Profit Organization Working to Restore Families is Seeking Proud Supporters to Sponsor Exclusive Building, “The Family Life Center”

SAFFT has launched its Fall Corporate Building Campaign to give local businesses the opportunity to help families in crisis by sponsoring the new Family Life Center building.

Atlanta and Cumming, GA

September 10th, 2013 – Supporting Adoption & Foster Families Together (SAFFT) is excited to announce new partnership opportunities for Corporate Business Sponsors, as the non-profit unveils its groundbreaking building, The Family Life Center, located in Cumming, GA this Fall. SAFFT’s newly renovated, state-of-the-art Family Life Center will provide natural families, temporary foster caregivers, and adoptive families a place for restoration, healing, and support. Generous businesses in the area currently have a unique opportunity to innovate alongside SAFFT by sponsoring a room in the new Family Life Center.

This unique building is a rare jewel coming to Forsyth County, providing a revolutionary solution to mend families and boost economic growth. In partnership with the CJCC and the Office of Violence Against Women (OVW) federal program, SAFFT will begin operating The Family Life Center, one of the very few centers of its kind in the state of Georgia. The Family Life Center expands SAFFT’s current visitation and community center from 2,000 square feet to 10,000 square feet and facilitates new programs that go beyond social services. “We are in lock step with the key social services partners including DFCS, CASA, and the courts to help these families step out of their situation and rebuild their life. This ensures a chance for generational change,” states Ashley Anderson, Executive Director of SAFFT.

This one-of-a-kind facility will feature a unique brick wall display, welcoming visitation rooms, and an engaging grand room available for corporate sponsors at respective levels. With integral support from local business operations, The Family Life Center can provide services such as a supervised visitation center for court ordered visitations, support for domestic violence cases to allow for safe child visitations and custody exchanges, parenting classes, Christian mentoring, a foster and adoptive support network, a resource closet, and child scholarships. “The Family Life Center is one major step towards helping heal families and provides a single place for restorations,” says Mrs. Anderson.

“Families in crisis are part of a generational cycle passed down to children, causing decades of child abuse, substance abuse, homelessness, and severe poverty. In partnership with the community and other organizations, SAFFT is aiming to cover the family with incredible support to restore them for generational change,” Mrs. Anderson illustrates.

SAFFT’s Family Life Center in Forsyth County will open in the Fall of 2013, immediately followed by a new Dawson County Visitation Center. SAFFT will conduct two separate ribbon cutting ceremonies which will include community open house activities.

Business corporations seeking interest in a partnership with SAFFT’s Family Life Center can visit http://safft.org/support-us/fall-campaign-2013 for more information.

About SAFFT

SAFFT, is a non-profit organization dedicated to serving, supporting, and empowering foster and adoptive children, their caregivers, and the entire family in crisis through a Christ-centered supportive network. Through years of working with hundreds of children and families, SAFFT discovered that families in crisis are part of a generational cycle passed down to children causing decades of family abuse, addiction, child neglect, homelessness, unemployment, and severe poverty. Since early 2009, SAFFT has successfully developed and implemented multiple programs of support at the ground level in Forsyth County Georgia and supports neighboring counties including Cherokee, Dawson, Hall, Gwinnett, and Fulton. The SAFFT model includes a supervised visitation center, scholarship programs for foster & adopted children, a resource closet, foster and adoptive gatherings including ongoing parent night out events, a domestic violence visitation & exchange program for victims, parenting classes, and a Christian mentoring program. SAFFT’s leadership strongly believes change begins with the entire community including the families in crisis, the children in foster and adoptive care, caregivers supporting the children, and organizations charged with protecting and serving the children and families.

To learn more about SAFFT and its Fall Corporate Building Campaign, visit http://safft.org/.

Non-Profit Organization Working to Restore Families is Seeking Proud Supporters to Sponsor Exclusive Building, “The Family Life Center”Read More