Clarkston Development Foundation

Theory of change: cdf action catalyzes community change through a focus on three 'levers' integrated into all our programs and activities: resident engagement, organizational collaboration, and innovative solutions. Cdf serves as a catalyst to build on community strengths, mobilize new resources, and pilot innovative projects, working with partners to move ideas to action. Cdf provides technical assistance to groups inside and outside of clarkston.the following programatic and operational goals address issues and ideas from our strategic planning activities. Cdf action will continue to work alongside residents and stakeholders to regine and implement these goals, 2021-2024.goal 1: increase the number of multi-lingual early learning teachers in central dekalb.goal 2: increase the number of refugee and low-income children in central dekalb who have access to and are enrolled in formal and informal early learning programs and activities.goal 3: expand core cdf action programs to communities both inside and outside clarkston.goal 4: build cdf action's internal capacity.

CDF 2023 major activities.A. Clarkston Early Learning Network (CELN)/Clarkston Early Learning Task Force (CELTF). CELN, created in 2012 as a result of CDF community dialogues, is a coalition of individuals and organizations committed to: (a) increasing access to and the quality of early learning and literacy activities, (b) promoting the importance of the early years and home language to children's growth and development, and (c) supporting equitable early learning policies and programs. In 2019, CDF Action and the Network requested that the City of Clarkston create a Clarkston Early Learning Task Force (CELTF) to conduct an early learning community assessment and to develop recommendations for the City of Clarkston and other stakeholders. CDF worked with the City of Clarkston to create the work plan and to recruit Task Force members which were appointed in early 2020. In 2023, CDF conducted monthly Task Force meetings by Zoom, resulting in new or expanded programs. In March 2023, CDF partnered with early care and learning groups to host the second annual Clarkston Early Learning Fair held at the Clarkston Community Center, attended by over 100 residents and partner organizations. Participants signed up for CAPs (childcare subsidies and Head Start), learned about other childcare programs, and received free diapers (IRC) and free books (CDF).B. Clarkston Story Walk in Friendship Forest. In 202l after discussing research compiled by a student intern from Emory University, CDF and members of the Clarkston Early Learning Task Force developed a grant proposal to the City of Clarkston to create a Friendship Forest Story Walk, based on a national initiative developed in Virginia. The Story Walk is an innovative way for children and adults to enjoy reading and the outdoors at the same time. Laminated pages from a childrens book are enclosed in message boards which are installed along an outdoor path. The City paid for the stands from APR funds. CDF received a grant from the Stone Mountain Rotary Club to purchase 20 copies of 12 books. The books change every month. In 2022, the Task Force sponsored a launch that included members of the Task Force and families to give additional feedback. CDF contracted with a Story Walk Coordinator to maintain the stands and change the books. The Rollins Center for Language and Literacy staff developed guides for each book. CDF and task force members worked with an Emory class team to review the 2021 start up evaluation and to develop an evaluation/feedback implementation plan.In 2023, CDF again served as the fiscal agent for a City of Clarkston funding to continue the Story Walk and used that funding to hire a consultant to monitor the stands, change the book, and develop a flyer to promote the new book. CDF organized several events with early learning partners, including field trips by local childcare centers.C.Clarkston Tell Me A Story! Literacy Festival - Children's Stories from Around the World. The 10th annual CTMAS was held at the Georgia Piedmont Technical College Conference Center, September 2023 Approximately 300 people attended, an increase from the year before. The annual event is co-sponsored by the City of Clarkston and CDF Action and multiple sponsors, including Refugee Womens Network, Friends of Refugees, Quality Care for Children, and others, with participation by over 20 literacy partners. The event included storytellers, literacy activities, community resources, international food, free books, and book bags.D. READY Schools. The READY Schools initiative is an innovative early learning and family engagement program for ages 3- and 4 - years children and their families, funded primarily by United Way of Greater Atlanta. The READY Schools, located in apartment complexes or churches, offer a free multi-lingual, multi-cultural half day program. The READY School, designed in partnership with families and early learning programs, provides an informal and culturally responsive experience for refugee children, many of whom had never been away from family. Current teachers, who are bilingual, were previous READY School parents. In 2023, CDF supported three READY Schools, one in Norcross for Spanish speaking families in partnership with the American Learning Academy, and two in Central DeKalb, in partnership with Scottdale Early Learning, Inc.An annual report was submitted to United Way including demographic data and impact based on performance objectives, with over 90 percent of the children successfully transitioning into a Georgia Pre-K program The READY Schools served 70 families during the program year. September 1 CDF received a federal earmark grant to enhance the READY School and to expand to an additional site in partnership with Cushman-Wakefield property managers. CDF began planning for this work in the fall of 2022 and the program began in 2023 with assistance from the United Ways Learning Spaces initiative. CDF engaged families and children in a two-hour session, with story time, music and movement, activities, free diapers and books. Home countries included Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and Eritrea, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.In 2023, CDF contracted with Luminary Evaluation to develop a READY School evaluation and tool kit. Both products are available from CDF Action.E. Enhanced Child Development Associate (ECDA) partnership with Head Start. The CDA students who started their classwork in 2020 continued to meet by Zoom in 2021 and began their practicums in 2022, primarily at Easter Seals North Georgia. In 2023, 7 students received their CDA.In 2021, CDF worked with the new DeKalb Head Start grantee, Easter Seals North Georgia, to submit a proposal to United Way for the startup of another CDA cohort. The grant was awarded in 2021. During 2021, CDF met with Easter Seals, Refugee Womens Network, and instructor Dr. Linda Travers to plan for the class and to recruit students who speak Pashto, Dari, or Arabic. The classes for 18 students began in January 2022, at Easter Seals, with bilingual interpreters and childcare provided. The class and support to the students continued in 2023.This activity supports one of the CDF Boards strategic directions, to increase the number of bilingual early learning teachers.F. Parent Leadership and Voices. During 2022, CDF partnered with Refugee Womens Network (RWN) to implement a project called Parent Leadership and Voices. This project brought together four cohorts of families (Arabic, Chin, Amharic, and Pashto/Dari) to participate in leadership workshops. The MOU was finalized in November and planning commenced in November and December, with the launch held January 2022. The four cohorts were successfully held, each with 10 women. The workshops included three three-hour sessions, with interpretation and childcare. Each cohort planned a community project.In 2023, CDF and RWN organized three cohorts of women, including a new cohort of women who spoke Swahili. The READY School cohort continued in 2023 and developed a Lending circle program, and several participants increased their credit score as a result of this program. The Swahili speaking parents created a baby shower as their project. Parent Leadership and Voice is adapted from CDFs Parent Leadership Institute, previously implemented with United Way of Greater Atlanta. An evaluation and tool completed for the United Way project continues to guide the implementation of Parent Voices & Leadership.G. Georgia State Prevention Resource Center Advisory Committee. The Executive Director was invited to serve on the federally funded Georgia State Prevention Resource Center (PRC) and in 2021 was invited to co-chair the Advisory Committee with Councilman Awet Eyasu. She continued to co-chair in 2022 and 2023. The Committee meets monthly to provide advice and support the work of the PRC.H. BIG. The Executive Director serves as a member of a new coalition to monitor Georgia state legislation which impacts refugees, immigrants, and asylees. The coalition, named BIG, was instrumental in passing legislature establishing The Global Talent Study Committee to research the barrier

Our strategic plan, CDF Action: Delivering Social Impact, 7/28/2021 is available. The document was reviewed and approved again in 2023.Board of Directors and staff. The CDF Board of Directors is the governing body and provides financial and program oversight and long-range planning. Roberta Malavenda served as the Executive Director and Flo Shepley served as the Financial Manager in 2023. Adam Nykamp served as the Board President, elected in November 2022 and again in 2023. The Board meets quarterly. CDF contracts with partners and individuals for specific support and activities related to administration and programs.Funding Partners. During 2023, several organizations received grants and included CDF as a partner including: Refugee Womens Network (technical assistance for a teacher training program), Afghanistan American Alliance (child care for English as a Second language program), Refugee Family Assistance Project (Child Care Navigation), City of Clarkston (Story Walk, Clarkston Health Fair, Early Learning Information Fair, and Clarkston Tell Me a Story!) and Easter Seals North Georgia (Enhanced CDA). During 2022, CDF partnered with Scottdale Early Learning and the American Learning Academy, along with Luminary Evaluation, to submit a federal earmark grant, through Congressman Hank Johnsons office, to Expand and Enhance the READY School initiative. The grant funding began in September 2022 and continued in 2023. Equipment, books, and additional toys were purchased with these funds. Through these funds, CDF partnered with Cushman Sanders property managers to open a Family Hub at Peachtree Creek on Ponce Apartments in 2023. In 2023, CDF received ongoing funding from United Way of Greater Atlanta to implement three READY Schools.