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 programmatic and operational goals address issues and ideas from our strategic planning activities. Cdf action will continue to work alongside residents and stakeholders to refine 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 clarkson. Goal 4: build cdf action's internal capacity. Cdf action: delivering social impact, 7/28/2021 is available. The executive director reports on activities and impacts for each of the five goals during board meetings. The document will be reviewed and updated 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 serves as the executive director and flo shepley serves as the financial manager. Cdf contracts with several individuals and groups to support its work. During 2022, cdf maintained an office at st. michael and all angels episcopal church in stone mountain. Adam nykamp serves as the board president, elected in november 2022. The board meets quarterly. Cdf contracts with partners and individuals for specific support and activities related to administration and programs. Funding partners. During 2022, several organizations received grants and included cdf as a partner: including: refugee women's network (parent leadership and voice, year two), international rescue committee (child care navigation), refugee family assistance project (child care navigation), city of Clarkston (story walk, juneteenth celebration, Clarkston health fair, early learning information fair, and Clarkston tell me a story), congolese integrated network (community assessment) 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 johnson's office, to "expand and enhance the ready school initiative." The grant funding began in september 2022. Equipment, books, and additional toys were purchased with these funds and cdf and partners developed plans to expand the space and offerings. Cdf continues to receive funding from united way of greater atlanta to implement three ready schools. Cdf 2022 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 2022, cdf conducted monthly task force meetings by zoom, resulting in new or expanded programs. Cdf worked with the city in 2022 to recruit and appoint additional board members. In march 2022, cdf, irc, and indian creek elementary hosted the first annual Clarkston early learning information fair held at indian creek elementary school, attended by over 100 residents and partner organizations, including paint love, amani women's center, giselle learning academy, easter seals north Georgia head start, scottdale early learning, and early learning scholars. Participants signed up for caps (childcare subsidies and head start), learned about other childcare programs, and received free diapers (irc) and free books (cdf). In 202l after discussing research compiled by a student intern from emory university, cdf researched and 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 children's 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. B. Clarkston tell me a story children's stories from around the world. The 9th annual ctmas was held at the Georgia piedmont technical college conference center, september 2022. Because of covid, the event was held inside the conference center and outside in a covered parking lot. Approximately 300 people attended, an increase from the year before. The annual event is co-sponsored by the city of Clarkston and cdf action with participation by over 20 partners. The event includes storytellers, literacy activities conducted by partners, community resources, free books and book bags. C. ready schools. The ready schools initiative is an innovative early learning and family engagement program for 3- and 4 - year 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, provide 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 2022, 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 peachtree creek on e. ponce apartments. Cdf began planning for this work in the fall of 2022. Cdf contracted with luminary evaluation to develop the evaluation and a tool kit. Cdf action provides technical assistance to communities interested in replicating the ready school initiative. D. 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 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 women's 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. This activity supports one of the cdf board's strategic directions, to increase the number of bilingual early learning teachers. E. parent leadership and voices. During 2021 - 2022, cdf partnered with refugee women's network (rwn) to implement a project called "parent leadership and voices." This project brings together four cohorts of families (arabic, chin, amharic, and pashto/dari) to participate in leadership workshops. Th