5 Organizations Working To Improve Lives In Georgia
Like any other state, Georgia experiences a variety of systemic roadblocks that get in the way of social justice. Thankfully, numerous organizations are working hard to eradicate these problems and improve life for the state's citizenry. The groups included here tackle issues ranging from food access to government transparency, all with the aim of securing a more equitable future. This video was made with Ezvid Wikimaker.
5 Groups Helping Georgia Citizens
| Organization | Mission |
|---|---|
| Wholesome Wave Georgia | Increase access to fresh, healthy, locally-grown food for all Georgians |
| Georgians for a Healthy Future | Build and mobilize a unified voice, vision, and leadership to achieve a healthy future for all Georgians |
| The Georgia First Amendment Foundation | Advocate for government transparency, free speech rights, and access to public information, meetings, and proceedings |
| YWCA of Greater Atlanta | Eliminate racism, empower women, and promote peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all |
| Ahimsa House | Help the human and animal victims of domestic violence reach safety together |
Meet Wholesome Wave Georgia
Issues With American Democracy
- Gerrymandering
- Money in politics
- Uninformed voters
- Unequal representation in presidential elections
- Media bias
- Electoral College
- Voter suppression
Behind the Mission of Ahimsa House
In Depth
With a landscape ranging from the heights of the Blue Ridge mountains to the shores of the Atlantic, and a highly diverse population, Georgia is a state with many faces. An equal variety can be seen among the organizations working for progress in the region, offering education, advocacy, and supportive services of all kinds. In no particular order, here are five groups promoting change in the Peach State.
Opening our list at #1 is Wholesome Wave Georgia, working to ensure that residents throughout the state can access nutritious local food. The Georgia Fresh for Less program matches SNAP and EBT dollars at participating farmers markets, enabling low-income shoppers to double the value of fresh produce they can purchase. The organization also assists qualifying individuals in applying for food benefits.
WWG's Georgia Food For Health Program works with care providers to offer prescriptions for nutritionally sound foods, which can be redeemed for produce at participating outlets, and the group's Market Innovation Mini-Grant helps finance operational expansion for partner farms and retailers. WWG also publishes informational videos to educate the public about its efforts. Those wishing to support the organization can donate, purchase merchandise, or inquire about partnership.
WWG also publishes informational videos to educate the public about its efforts.
Next up at #2 is Georgians for a Healthy Future, an organization seeking reform of health policy, to enable access to quality care for all inhabitants of the state. GHF engages with public officials directly, and helps to organize advocacy efforts in support of equitable practices. The group's initiatives range from preventing rural hospital closures to mandating that behavioral health services be covered equally by insurance.
GHF allies with numerous other health-focused organizations as part of the Cover Georgia Coalition and the Preventing Youth Substance Use Disorders Coalition, offering its partners tools like an informational resource hub for consumer assistance. GHF also provides educational materials for citizen advocates, including updates on legislative efforts to improve health care, and stories from people impacted by inadequate medical coverage. Supporters can help by volunteering or donating.
#3 in our overview is the Georgia First Amendment Foundation, a member of the National Freedom of Information Coalition, fighting for government transparency in the Peach State. G.F.A.F. offers a comprehensive guide to regulations on open government, as well as publications on records transparency rules for law enforcement officials and public schools. The Foundation performs outreach to educate the citizenry about information freedom issues.
The Foundation performs outreach to educate the citizenry about information freedom issues.
G.F.A.F. has assisted in pushing numerous official bodies to increase transparency practices, through advocacy and legal action. The organization's Legislative Watch provides updates about government actions impacting the public's right to know, and the Weltner Freedom of Information Awards honor individuals and groups who have advanced the cause of transparency. Those who want to aid the Foundation's mission can make a contribution or become members.
Coming in at #4 is YWCA of Greater Atlanta, a local chapter of the nationwide charitable organization. This group works to promote gender equity and racial justice, offering numerous programs aimed at promoting success for women and disadvantaged groups; examples include the Early Learning Academy for children of working families, or the ENCOREplus program to expand female health care access.
YWCA of Greater Atlanta advocates for women at the state level through the Georgia Women's Policy Institute, which provides training in leadership and activism to develop a network of engaged alumni. The organization also celebrates female success through efforts like the annual Salute to Women of Achievement, and offers educational programming such as the CONVERSATIONS forum on race and gender. Supporters can help by volunteering or donating.
Supporters can help by volunteering or donating.
We'll finish with #5, Ahimsa House. Dedicated to helping domestic violence survivors and their pets, this organization operates a crisis hotline, and a network of foster homes and boarding facilities, to ensure that individuals escaping from violent partners can find safety for their animal companions. The group also assists with veterinary care costs for pets that have been harmed by abusers.
Ahimsa House engages in outreach, raising awareness about the connection between domestic violence and animal cruelty by distributing informational materials, giving interviews, and offering educational presentations. The group also shares stories from survivors who have feared or witnessed harm to their pets from abusers. Individuals or organizations can help by giving, partnering, or volunteering.
