To give back to Totes 2 Tots, give.northside.com/totes2tots
Twelve years ago, doctors and the staff at Georgia Cancer Specialists wanted to commemorate the honor of Martin Luther King Jr. and give back to the community through service. With so many causes to support, the staff of GCS decided to support the foster children in the community.
They kicked off the Totes 2 Tots campaign which collected kid-sized suitcases, book bags and other items that would benefit foster children across Georgia. Twenty-seven GCS offices across Georgia – including 19 in Metro Atlanta – participated in the drive which delivered new or nearly new backpacks and kid-sized suitcases to foster children in Georgia.
“We all share a commitment to children and when we learned of this need within the foster community, there was unanimous support among all of our staff to try to bring dignity and respect back to the children,” said Dr. Cheryl Jones, vice president and chief medical officer of Georgia Cancer Specialists.
Continuing its tradition, this year GCS partnered with Northside Hospital and kicked off it’s the 12th year of Totes 2 Tots on Jan. 17 to begin collecting suitcases for the children in the Georgia Department of Human Services’ Division of Family and Children’s Services.
There are approximately 7,500 children in the foster care system of Georgia, and owning a suitcase or something to call their own can mean the world to them. “We want to do everything possible to bring comfort and security to our children in care,” said Susan Boatwright, communications director of Department of Human Services and DFCS. “This initiative allows our children a way to carry the items that mean the most to them with dignity.”
Although the collection drive happens during MLK weekend, the opportunity to get involved is always there. “Donations can be made to the Northside Hospital Foundation and additional bags will be purchased with any funds raised, “added Jones.
This year’s Totes 2 Tots collected over 3,600 bags, a record number since the collection drive’s inception. In the last 12 years, Totes 2 Tots has collected and donated more than 37,000 bags for foster children in Georgia.
In other news: The Atlanta Women’s Foundation kicked off its 2014 Spring Grant Cycle and the nonprofit is looking to reach nonprofit organizations doing the best work to help improve the lives of economically vulnerable women and girls in metro Atlanta. AWF will support organizations addressing the health and education foundational issues faced by girls and women impacted by poverty in the 5-county service area. For guidelines and to download the complete application, go to www.atlantawomen.org.
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