by Leigh Johnson
There is no instruction manual, guide book, nor cliff notes for giving. Giving is natural just as loving. I began supporting nonprofit efforts for Prevent Child Abuse Habersham at the Family Resource Center (FRC) in 2018. I had no idea how non-profits worked, how to just show up and volunteer, or how to give.
Thinking, just showing up might be awkward, and maybe even forward. But that did not stop me. You see I had a calling during an almost fatal illness. I had no idea what steps to take I just went. After showing up offering any hand I could, the answers just kept coming. I truly understood the saying “just show up.”
The list of ways to support FRC effort was long, sometimes hard, sometimes as easy as a donation or showing up to lend a hand. The examples of how to provide help are endless. Of course, funding but also basic living supplies for children, teens and adults, necessary items for infants and toddlers, maybe even emergency supplies or shelter.
It is important for our community to be informed about the depth of need for local families in distress. Ever have that lingering thought “I hope someone’s helping them” or “I pray they find help”? It does not mean this is your calling, but reminds you that sometimes people just need help. The Family Resource Center is that help. With highly educated professionals providing frontline assistance we provide services to assist in healing from ACE’s (Adverse Childhood Experiences) for children, teens, and adults. FRC offers opportunity to break family generational adversity through parenting classes, First Steps instruction and resources for new parents, and recovery services to build family resiliency and self-sustainability for a stable family.
FRC is partially supported by government grants for mental health, childhood adversity, substance abuse recovery, and supervised family visitation to name a few programs, and access to referrals to other agencies who have additional resources. And as the only Family Resource Center for northeast Georgia, we assist in our neighboring counties providing services in Habersham, White, Banks, Rabun and Stephens County. We have local connections in each county that provide free of charge use of a small facility to provide services and meet clients. These facilities are provided by local agencies, churches, and other nonprofits. Our main facility is in Clarkesville on the campus of The First Presbyterian Church at a modest cost.
Like most nonprofits there is a significant gap in grant funding and the cost to provide facilities and services. This is where the community comes in. A large percentage of FRC’s funding must come from local community donors. It’s important to know our FRC is very well known and respected for providing high level quality professional services.
The Prevent Child Abuse Habersham title falls directly under Prevent Child Abuse Georgia. Each designation affiliate must adhere to high level service standards. We operate on 9 cents of every dollar donated or grant provided, and 91 cents of every dollar goes directly to assist children and families in need. Additionally, we are a recommended non-profit for donors through North Georgia Community Foundation.
Please consider being a personal donor a corporate annual partner, or regular volunteer for FRC. Contact FRC directly for more information. www.frcofneg.org, 706-778-3100
Leigh Johnston is the chair of the Board of Directors of Prevent Child Abuse Habersham. Reach her at leighejohnston@gmail.com.