MERIDIAN EDUCATION RESOURCE GROUP INC
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Mission Statement
Whitefoord is a community-based organization that was founded in 1995 to address the needs of children and families in the community. The organization was founded as a community-based, community-driven organization that strives to empower residents throughout Southeast Atlanta to take charge of themselves, their children, and their community. The mission of Whitefoord is to partner with families and the community to ensure that all are healthy and children have what they need to succeed in school.
About This Cause
Who We Are Whitefoord is a community-based organization that was founded in 1995 to address the needs of children and families in the community. The organization was founded as a community-based, community-driven organization that strives to empower residents throughout Southeast Atlanta to take charge of themselves, their children, and their community. The mission of Whitefoord is to partner with families and the community to ensure that all are healthy and children have what they need to succeed in school. The primary focus areas of Whitefoord have always been and continue to be health and education. The organization has evolved over the years to address the important issues of increased health care, early childhood development and stimulation, quality after and summer school programs, community engagement, family support, and the challenges of a depressed economy. Whitefoord programs consist of three school-based health centers, a family medical center, Pre-K and Child Development programs, and Beyond School Hours programs. Our Programs Health Care – Whitefoord serves over 2,700 children and families annually through comprehensive health care services and resources Of Whitefoord’s Federally Qualified Community health centers, one is a Family Medical Center located at 30 Warren Street in Kirkwood, and the others are located in three Atlanta Public Schools – Whitefoord Elementary School, Martin Luther King Middle School, and Maynard Jackson High School (only Behavioral Health services are provided at this location). We provide comprehensive medical, dental and behavioral health services to children and families who are uninsured and under-insured. Through our full-service health centers, Whitefoord provides affordable, quality, preventative and accessible primary health services to address the growing needs of low-income children and their families. Not only does this help to strengthen and provide a healthcare safety net for this demographic, it decreases the number of residents in this community who are dying from preventable and controllable diseases. Data shows that residents in this community alone have much higher death rates from preventable causes than that of the entire State of Georgia. The majority of the causes of deaths in this community are attributed to progressive diseases and conditions including diabetes, HIV, hypertension, unhealthy lifestyles such as obesity, lack of primary health care, smoking, unsafe sexual practices, alcohol and substance abuse, and mental and behavioral health disorders. Whitefoord’s comprehensive medical, dental and behavioral health services strengthen families and the community through health promotion, disease prevention, chronic disease management, and appropriate care of acute and short-term illness in a culturally sensitive environment with an integrative approach. Whitefoord health centers serve as a primary medical home for most of our patients. Additionally, we also provide support services through our Outreach & Enrollment initiatives. As such, Whitefoord works with individuals, families, and children throughout Southeast Atlanta to get those who qualify enrolled in healthcare coverage including Medicaid, Peach Care, the Affordable Health Marketplace, and others. Education - Whitefoord serves over 250 children through our Early Learning and Beyond School Hours Programs annually Our Pre-K and Child Development program is a National Association for Education of Young Children (NAEYC) accredited and Georgia Quality Rated program that offers a stimulating learning environment for children ages 6 weeks to 5 years. The program serves to increase the quality, quantity, and accessibility of childcare and early education opportunities for families in the Edgewood, Kirkwood, and East Lake communities. Additionally, Whitefoord’s Beyond School Hours programs provide individualized academic support in a safe, nurturing environment. These programs offer digital literacy, life skills, computer skills, summer camps, and after-school tutorial and enrichment activities. Who We Serve While services are available to families of all income levels, the majority (55%) of those served by Whitefoord programs live 100% or more below the national poverty level; 92% are African American; and 95% are single mothers who are head of households. In the Whitefoord service area, more than 52% of families live in poverty; and the rates of high school completion among residents are low (at 50%) and less than other geographic areas. Also in our targeted service area, 96% of the students at Whitefoord Elementary School; 98% of King Middle School, and 84% of Jackson High School receive free or reduced lunch.