The Hand, Heart and Soul Project is a nonprofit organization that prides itself on assisting Clayton County residents by improving access to quality education, nutrition and community resources. The organization partnered with the United Way of Greater Atlanta to ensure the success of several Learning Spaces centers designed for childcare providers and children up to five years of age.
The learning centers are equipped with teachers committed to educating parents as well as their children on healthy eating habits, providing workshops, storytime, playtime, exercise, and yoga and encouraging meaningful engagement between the child and their daily caregiver. “We feel the best time to implement training is between the ages of zero to five. That’s when patterns of behavior are learned and their brains are like sponges able to absorb so much to set them up for greatness,” explains Ben, the education outreach coordinator for Hand Heart and Soul.
Once the parent, caretaker or caregiver joins the program, they are allowed two hours per day Monday through Friday at Learning Spaces with their child. Parents must be present throughout the session as drop-offs defeat the purpose. Scores of parents showed up with their children to celebrate the grand opening and participate in the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Members from the United Way of Greater Atlanta that participated in the event were as follows: Travis Amsterdam (Community Organizer), Magdalena Perez (Project Manager, Family Engagement & Leadership), Cerrice Dawson (Senior Director of Early Learning), Patrice Laird, (Learning Spaces Partnerships Manager), and Cori Cain (Associate Vice President, Strong Learners).
Every Friday there is a special orientation that interested parents can attend. The seventeen Learning Spaces are in Cobb, Clayton, DeKalb, Douglas and Fulton counties. The Hand Heart and Soul project, is a firm believer in farm-to-table when it comes to helping the community develop healthy eating habits.
Visit the website https://handheartsoulproject.org to learn more and also to find out the dates of the next monthly fresh vegetable distribution.
