The CDA provides a program rich with success for low-income families.

Although the country continues to struggle through a bleak recession, the Child Development Association (CDA) in Roswell provides a bright ray of hope for children 12 months to 5 years old from low-income, working families that are striving for self-sufficiency. The CDA serves 140 children and employs a team of 28 full-time teachers plus child development specialists and administrative staff. The end result is an exemplary local program that is fully accredited and makes a real impact on the lives of the children it serves.

The mission of the CDA, which was founded by a group of concerned citizens in 1967, is to enable the preschool children of low-income, working families in our community to make a great start toward a bright future. Not only does the CDA provide outstanding, NAEYC-accredited childcare, it also offers a comprehensive nutrition program, numerous health-related screenings, and a wide range of family resources. In 2004 the CDA was honored in Washington with the national Audrey Nelson Community Development Achievement Award for outstanding programs addressing the needs of disadvantaged families and neighborhoods. In 2008, they received a Green Champion designation and special grant funds from the Community Foundation of Greater Atlanta for their commitment to energy conservation and green building practices.

The most amazing aspect of the CDA is that it is a nonprofit organization supported by private contributions from individuals, foundations, civic and faith organizations. Executive Director Donna Smythe, who has devoted her career to the nonprofit world, says, “I am very pleased to be at the helm of an organization with such a rich history of community support and involvement. For more than 40 years we have nurtured children and strengthened families,  but we have not taken one step alone—the community has been with us every step of the way.”

You can help make a difference in the life of a local child. The Child Development Association is currently accepting tax-deductible donations. Smythe stresses, “This is a critical time for the CDA; the economy has hit hard and stretched our resources frankly beyond the limit. We need support now more than ever to sustain our mission.”

by Jackie Kass

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For more information, visit cdakid.org or call 770.992.4006.

Jackie Kass is a frequent contributor to the Atlanta Northside Family and Parenting Examiner. You can check out her library of 500+ parenting articles at www.Examiner.com.