Summer 2024

GHFA Awards $100,000 in Immediate Needs Grants in Response to Urgent Healthcare Needs in Georgia

The COVID-19 pandemic presented many challenges to the health care community and the patients they serve in Georgia. With the knowledge that family physicians are on the front lines of public health issues affecting our communities, the Georgia Healthy Family Alliance (GHFA) launched an Immediate Needs Grants program to help address some of the unique challenges Georgia’s communities are facing. So far, the program has awarded $100,000.

The Immediate Needs Grants continue to assist GAFP member communities in 2024. Some examples of recent grant projects include urgent housing, transportation, food, and medicine for individuals who are in a fragile or unstable environment. Grant applications have been streamlined and an approval process has been implemented so we can transmit funds within 3-5 days. The application period will remain open through the end of the year.

GHFA Receives 2024 CareSource Heart of the Community Award

The Georgia Healthy Family Alliance (GHFA) recently received the 2024 Heart of the Community Award from CareSource for making a true impact on communities throughout Georgia through the Tar Wars Program. CareSource, an industry-leading national managed care organization, recognized GHFA for providing the Tar Wars anti-vaping and anti-tobacco education program to thousands of Georgia school children to combat the ongoing epidemic of youth vaping.

“The school-based Tar Wars prevention program aligns with our community health initiatives in Georgia,” said CareSource Associate Vice President of Population Health Taura White. “GHFA’s efforts to educate not only students but parents and teachers on the true dangers of nicotine and vaping products will leave a lasting impact and even save lives,” she added.

Statewide Health Initiatives Get a Boost with GHFA's Latest Grant Awards

The Georgia Healthy Family Alliance (GHFA) has awarded Community Health Grant Award applicants more than $100,000 in 2024. The second cycle of grant recipients have been awarded $59,800 in grants. Grant awards were made to GAFP member-sponsored community groups that support GHFA program priorities including underserved populations and programs that promote healthy practices. The application deadline for third-cycle grants is July 9, 2024. Click below for a list of this year's first cycle Community Health Grant recipients and to apply.

2024 Immediate Needs Grants Still Available

Good News! In 2023, the GAFP’s Foundation ⎼ Georgia Healthy Family Alliance ⎼ received an unprecedented amount of donations to support our $1,000 Immediate Needs Grants targeting underserved and rural communities. No one knows better than our members the needs that would give an immediate boost to your community. We have been challenged to give out up to 50 Immediate Needs Grants before the end of the year.

We invite you to apply for a grant (OR have someone apply for it – with your permission as the “member-sponsor”). It takes less than 15 minutes to apply, and the money is typically sent out within 3-5 business days.

Update: Post $4M Capital Campaign. Now What?

After last year’s completion of phase one of GHFA’s first-ever Capital Campaign, the Board of Trustees continued their goal of advancing efforts toward fulfilling our mission to serve the people of Georgia by enhancing their well-being through educational and outreach programs that promote healthy practices consistent with the principles of family medicine.

GHFA’s Trustees launched an effort to connect with our family physician members through surveys, focus groups, and one-on-one discussions to learn how GHFA can continue to raise monies to build our reserves while continuing to award grants and educate school children about tobacco and vaping harm.

Tar Wars Update, Training Available

GHFA has been working diligently to help Tar Wars grow throughout our four Strike Force regions across the state. This was a very successful school year for Tar Wars, providing education to more than 38,000 4th – 12th grade students.

Through the GHFA partnership with the Northwest Georgia Regional Cancer Coalition, more than 5,900 students across the Northwest Strike Force were presented with the Tar Wars curriculum. This included most of the elementary schools in Floyd County, as well as new presentations being held in Polk County and Murray County. We hope this partnership will continue to be beneficial to the youth of Northwest Georgia as we expand our reach into more schools in the area, specifically all elementary schools in Polk and Chattooga Counties.

In the Northeast Strike Force, Barrow County and Banks County led the way with all the elementary schools in the county holding Tar Wars presentations. Lumpkin County held presentations for their middle and high school students, helping us learn more about the most effective ways to reach those populations. We also had success in Dawson and Hall counties and will continue to expand further into these counties for the next school year.

GHFA Congratulates the 2024 Statewide Tar Wars Poster Contest Winners

The Georgia Healthy Family Alliance (GHFA) Board of Trustees congratulates Macon 4th grader Jamyia Jacks from L.H. Williams Elementary School, Vineville Academy of the Arts 4th grader, Mame Thiam and Vineville Academy of the Arts 5th grader Cael Stephens of Macon, for their outstanding poster submissions to the Tar Wars tobacco and vaping prevention 2024 statewide poster contest.  Students were asked to create posters outlining the importance of living tobacco and nicotine-free lives. The top three 2024 statewide Tar Wars poster winners are:

1st: Jamyia Jacks
L.H. Williams Elementary, Macon

2nd: Mame Thiam
Vineville Academy of the Arts, Macon

3rd: Cael Stephens
Vineville Academy of the Arts, Macon

GHFA’s Tar Wars Georgia Program Named 2024 Outstanding Program of the Year by the AAFP Foundation

The Georgia Healthy Family Alliance (GHFA), the foundation arm of the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians (GAFP), has been named the Outstanding Program of the Year by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) Foundation for the Tar Wars Georgia program, which provided anti-tobacco and anti-vaping education to more than 50,000 Georgia youth in the last two school years.

An interactive and effective program dedicated to educating children about the true dangers of tobacco and vape products, Tar Wars Georgia is offered at no cost to schools. While Tar Wars is part of a national initiative created by the American Academy of Family Physicians in the 1980s, GHFA has taken a proactive approach by dedicating resources and developing strategic partnerships for statewide implementation with four current Strike Force Regions and additional presentations being scheduled statewide for Fall 2024. 

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