Under the Gold Dome:
Georgia Appleseed’s Legislative Priorities
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The Capitol doors opened on January 12 for the first day of this year's legislative session. Since then, we've been meeting with lawmakers and lobbyists, agency leaders and other non-profit partners, and the youth and families who need our support.
This session, we are building on momentum from recent wins to advocate for children and families. A few of our priorities this year:
- Establishing a new Office of Homeless Youth Prevention and Protection within the Department of Community Affairs
- Easier school enrollment for children in foster care
- Increased funding for DFCS
- Effective alternatives to zero-tolerance school discipline policies to make Georgia schools safer and more effective.
| | Georgia Healthy Housing Day at the Capitol | | |
On January 21, Georgia Appleseed and members of the Georgia Healthy Housing Coalition (GHHC) held our first Healthy Housing Day at the Capitol.
Lawmakers came to learn about Georgia's housing crisis and pragmatic solutions, and to pledge support, including Senators Gail Davenport, Kim Jackson, Kay Kirkpatrick, Chuck Payne, and Kenya Wicks, and Representatives Lisa Campbell, Kasey Carpenter, Lydia Glaize, and Sheila Jones, and Mary Margaret Oliver, who hosted our event.
GHHC's partners were there in full force, including Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation, Enterprise Community Partners, GEEARS, Georgia ACT, Georgia EmpowerMEnt/MAAC, Georgia Equality, HouseATL, and Partnership for Southern Equity.
We extend special thanks to our speakers, who shared their stories and expertise—Dr. Bambie Hayes-Brown, Natallie Keiser, Michael Conger, Regginald Holloway, and our Policy Counsel Luci Ruiz and Executive Director Michael Waller. The Imprint article: Report Reveals Hidden Family Homelessness Crisis in Atlanta Hotels highlights some of Michael's remarks from the event.
Are you ready to get involved or learn more? If so, email us at ghhc@gaappleseed.org.
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Meet Our Executive Board Officers
New Leadership, Continued Momentum
| | New year, new leadership! Micah Moon, a former Georgia Appleseed Young Professionals Council (YPC) president and current Assistant General Counsel at Delta Air Lines, was elected as our new Chair of the Board of Directors. Before Delta, Micah was at Georgia-Pacific, Koch Companies Public Sector, and Alston & Bird. | | The Board Chair gavel passes from one former YPC member to another: Eric Fisher (right) to Micah Moon (left). | | Micah will lead the Executive Committee alongside Adwoa Awotwi, Vice Chair - Vice President and General Counsel at LocumTenens.com; Adam Ozgo, Treasurer - Corporate Controller at Yancey Bros.; David Brackett, Secretary - Partner at Bondurant, Mixson & Elmore; and Eric Fisher - Partner at Barnes & Thornburg. | We have a tradition of terrific Board leadership, and are looking forward to Micah helping guide Georgia Appleseed through another year of strong growth and statewide impact. | | |
Fatima Santillan, our newest team member, joined Georgia Appleseed this January as our Programs & Outreach Coordinator.
Before Georgia Appleseed, Fatima supported legislative reforms for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute and served as a legal assistant at an immigration law firm, providing Spanish-language support to clients.
Fatima holds a B.A. in Political Science and is excited to advance equitable, community-centered policy and outreach with Georgia Appleseed. Learn more about Fatima here.
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A 3rd grader shouldn’t be suspended from school for a year for talking back—and a 4th grader shouldn’t face a semester's suspension because of truancy. Georgia Appleseed is seeing elementary student referrals to the FAIR Project for cases like these. In 2024, 5th graders made up 5.1% of disciplinary cases statewide—outpacing 12th graders at 4.7%. Early advocacy can stop unfair suspensions before they change a child’s trajectory.
| | Spotlight on the Georgia Bar Foundation | | |
When a child faces a year-long suspension, it can derail their education entirely. Long-term suspensions isolate students from their school community and dramatically increase the risk of dropping out. We’re deeply grateful to the Georgia Bar Foundation for their generous partnership in supporting our FAIR Project, which works with students, parents, and schools to prevent long-term suspensions and protect kids’ futures.
As the charitable arm of the Supreme Court of Georgia, the Foundation strengthens access to justice statewide. With its support, we reached more students in Georgia’s legal deserts—rural communities with few to no attorneys. Thank you, Georgia Bar Foundation, for helping more Georgia students stay in school and on a path to graduation.
| | At right, FAIR co-leads Jack Grote and Tanesse Brown, and Legal & Policy Director Darlene Lynch, accept the Georgia Bar Foundation's William B. Spann Jr. Award for commitment to the delivery of pro bono services. | |
Appleseed in the News
A Wake-Up Call for School-Based Mental Health
| | | |  | Our Legal and Policy Director, Darlene Lynch, spoke with 11Alive about the statewide challenges contributing to Fayetteville’s mental health crisis. Families and advocates are calling for stronger, more accessible mental health supports for students following a series of student and staff suicides. Across Georgia, children’s mental health system continues to face workforce shortages and gaps in access to care—making it more urgent than ever to connect students to support before emergencies escalate. | |
The quarterly meetings of the Georgia Education Climate Coalition (GECC) and the Georgia Healthy Housing Coalition (GHHC) are tentatively scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday April 22-23, 2026 in Gainesville.
Email us at gecc@gaappleseed.org and ghhc@gaappleseed.org to learn more.
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Save the Date for Roaring for Justice 2026!
You're invited! Join us on Friday, April 24, 2026 at The Foundry to raise critical funds for Georgia children, explore the latest exhibit of See Me, and network with Georgia Appleseed's community of supporters.
Sponsorship opportunities are still available at all levels. Learn more here.
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It’s a new year, and we’re cleaning up our database! If you have changed employers and/or moved in the last year, please contact lmungo@gaappleseed.org to update your information.
Connecting with you helps us build our community of advocates and amplify our mission to advance justice for children across Georgia. View our video library on YouTube, and follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn and FaceBook.
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