SR220: SR220 Black Child Development Institute; congratulate

This resolution from the Georgia Senate honors the Black Child Development Institute, which received the Georgia Reads Community Award from the Georgia Council on Literacy. The award recognizes communities that build sustained, multi-organization partnerships to improve literacy, with a strategic plan and measurable results over at least three years. The resolution describes the Institute's Read to Succeed program, which helps families build home libraries of culturally responsive children's books for kids from birth to age eight. It also names partner organizations, including the United Way of Greater Atlanta, the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning, the Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students, and the Atlanta Speech School's Rollins Center for Language and Literacy. The Senate directs its Secretary to prepare a copy of the resolution for the Institute, but the resolution creates no new law, funding, or requirement.

• Formally congratulates and commends the Black Child Development Institute for receiving the Georgia Reads Community Award.
• Recognizes the Institute's Read to Succeed program, which helps families build home libraries of children's books.
• Names the Institute's literacy partners, including the United Way of Greater Atlanta and the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning.
• Directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare a copy of the resolution for distribution to the Institute.

This resolution directly names and honors the Black Child Development Institute and its partner organizations working on early childhood literacy in Georgia. It does not impose obligations on the public, businesses, or government agencies beyond the Secretary of the Senate's clerical task.

The resolution carries no legal or funding effect; it is a formal statement of recognition. Its main real-world consequence is public acknowledgment of the Institute's literacy work, which may raise its visibility to families, funders, and other community partners in Georgia.

• The whereas clauses describe the Georgia Council on Literacy's mission and the criteria for the Georgia Reads Community Award, including partnerships sustained for at least three years.
• The resolution identifies the Black Child Development Institute as an award recipient for early literacy work with children from birth to age eight.
• The first resolving clause has the Senate congratulate and commend the Institute and other Georgia Reads Community Award recipients.
• The second resolving clause directs the Secretary of the Senate to make a copy of the resolution available to the Institute.

1. 2025-02-20Senate Read and Adopted (Senate)
2. 2025-02-19Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Billy Hickman (R, SD-004)Primary sponsor
• Nan Orrock (D, SD-036)

• literacy programs
• early childhood education
• Senate resolutions
• community awards