Summer in the City Learning Experience for Teenage Girls
The Girls Dig Deeper Initiative (GDDI) – in partnership with Macon-Bibb County Recreation – is hosting a Summer Learning Experience for teenage girls at the Rosa Jackson Community Center (1211 Maynard Street) from July 16-19 from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. There are only 10 slots available, and registration can be completed by clicking here.
The themes for the week include: Life and Leadership; My Mental Health Matters; Art is Life; and Fostering Positive Friendships. Some of the topics will have have guests come in to talk about their experiences and areas of expertise.
“This is a chance for us to continue provide quality programming and positive youth development for our youth and help them realize their full potential as they move from adolescence into adulthood,” says Najiva Timothee with GDDI. “Summer in the City will be a time of dedication and commitment for our youth girls to elevate the importance of learning and growing through healthy mindset practices and positive behavior.”
Community Wellness Event to focus on women’s health
The Girls Dig Deeper Initiative (GDDI) – in partnership with Piedmont Macon and Macon-Bibb County Recreation – will hold a Community Wellness Event at the Rosa Jackson Community Center (1211 Maynard Street) on Saturday, July 20, from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. The event is open to the public, but GDDI is asking people to register to help with planning. To register, click here.
“We’re holding this event primarily for women to help them access valuable health resources and improve the overall well-being of our community,” says Najiva Timothee with GDDI.
Key topics and services will include: stroke awareness and prevention, maternity services, nutrition, blood pressure checks, BMI and Hip-to-Waist ratio checks, breast cancer information and self-screening tutorial, heart health, and eating healthy on a budget.
GDDI received $15,500 in grant funding in 2023 from the Macon Violence Prevention (MVP) program. In the first round of funding, they received $5,500 and in the second round this year, they received $10,000 to offer leadership development programs designed to help young girls overcome barriers such as childhood poverty, chronic absenteeism, poor academic achievement, disability, adverse childhood experiences and community violence.
About Girls Dig Deeper and Macon Violence Prevention
Girls Dig Deeper Initiative
Girls Dig Deeper Initiative is a girls group mentoring and youth development program in Central Georgia which serve youth in schools and communities, and incarcerated youth ages 13-17. They provide 1:1, group, and a team model mentoring approach within the organization.
Their mission is to foster guidance, support, and encouragement to all youth girls to dig deep within themselves to access their inner potential and expand their capacity to be a positive influence to themselves and others.
Girls Dig Deeper Initiative launched its leadership development program, The Winners’ Mindset, in January to teach youth girls to rise up and win regardless of the challenges they face.
Macon Violence Prevention Program
Macon Violence Prevention is an evidence-based, multifaceted program created to address public safety in Macon-Bibb County. Supported and funded by the consolidated government, MVP is a community-wide effort that brings together elected officials, community leaders and representatives from more than 20 agencies, organizations and departments.
The MVP program operates under the guidance of the MVP Strategic Plan, which was created in June of 2021 by community stakeholders and violent crime experts. The plan combines data and research with community feedback to identify and implement proven solutions that reduce violent crime and strengthen the community over time.
Since its inception, more than $1.6 million has been granted to local nonprofit and community organizations. From 2022 to 2023, the Macon-Bibb homicide rate dropped by 40%, and the youth homicide rate fell by 67% between 2022 and 2023.