It’s estimated that half a million children in the United States are a victim of child abuse each year and millions more witness a violent crime. In many cases, these children’s testimony is a crucial component in seeing the offender charged and jailed.

And that’s where child advocacy centers, like Safe Harbor Child Advocacy Center in St. Marys, come in.

Safe Harbor Child Advocacy Center is a safe place designed for children. Their staff of highly trained professionals interview the child in a child-friendly environment to learn what the child witnessed or experienced.

“As a children’s advocacy center, our organization serves as a safe and child-friendly space for children and families impacted by abuse or trauma,” said Andrea Belton, Program Director. “We provide specialized services, including forensic interviews, victim advocacy, crisis intervention, and multidisciplinary coordination with law enforcement, child protective services, and medical professionals. Our team is trained in trauma-informed care and legal advocacy to ensure that children and families receive compassionate and comprehensive support throughout the investigative and healing process.”

A $2,500 grant from the Southeastern Bank Community Foundation will be used to help train the Safe Harbor’s Camden Center staff and volunteers on how to effectively work with nonverbal children and adults and also to purchase a dual top tablet table and sensory toys for placement in their lobby for children with ADHD, autism, or other sensory issues.

“By investing in specialized training, our forensic interviewers will be uniquely qualified to serve individuals with disabilities who are nonverbal, filling a critical service gap in southeast Georgia,” said Belton. “The specialized FIND training, combined with improvements to our facilities and educational outreach, will allow us to remove barriers, increase access, and ensure that no child or family is left without the support they need.”

Safe Harbor Child Advocacy Center serves hundreds of children and families across Southeast Georgia affected by abuse, neglect, and trauma. “Receiving this grant is deeply meaningful to our organization, especially during a time when sustaining our services has become increasingly challenging,” said Belton. “Over the past four years, we have experienced funding cuts year-after-year, which has made it critical for us to seek support outside of traditional state and federal sources due to their volatility. Local funding sources, such as the Southeastern Bank (Community Foundation) grant, have been essential in helping us remain operational and continue serving our community without disruption. This grant will not only help us bridge funding gaps but also allow us to enhance our programs, address service gaps, and remain a vital resource for children and families impacted by abuse and trauma. It represents a lifeline for our agency and an investment in the safety, healing, and empowerment of the most vulnerable members of our community.”

“Safe Harbor does vital work in our community, and we’re proud to support the Camden Center in providing tools and creating a space that help children and adults with sensory and communication challenges,” said Jay Torbert, President and CEO of Southeastern Bank.

About Southeastern Bank Community Foundation, Inc.

A 501(c)(3) organization, Southeastern Bank Community Foundation supports local nonprofits making a difference in the communities served by Southeastern Bank. Employees of the Bank serve on the Foundation Board on a rotational basis and determine how funds are dispersed in its local communities. The Foundation is currently funded with donations from the Bank.

Applications for future grant award cycles are available on the Bank’s website at southeasternbank.com or any Southeastern Bank office.

About Southeastern Bank

Established in 1888, Southeastern Bank has a long history of serving its customers and communities through its 11 locations in coastal Georgia and northeast Florida. The Bank is headquartered in Darien, Georgia. Visit southeasternbank.com to learn more.

About Us: Southeastern Bank, established in 1888, has a long history of serving its customers and communities. From traditional deposit and loan services to long-term mortgage originations and credit cards, Southeastern Bank has the financial products you need most. The Bank has 10 branch locations throughout coastal Georgia and northeast Florida, including Brunswick, Callahan, Darien, Eulonia, Folkston, Hilliard, Kingsland, Nahunta, Richmond Hill and St. Simons Island, and a loan production office in Hinesville.

St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church of Darien is alive with the sounds of children after school four days a week.

“Our mission is to provide a rich environment where children of McIntosh County are exposed to as many ideas and activities, and as much love and support, as our community and the world can provide,” said Laura Evans, Youth Director for St. Andrew’s.

Now, thanks to a $1,500 grant from Southeastern Bank Community Foundation, they have additional funding to support their youth programs.

St. Andrew’s after-school program has four groups, each coming on a different day of the week, with time to play, do art, eat a full meal, and participate in other fun activities like guest speakers or field trips. There is a group of fifth graders, six graders, seventh and eighth graders, and high school students. They also provide an in-school tutoring program to fourth graders as well.

In addition to the fun activities in their after-school program, they also provide transportation home for many of the children. “We provide transportation home for families that request it and might drive as many as 35 students home in a week,” said Evans.

For the 2024-2025 school year, 45 students were enrolled in the program.

Until recently, one staff person and community volunteers ran the programs. The addition of a part-time cook and teaching assistant “has deepened the relationships we have with students and families as there is consistency from day-to-day and we have many siblings in our various youth groups,” said Evans. “More consistency has allowed me, as the youth director, more time to come up with lessons better adapted to the needs and interests of each group, tailoring our program in a way that was more challenging before this school year.”

“The support of Southeastern Bank (Community) Foundation is a vote of confidence in the difference we are making in the lives of our students and the need for after-school care for working families,” said Evans. “Funding helps to foster the growth we hope to see in our students. We (graduated) our second class of twelfth graders (this past) May and the field trips, including college tours, and guest speakers in various career fields helped us to assist these students in their launch into the world.”

“Our youth represent the future of our community,” said Jay Torbert, President and CEO of Southeastern Bank. “We’re proud to support after-school programs like St. Andrew’s that help young people grow, learn, and thrive.”

About Southeastern Bank Community Foundation, Inc.

A 501(c)(3) organization, Southeastern Bank Community Foundation supports local nonprofits making a difference in the communities served by Southeastern Bank. Employees of the Bank serve on the Foundation Board on a rotational basis and determine how funds are dispersed in its local communities. The Foundation is currently funded with donations from the Bank.

Applications for future grant award cycles are available on the Bank’s website at southeasternbank.com or any Southeastern Bank office.

About Southeastern Bank

Established in 1888, Southeastern Bank has a long history of serving its customers and communities through its 11 locations in coastal Georgia and northeast Florida. The Bank is headquartered in Darien, Georgia. Visit southeasternbank.com to learn more.

About Us: Southeastern Bank, established in 1888, has a long history of serving its customers and communities. From traditional deposit and loan services to long-term mortgage originations and credit cards, Southeastern Bank has the financial products you need most. The Bank has 10 branch locations throughout coastal Georgia and northeast Florida, including Brunswick, Callahan, Darien, Eulonia, Folkston, Hilliard, Kingsland, Nahunta, Richmond Hill and St. Simons Island, and a loan production office in Hinesville.

CASA Glynn provides a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) to more than 300 children in foster care annually throughout the Brunswick Judicial Circuit, which comprises Glynn, Camden, Wayne, Appling, and Jeff Davis Counties.

“The Juvenile Courts turn to the CASA volunteer advocates as a direct source of information regarding any child involved in deprivation proceedings,” said Cary Greenfield, Executive Director of CASA Glynn. “The CASA Glynn volunteers speak for the child in court, help to protect the child from insensitive questioning, and objectively report information to assist the court in determining the best interests of the child, based on sound research.”

“Children in foster care are perhaps the most powerless element of our society. They have done nothing to deserve being taken from their families. They can do nothing to help themselves find safe, permanent homes. They need and deserve a voice, and CASA provides that voice to

them. CASA is a practical, hard-working solution to an enormous problem.

On average, CASA Glynn has about 90 trained, sworn-in volunteers who work under the supervision of CASA Glynn staff. These volunteers go through 35-40 hours of training before becoming a CASA, and the average case takes about 5-10 hours of their time each month. They work to learn more about the child in foster care, their placement, their biological family, and their situation as a whole in order to provide a report to the court and recommendation on what they feel is best for the child in care.

Now, thanks to a recent grant from the Southeastern Bank Community Foundation for $2,000, confidential information of CASA volunteers, staff, and the children they serve are better protected.

“The purpose of these funds is the purchase of training software, security software, and virtual program software, ensuring the integrity and confidentiality of the children and families we serve and of the volunteers who advocate for these children,” said Greenfield. “This includes firewalls, server protection, Zoom, Skype for Business, Microsoft Teams, Fortigate 60E, vSphere licensing, annual monitoring, antivirus, and backup services.”

As Greenfield explains, CASA volunteers in the Brunswick Judicial Circuit attend hearings virtually, and many of the volunteer trainings are hybrid virtual. “The impact to our children, volunteers, staff, and families is that their confidential information is completely protected, allowing ease of minds to our staff and more concentrated time being spent on ensuring their needs are met. We are not a glamorous, high-profile charity, but that’s why Southeastern Bank’s decision to help CASA will have such a big impact.”

“We are proud to support CASA Glynn in their work to advocate for children and strengthen our community,” said Jay Torbert, President and CEO of Southeastern Bank.

About Southeastern Bank Community Foundation, Inc.

A 501(c)(3) organization, Southeastern Bank Community Foundation supports local nonprofits making a difference in the communities served by Southeastern Bank. Employees of the Bank serve on the Foundation Board on a rotational basis and determine how funds are dispersed in its local communities. The Foundation is currently funded with donations from the Bank.

Applications for future grant award cycles are available on the Bank’s website at southeasternbank.com or any Southeastern Bank office.

About Southeastern Bank

Established in 1888, Southeastern Bank has a long history of serving its customers and communities through its 11 locations in coastal Georgia and northeast Florida. The Bank is headquartered in Darien, Georgia. Visit southeasternbank.com to learn more.

About Us: Southeastern Bank, established in 1888, has a long history of serving its customers and communities. From traditional deposit and loan services to long-term mortgage originations and credit cards, Southeastern Bank has the financial products you need most. The Bank has 10 branch locations throughout coastal Georgia and northeast Florida, including Brunswick, Callahan, Darien, Eulonia, Folkston, Hilliard, Kingsland, Nahunta, Richmond Hill and St. Simons Island, and a loan production office in Hinesville.

The Coastal Coalition for Children has been in operation since 1983, serving families in southeast Georgia by offering voluntary programs to parents of newborns and grandparents raising grandchildren.

One of their programs is a Sleep Safe campaign, which works to prevent Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID) and other sleep related causes of infant death.

“As part of our First Steps referral program, we regularly encounter families who lack the means and/or knowledge to provide a safe sleep environment for their newborns,” said Lori Hatton, Executive Director. “For over a decade, we have relied on individual donors, local mini-grants, and limited funding from the Georgia Department of Public Health to provide safe sleep pack-n-plays.”

Now, thanks to a $2,500 grant from the Southeastern Bank Community Foundation, the coalition has funds to purchase 50 pack-n-plays for use in their Sleep Safe campaign.

“The impact of this program is undeniable,” said Hatton. “For the past 12 years, no newborn enrolled in our program has died due to unsafe sleep practices. Providing a safe sleep pack-n-play is more than just a material donation; it is a lasting, proactive, and compassionate response to a critical and immediate need for families already facing financial hardship. This grant will allow us to expand our reach and ensure that more newborns in our community have the safe start they deserve.”

In addition to First Steps, other programs offered by the Coalition include Healthy Families® and Grandparent Connection. Healthy Families® is a nationally accredited home visitation program. Through this program, family support workers offer activities at each stage of the child’s life that engage both parents and their child. They encourage actual play, interactions, and moments of joy to reduce adverse childhood experiences and foster school readiness developmentally and socially.

“We are the earliest form of education, which is important since we now know that 90% of a child’s brain development happens before age 5,” said Hatton. “We help parents understand that in the first few years of a child’s life, 700 new neural connections are formed every second and that this early learning is the foundation for all future success in school, in the workforce, and in life.”

The Grandparent Connection program also includes home visitation to support grandparents, legal guardians, or other kinship placements who find themselves caring for minor children, when the child’s natural parent cannot care for them for a variety of reasons, including mental health issues, drug use, poverty, incarceration, or abandonment. The Coalition’s staff supports healthy development and addresses issues that may arise from the child’s past experiences. They also provide monthly support groups, mental health consultations, tutoring for children who are behind grade level, and other community services.

“Our mission, and vision, are to ensure that families, communities, and organizations have access to the highest quality services and resources needed to help children and youth grow into healthy and thriving,” said Hatton.

“We’re proud to support the Coalition for Children in their mission to build stronger families and healthier futures for children in our community,” said Jay Torbert, President and CEO of Southeastern Bank.

About Southeastern Bank Community Foundation, Inc.

A 501(c)(3) organization, Southeastern Bank Community Foundation supports local nonprofits making a difference in the communities served by Southeastern Bank. Employees of the Bank serve on the Foundation Board on a rotational basis and determine how funds are dispersed in its local communities. The Foundation is currently funded with donations from the Bank.

Applications for future grant award cycles are available on the Bank’s website at southeasternbank.com or any Southeastern Bank office.

About Southeastern Bank

Established in 1888, Southeastern Bank has a long history of serving its customers and communities through its 11 locations in coastal Georgia and northeast Florida. The Bank is headquartered in Darien, Georgia. Visit southeasternbank.com to learn more

About Us: Southeastern Bank, established in 1888, has a long history of serving its customers and communities. From traditional deposit and loan services to long-term mortgage originations and credit cards, Southeastern Bank has the financial products you need most. The Bank has 10 branch locations throughout coastal Georgia and northeast Florida, including Brunswick, Callahan, Darien, Eulonia, Folkston, Hilliard, Kingsland, Nahunta, Richmond Hill and St. Simons Island, and a loan production office in Hinesville.

On average, Liberty County Manna House serves more than 4,000 individuals and families in Liberty County each year through emergency food assistance, clothing, and soup kitchen meals each weekday.

Thanks to a $2,500 grant from the Southeastern Bank Community Foundation, Manna House was able to expand their food assistance to include a weekend food distribution.

“Many low-income working families are unable to access our services during the week, so this Saturday drive-through event directly addressed that critical need,” said Katrina Deason, Executive Director of Liberty County Manna House. “We were able to provide a substantial amount of food to families who otherwise wouldn’t have access to it.”

This weekend access also expanded Manna House’s reach. “The Saturday drive-through program alone served an additional 200 families, providing each with enough food for 3-5 days, impacting roughly 1,300 individuals. This demonstrates the positive ripple effect of targeted funding on addressing food insecurity in our community,” said Deason.

Deason appreciates the Foundation’s support. “This grant represents a powerful affirmation of our mission and a significant opportunity to make a tangible difference in the lives of our neighbors,” said Deason. “The ability to leverage weekend volunteer support to increase our service capacity highlights the positive impact of community partnerships. It’s incredibly rewarding to see such a positive outcome directly resulting from this generous support.”

“We’re proud to support the Liberty County Manna House in its mission to eliminate food insecurity for families, seniors, and veterans in our community,” said Jay Torbert, President and CEO of Southeastern Bank. “The weekend food distribution is a powerful affirmation of neighbors helping neighbors.”

About Southeastern Bank Community Foundation, Inc.

A 501(c)(3) organization, Southeastern Bank Community Foundation supports local nonprofits making a difference in the communities served by Southeastern Bank. Employees of the Bank serve on the Foundation Board on a rotational basis and determine how funds are dispersed in its local communities. The Foundation is currently funded with donations from the Bank.

Applications for future grant award cycles are available on the Bank’s website at southeasternbank.com or any Southeastern Bank office.

About Southeastern Bank

Established in 1888, Southeastern Bank has a long history of serving its customers and communities through its 11 locations in coastal Georgia and northeast Florida. The Bank is headquartered in Darien, Georgia. Visit southeasternbank.com to learn more.

About Us: Southeastern Bank, established in 1888, has a long history of serving its customers and communities. From traditional deposit and loan services to long-term mortgage originations and credit cards, Southeastern Bank has the financial products you need most. The Bank has 10 branch locations throughout coastal Georgia and northeast Florida, including Brunswick, Callahan, Darien, Eulonia, Folkston, Hilliard, Kingsland, Nahunta, Richmond Hill and St. Simons Island, and a loan production office in Hinesville.

For nearly two decades, the Coalition for the Homeless of Nassau County has been working to prevent homelessness and improve conditions for those experiencing homelessness in the Nassau community. Services aimed at assisting homeless individuals and families include emergency shelter, food assistance, job application assistance, and case management. The Southeastern Bank Community Foundation recently awarded the Coalition a $4,000 grant to support the provision of these services.

“All money in our organization is allocated to purchasing items, services, and shelter for the clients we serve,” said Pamela Reiger, Treasurer of the Coalition. “With this grant money, the Coalition will purchase food, clothing, personal hygiene items, & sleeping bags and pay for services such as birth certificates fees, short-term emergency shelter, & transportation to and from medical appointments.”

The Coalition currently offers a Day Drop-In Center at Fernandina Beach, where those in need can get a hot breakfast and bag lunch to-go six days a week. These clients can also sign up for shower and laundry services there, with hygiene products and clothing items available. The Coalition also helps clients receive their mail and apply for social services. In the winter months, they also help provide a Cold Night Shelter.

The Coalition serves 25-60 people daily through its Day Drop-In Center, and separately, approximately 15 families per year. Children are not allowed at the Day Drop-In center for legal reasons, but a board member meets with families to facilitate the assistance they require.

The Coalition has plans to expand their services to the Westside of Nassau County in the near future.

“We are proud to support organizations like the Coalition who are providing assistance and hope for individuals and families in our communities experiencing difficult circumstances,” said Jay Torbert, President and CEO of Southeastern Bank.

About Southeastern Bank Community Foundation, Inc.

A 501(c)(3) organization, Southeastern Bank Community Foundation supports local nonprofits making a difference in the communities served by Southeastern Bank. Employees of the Bank serve on the Foundation Board on a rotational basis and determine how funds are dispersed in its local communities. The Foundation is currently funded with donations from the Bank.

Applications for future grant award cycles are available on the Bank’s website at southeasternbank.com or any Southeastern Bank office.

About Southeastern Bank

Established in 1888, Southeastern Bank has a long history of serving its customers and communities through its 11 locations in coastal Georgia and northeast Florida. The Bank is headquartered in Darien, Georgia. Visit southeasternbank.com to learn more.

About Us: Southeastern Bank, established in 1888, has a long history of serving its customers and communities. From traditional deposit and loan services to long-term mortgage originations and credit cards, Southeastern Bank has the financial products you need most. The Bank has 10 branch locations throughout coastal Georgia and northeast Florida, including Brunswick, Callahan, Darien, Eulonia, Folkston, Hilliard, Kingsland, Nahunta, Richmond Hill and St. Simons Island, and a loan production office in Hinesville.

Since its founding in 1996 as part of the Georgia Family Connection Partnership statewide network, Brantley County Family Connection (BCFC) has been involved in numerous local initiatives.  These efforts range from Reality Check, an immersive financial simulation that allows high schoolers to experience the practical realities of managing life as a 26 year old to Teen Maze, an interactive event designed to educate middle-schoolers on critical life choices, including the dangers of drug use and teen dating violence. The organization also provides essential school supplies to all seven of Brantley County’s schools as well as Head Start and educates the community on child abuse and neglect, among many other activities and programs.

Now, thanks to a $5,000 grant from the Southeastern Bank Community Foundation, BCFC can add a “Kindness Closet” to their long list of community involvement. The Kindness Closet will provide necessities for community members in need. It will be stocked with essential hygiene products, cleaning supplies, and items for comfort, including blankets and jackets. To access the closet, community members should make an appointment and provide their government ID, social security cards for all household members, proof of income, and a power bill proving residency.

“There has been a need in Brantley County for a long time,” said Dawn Deen, Executive Director for BCFC. “(We) have tried in the past, but either the location or funding fell through. Many of our citizens here in Brantley County are low-income households but make too much money to receive financial assistance. This opportunity allows us to assist those families that work 40 plus hours a week but still struggle to pay their bills. When they have a hard week and just do not have the extra money for items like toilet paper, paper towels, dish soap, laundry soap, feminine products, baby diapers, baby wipes, rash cream, shampoo, conditioner, or body wash, we can assist.”

BCFC is partnering with Brantley County Action Pact, a community action agency, to implement and oversee the closet.  “Alot of low-income households are struggling to just pay bills, let alone have any money left afterward,” said Taylor Turner with Action Pact. “With this Kindness Closet, we will be able to help these households in a more consistent way, so that they can get on their feet.”

Both Deen and Turner agree that the Kindness Closet can also help them connect low-income households and individuals with other services available to them.

“When they make their appointment, they will meet with my partner, Taylor Turner with Action Pact,” said Deen. “That opens them up to services that Action Pact provides, such as electric and water assistance along with the Kindness Closet. They then come to me to get the essential items they need and are open to many other resources in the community such as Blessing Boxes, Babies Can’t Wait, Unison, Health Department, Heron Book Nests, and many, many more.”

“Through another partnership, we will have a member of Okefenokee Alliance for the Homeless, OATH, available onsite for anyone homeless or precariously housed to immediately assist with housing, rental assistance, or legal documents needed.”

Both Deen and Turner are grateful for the grant money from the Southeastern Bank Community Foundation. “Receiving this money finally allowed me to move forward and do something I have been wanting to do for years,” said Turner. “(Helping) those that truly need it in a more personal way has been a dream of mine.”

“The Kindness Closet provides immediate, tangible assistance to help local families with essential hygiene and other items,” said Jay Torbert, President and CEO of Southeastern Bank.  We are proud to support Brantley County Family Connection and Brantley Action Pact in uplifting our community.”

About Southeastern Bank Community Foundation, Inc.

A 501(c)(3) organization, Southeastern Bank Community Foundation supports local nonprofits making a difference in the communities served by Southeastern Bank. Employees of the Bank serve on the Foundation Board on a rotational basis and determine how funds are dispersed in its local communities. The Foundation is currently funded with donations from the Bank.

Applications for future grant award cycles are available on the Bank’s website at southeasternbank.com or any Southeastern Bank office.

About Southeastern Bank

Established in 1888, Southeastern Bank has a long history of serving its customers and communities through its 11 locations in coastal Georgia and northeast Florida. The Bank is headquartered in Darien, Georgia. Visit southeasternbank.com to learn more.

About Us: Southeastern Bank, established in 1888, has a long history of serving its customers and communities. From traditional deposit and loan services to long-term mortgage originations and credit cards, Southeastern Bank has the financial products you need most. The Bank has 10 branch locations throughout coastal Georgia and northeast Florida, including Brunswick, Callahan, Darien, Eulonia, Folkston, Hilliard, Kingsland, Nahunta, Richmond Hill and St. Simons Island, and a loan production office in Hinesville.

The Hinesville chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace started a little over a year ago with a simple goal – to ensure that no kids sleep on the floor in their town!  The chapter provides beds, complete with mattresses and bedding, to children within Liberty County who are sleeping on the floor, a couch, or a makeshift pallet.  In its first year of operation, the chapter was able to serve 85 children.

Now, thanks to a $2,500 grant from the Southeastern Bank Community Foundation, the chapter will be able to serve 20 more children.

According to Terry Cook, Chapter President, the organization works not only to end bedlessness one child at a time but also bring awareness to bedlessness in the local community. Sleep is essential for children’s physical and emotional well-being, and having a proper bed can significantly impact their quality of life.

“Receiving funds from Southeastern Bank shows me that our community cares,” said Cook. When Southeastern reached out to me, it truly meant the world to me. Knowing that other organizations in my community saw what we were doing and wanted to help truly gave me hope that we would be able to reach our goal to make sure no kids sleep on the floor in our town.”

“A bed is such a basic need for children, and we are grateful to Sleep in Heavenly Peace for helping ensure that kids in the community have one,” said Jay Torbert, President and CEO of Southeastern Bank.  “Their volunteer corps and ability to stretch their dollars to benefit as many kids as possible is inspiring.  We’re proud to support their vital work.”

About Southeastern Bank Community Foundation, Inc.

A 501(c)(3) organization, Southeastern Bank Community Foundation supports local nonprofits making a difference in the communities served by Southeastern Bank. Employees of the Bank serve on the Foundation Board on a rotational basis and determine how funds are dispersed in its local communities. The Foundation is currently funded with donations from the Bank.

Applications for future grant award cycles are available on the Bank’s website at southeasternbank.com or any Southeastern Bank office.

About Southeastern Bank

Established in 1888, Southeastern Bank has a long history of serving its customers and communities through its 11 locations in coastal Georgia and northeast Florida. The Bank is headquartered in Darien, Georgia. Visit southeasternbank.com to learn more.

About Us: Southeastern Bank, established in 1888, has a long history of serving its customers and communities. From traditional deposit and loan services to long-term mortgage originations and credit cards, Southeastern Bank has the financial products you need most. The Bank has 10 branch locations throughout coastal Georgia and northeast Florida, including Brunswick, Callahan, Darien, Eulonia, Folkston, Hilliard, Kingsland, Nahunta, Richmond Hill and St. Simons Island, and a loan production office in Hinesville.

More than half of low-income families don’t have a single book in their home suitable for a child, but Ferst Readers of McIntosh County is changing that statistic for homes in their community.

This program mails age-appropriate books to children from birth – age 5 each month, along with tips for parents on using the books as teaching tools.

“When a family is struggling to pay rent and buy food, buying books is not a priority,” said Jean Wilsterman, McIntosh Community Action Team Leader. “By mailing the books to the child’s home, we provide much-needed tools for the parent to be their child’s first teacher and prepare them for a life of learning. Reading is a necessary skill for lifelong success.”

And now, thanks to a $2,500 grant from Southeastern Bank Community Foundation, Ferst Readers of McIntosh County will be able to serve even more children in the community.

“We will now be able to sign up more children in McIntosh County,” said Wilsterman. “It costs $42 per year to mail the books to the registered children. The Ferst Readers organization requires we have 6 months’ funding on our account to register new children. At the time we received the grant, we had 284 children on our rolls. We immediately put the 19 + children on the waitlist on our roles, and we are now signing up additional children. The grant money will fund an additional 59 children for one year!”

As Wilsterman explains, early literacy can help determine later success, which is why it’s important to provide books to this specific age group.

“Learning begins at birth,” said Wilsterman. “A baby needs to hear words and see colors and shapes in these early formative months and years.  A child’s brain is 85% developed by age 3. It is important they hear and see sounds, words, shapes and colors. Reading to a child also teaches them to sit, be still and give attention to learning. Holding a book and learning how to open and turn pages is a skill needed for classroom learning. This prepares the child for learning the rest of their lives. The single most significant factor influencing a child’s early educational success is an early introduction to books and being read to at home prior to beginning school.”

“Promoting childhood literacy is one of our Foundation’s key priorities,” said Jay Torbert, President and CEO of Southeastern Bank. “We appreciate the work Ferst Readers of McIntosh County is doing to help develop the next generation – one book at a time.” 

About Southeastern Bank Community Foundation, Inc.

A 501(c)(3) organization, Southeastern Bank Community Foundation supports local nonprofits making a difference in the communities served by Southeastern Bank. Employees of the Bank serve on the Foundation Board on a rotational basis and determine how funds are dispersed in its local communities.  The Foundation is currently funded with donations from the Bank.

Applications for future grant award cycles are available on the Bank’s website at southeasternbank.com or any Southeastern Bank office.

About Southeastern Bank

Established in 1888, Southeastern Bank has a long history of serving its customers and communities through its 11 locations in coastal Georgia and northeast Florida. The Bank is headquartered in Darien, Georgia.  Visit southeasternbank.com to learn more.

About Us: Southeastern Bank, established in 1888, has a long history of serving its customers and communities. From traditional deposit and loan services to long-term mortgage originations and credit cards, Southeastern Bank has the financial products you need most. The Bank has 10 branch locations throughout coastal Georgia and northeast Florida, including Brunswick, Callahan, Darien, Eulonia, Folkston, Hilliard, Kingsland, Nahunta, Richmond Hill and St. Simons Island, and a loan production office in Hinesville.

Morningstar Children and Family Services in Brunswick specializes in caring for special needs foster boys, ages 12-21, who have come into care due to abuse, neglect, and abandonment. Their 50-bed residential program is the only one in Georgia exclusively serving developmentally delayed youth, many with autism and complex care needs. In addition to providing a home for these children, Morningstar also offers therapeutic counseling, life skill training, and workforce coaching to help ensure a brighter future for the youth in their care. The children also continue educational studies, working towards a high school diploma, and receive ongoing recreational opportunities.

As part of its residential program, Morningstar offers “Food is Love” to the boys in their care, which a $3,000 grant from the Southeastern Bank Community Foundation helped fund.

“When boys come to Morningstar, they are looking to heal,” said Lisa Johnson, Grants Coordinator for Morningstar. “They are looking for comfort and familiarity. Having three hot and nutritious meals per day provides that comfort. Many of our boys have experienced food insecurity during their short lives. Our kitchen team provides not just a place to eat, but also a place where our boys feel safe and secure. They feel connected to our team and know they can count on a warm greeting, a smile, and a great meal in the Morningstar cafeteria!”

“Morningstar needs our community to stand in the gap for those we serve,” said Johnson. “Funding must come from a variety of sources to meet the needs of the boys who call our campus home. Partners like Southeastern Bank are critical to the mission. We are honored to partner with this wonderful business, where team members don’t just provide funding; they also give their time to connect with our programs. This is how lasting partnerships are forged.”

“Foster children are some of our most vulnerable,” said Jay Torbert, President and CEO of Southeastern Bank. “We’re glad to support these children and Morningstar with a grant to the Foods is Love program.”

About Southeastern Bank Community Foundation, Inc.

A 501(c)(3) organization, Southeastern Bank Community Foundation supports local nonprofits making a difference in the communities served by Southeastern Bank. Employees of the Bank serve on the Foundation Board on a rotational basis and determine how funds are dispersed in its local communities. The Foundation is currently funded with donations from the Bank.

Applications for future grant award cycles are available on the Bank’s website at southeasternbank.com or any Southeastern Bank office.

About Southeastern Bank

Established in 1888, Southeastern Bank has a long history of serving its customers and communities through its 11 locations in coastal Georgia and northeast Florida. The Bank is headquartered in Darien, Georgia. Visit southeasternbank.com to learn more.

About Us: Southeastern Bank, established in 1888, has a long history of serving its customers and communities. From traditional deposit and loan services to long-term mortgage originations and credit cards, Southeastern Bank has the financial products you need most. The Bank has 10 branch locations throughout coastal Georgia and northeast Florida, including Brunswick, Callahan, Darien, Eulonia, Folkston, Hilliard, Kingsland, Nahunta, Richmond Hill and St. Simons Island, and a loan production office in Hinesville.