Commissioner: Timothy C. Ward

Director of Public Affairs: Joan Heath

73 Bears Donated to Coliseum Health System

FORSYTH, Ga. –  On Tuesday, April 30, eight students participating in the 12 For Life Program, supported by  the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) in partnership with the Monroe County Board of Education, and Great Promise Partnership (GPP), delivered 73 teddy bears to children at the Coliseum Health System in Macon, GA.  The teddy bear collection was organized by the students, who set up collection sites throughout the campus of GDC headquarters, where employees generously dropped off their donations. 

Modeled after the original program developed by the Southwire Company in Carroll County, GDC’s 12 For Life Program places at-risk students in real jobs, allowing them to earn wages while earning credit towards a diploma. Similar to the Southwire model, Monroe County students receive on-the-job training, key work/life skills, mentoring and potential future employment opportunities while employed by the GDC in an office environment at State Offices South at Tift College. 

“GDC is proud to partner with our local school system and GPP by offering mentorship and learning opportunities to these students.” said Timothy C. Ward, Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Corrections. “We are extremely proud of the students for organizing and taking part in this project, while they learn the importance of giving back.”

The Great promise Partnership empowers students to stay in school while addressing Georgia’s workforce development needs.

About the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC)

The Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) has one of the largest prison systems in the U.S. and is responsible for supervising nearly 52,000 state prisoners. It is the largest law enforcement agency in the state with approximately 10,500 employees. For more information on the GDC, call 478-992-5247 or visit https://gdc.georgia.gov.