Georgia Healthy Family Alliance Inc

GHFA is the philanthropic arm of the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians (GAFP) and is the only charitable organization in Georgia whose objective is to improve access to quality health care through initiatives and programs lead and supported by the care and generosity of family medicine specialists.  Our two primary programs are the Community Health Grant Program and Tar Wars.

Our most enduring outreach program is Tar Wars - an evidence-based, effective and interactive tobacco, nicotine, and vape early education and prevention program for students. It is owned and operated by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) and offered by GHFA at no cost to Georgia schools. This national program is a tool to combat the alarming uptick of vaping among middle and high school students while still addressing the dangers of traditional tobacco. Since its inception in 1988, the program has reached more than 10 million children worldwide and is on track to educate 50,000 youth in Georgia this school year. 

Our "Why" example: Jacks Story

Project Goals and Objectives: 

1. Educate Georgia 4th-5th graders about the dangers of tobacco and vape products using repetition and reinforcement to ensure long-term behavioral and attitude changes.   

2. Impact entire families through take-home materials aimed at fostering further discussions on the dangers of tobacco, nicotine and vape products.

3. Prevent additional cases of E-Cigarette/Vaping Associated Lung Injury and related deaths by providing children the tools needed to make healthy choices.

TAR WARS Works!

Tar Wars has been acknowledged by the Georgia Department of Education as one of the preferred educational activities for school children and designated as of one the CDC’s “Programs that Work” for tobacco and vaping prevention.

Statistics:

The Georgia Healthy Family Alliance is working to prevent Georgia youth from ever using tobacco, nicotine, and vape products. The Tar Wars lesson plan consists of a one-hour presentation and requires minimum preparation from presenters, volunteers or school staff. The Georgia Healthy Family Alliance provides all materials needed.

In Georgia, 3,100 kids under 18 become new daily smokers each year. Therefore, 204,000 kids alive today under 18 will ultimately die prematurely from smoking. If we can stop Georgia's children from using tobacco and vape, the long-term impact will be lower smoking and vaping rates, which will dramatically decrease the proportion of cancer deaths in Georgia attributable to smoking (29%).

Nationally 1 in 4 high school students and 1 in 10 middle schoolers vape. According to the Georgia Department of Public Health, in 2018 26.1 percent of High School students in Georgia reported using e-cigarettes. “The number of students who tried e-cigarettes, even once or twice, had increased by 66 percent from 15.7 percent in 2013 to 26.1 percent in 2017.” 

In response to the urgent need for tobacco and vaping education in Georgia, GHFA launched regional Tar Wars Strike Forces in Rome/Northwest, Gainesville/Northeast, Savannah/Southeast, and Macon/Middle Georgia. Plans for additional Strike Force campaigns are underway in other Georgia communities in 2023. 

According to the Georgia Association of School Nurses “there is a critical need in schools throughout Georgia for tobacco education and prevention programs like Tar Wars to counter the rising number of youth smoking in Georgia.”  Help us stop them before they start with Tar Wars.

Governor Brian Kemp recently signed House Bill 287 into law requiring mandatory and annual vaping/tobacco education for Georgia students. This initiative was one of the Georgia Academy of Family Physician’s legislative priority and claiming victory was our initial step.  Now we ask that you help us claim victory by claiming a classroom to implement our AAFP Tar Wars education in a school in your community.

Your foundation -GHFA - and Georgia's youth need your help. 

Your tax-deductible gift makes a difference in many ways: 

• Education on tobacco and vaping to 50,000 - 4th and 5th grad students in Georgia this school year.
• Sending the Tar Wars Training Tool Kit to all presenters free-of-charge and at no cost to schools. 
• Training and supporting volunteer Tar Wars presenters throughout the state. 
• Parent Information explaining the dangers of vaping as current advertising is misleading

In honor of 75 Years of Family Medicine we currently have two match donation opportunities. Dr. Chip Cowart and Aylo Health (Dr. Collyn Steele) have EACH pledged to match end of year donations up to $7,500 - that's a potential of $15,000.

This is a great opportunity to have your donation tripled!

Please help us reach the match opportunity by joining us in support of this vital health initiative with a suggested generous gift of $75, $275, or $750 honoring 75 years of family medicine. 

Together we can make a difference in Georgia – one student, one family, and one community at a time. Thank you for your consideration and support.