Georgia Mjartan, Author at SC First Steps

The Year of the Caregiver

By Georgia Mjartan | December 30, 2020

2020 was the year of the caregiver. From hospitals to family homes, caregivers of all kinds have dramatically reorganized their lives to meet the needs of our society’s most vulnerable members.

Listening to the people we serve

By Georgia Mjartan | October 28, 2020

First Steps Executive Director Georgia Mjartan plays a hand-clapping game with a child in a preschool classroom.

As a foster parent, I interacted with “the government” on many occasions. Sometimes the experiences were wonderful, like the time my case worker went out of her way to approve a Christmas visit between our one-year-old foster daughter and her biological father. Other times, the interactions left me feeling disrespected, frustrated, and angry. I wished…

Our Children Need Us, We Need Each Other

By Georgia Mjartan | July 30, 2020

First Steps Executive Director Georgia Mjartan sits at desk with her son while her two other children play on a bed in the background.

First Steps Executive Director Georgia Mjartan, the parent of three young children, reflects on the challenges of parenting during a pandemic.

Supporting Families and Young Children during COVID-19

By Georgia Mjartan | April 9, 2020

During a time when child care programs are closed and parents are home with their young children, South Carolina First Steps is providing much-needed support to families across the state.